The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-04-29
THE NEW AUT.
Making constabIes OF townships Fire
Wardens.

Many inquiries having been made
by constables as to what their duties
are and the time when their service
begins as fire wardens, we herewith
publish the act, which was signed by
Governor Hastings March 80, 1897:
"SEC. /. Be it enacted, Sc, that
on and after the first Gay Of January,
Ammo Domini one thousand eight
hundred and ninety eight, the consta-
bles Of the various townships of the
Commonwealth shall be ex-offico fire
wafdens, whose duty it shall be, when
fire is discovered in the forests within
their respective townships, immediate
ly take such measures as are necessary
for its extinction, and to this end to
have authority to call upon any person
or persons within their respective
townships for assistance the said fire
wardens to receive fifteen Q5) cents
per hour, and the persons so assisting
twelve (I7) cents per hour, as COM
pensation for their services; the ex-
penses thereof shall be paid, one-half
out of the treasury of the respective
county, and the remaining half of said
expense shall be paid by the State
Treasurer into the treasury of said
county, out Of moneys not otherwise
appropriated, upon warrant from the
Auditor General, but no such warrant
shall be drawn until the respective
County Commissioners shall have first
furnished, under oath or affirmation to
the Auditor General, written item
lied statement of such expense, and
until the same is approved by the
Auditor General: Provided, That no
county shall be liable to pay for this
purpose, in any one year, an amount
exceeding five hundred dollars.
"SEc. 2. Any person who being
called upon by the fire wardens Of his
township to furnish assistance in ex-
tinguishing forest fires as provided in
section one shall, without reasonable
cause, refuse to render such assistance,
upon conviction thereof shall pay
fine not exceeding ten dollars, or
undergo imprisonment not exceeding
thirty days, or both, at the discretion
of the court.
"SEC. 3. The fire wardens Of each
township throughout the Common
wealth shall, in tine first week OF each
term of the court of quarter sessions
of their respective counties, make re-
turns to said court under oath or
affirmation, of all violations occurring
within their respective townships which
may come or be brought to their
notice of any of the provisions of any
law, now enacted, or hereafter to be
enacted for the purpose Of protecting
forests from fire, and it shall be the
special duty Of the judge of said court
to see these returns are faithfully made;
and on failure OF any warden to COM
ply with this provision, or If it be found
upon examination or inquiry by said
court that any fire warden has either
wilfully or negligently omitted to re
port all such violation occurring with.
in his township, or having failed to
perform his duty as set forth in sec
ton one of this act, such fire warden
or constable shall be deemed guilty
of wilfully or negligently making a
false return, or neglect of duty, and
the court shall suspend him from Office
and direct the District Attorney to
lndict and try him, and if found guilty,
he shall be fined in sum not exceed
ing ten dollars, or undergo imprison-
ment not exceeding three months,
both or either, at the discreation Of
the court.
"SEc. 4. The term forest herein
used shall not, for the purposes of
this bill be held to include an area
Of timber land or brush land Of less
than fifty acres in extent, unless such
said area shall by proximity to other
timber land be liable to convey FIRE
to an area OF brush land or timber
land containing at least SO acres"