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


are and the time when their seryic,
begins as fire wardens, we herewith
publish the act. which was signed BY
Governor Hastings March 30, 1907
SEC. 1. BE it enacted, &c, tha,
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
flre 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 (I5) cents
per hour, and the persons so assisting
twelve I2) 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 a
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 the first week of each
:erm of the court of quarter sessions
of their respective counties, make re-
urns to said court under oath or
affirmation, of all violations occurring
within their respective townships which
nay come or be brought to their
,otce of any of the provisions of any
aw, now enacted, or hereafter to be
for the purpose of protecting
orests from fire, and it shall be the
pecial duty Of the judge of said court
o seethese returns are faithfully made;
md on failure of any warden to COM
Wy with this provision, or If it be found
'pon examination or inquiry by said
ourt that any fire warden has either |
'llfully or negligently omitted to re
ort all such violation occurring with. !
his township, or having failed to
erform his duty as set forth in sec
ION one Of this act, such fire warden
r constable shall be deemed guilty y
f wilfully or negligently making
llse return, or neglect of duty, and
lie court shall suspend him from Office
nd direct the District Attorney to ii
'dict and try him, and if found guilty, r
shall be fined in sum not exceed. d
g ten dollars, or undergo imprison- {
ent not exceeding three months, j
9th or either, at the discreation of t
le court. Il
"SEc. a. The term forest herein
'ed shall not, for the purposes of l
is bill be held to include an area ST
timber land or brush land of less IL
an fifty acres in extent, unless such q
i'd area shall by proximity to other n
nber land be liable to convey fire n
an area of brush land or timber II
nd containing at least 50 acres" ri
=