The San Francisco call., 1898-04-10
ARTICLE Tx. FIRE DEPARTMENT. CHAPTER I.
Organization and Powers.


 SECTION L The Fire Department shall be under the management of a Board of Fire Commissioners consist ing of four members, who shall be ap- pointed by the Mayor, and each of whom shall receive an annual salary of twelve hundred dollars. No person shall be appointed a Fire Commission CT who shall not have been an elector of the City and County for at least five years next preceding his appointment.
 Sec. 2. The Board shall never be so constituted as to consist of more than two members of the same political party. The term of office of the Com missioners shall be four years. Those first appointed shall so classify them selves by lot that they shall respective ly go out of office at the expiration of one, two, three and four years.
 Sec. 3. The Commissioners shall be successors in office of the Fire Commits sioners holding office in the City and County at the time this Charter shall go into effect by virtue of appointment under any statute or law of this State.
 Sec. 4. The Commissioners shall or ganize by electing one of their number President who shall hold office for one year. The Board may appoint Secre- tary who shall perform such duties as the Board may prescribe. He shall re- ceive an annual salary of twenty-four hundred dollars. The Board shall meet at least once a week, and as often as the business of the Department may require, and all its meetings shall be public.
 Sec. 5. The Board shall organize the Department, create and establish such fire companies as 1t may deem neces- sary, prescribe the number and duties of the officers, members and employees of the Department and the uniforms and badges to be worn by them have control Of all the property and equip mentS of the Department, and exercise full power and authority over all ap- propriations made for the use of the Department.
 Sec. 6. All persons appointed to posi- tions in the Department must be citi- zens of the United States, not less than twenty-one nor more than thirty-five years of age, of good character for honesty and sobriety, able to read and write the English language, residents of the City and County at least five years next preceding the date of their appointment. must pass a medical ex- animation under such rules and regu- lations as may be prescribed by the Commissioners. and upon such exam ination be found in sound bodily health.
 Sec. 7. No officer, member or employee of the Department shall be appointed, transferred, or removed because of his political opinions. nor shall he be transferred or dismissed except for cause, nor until after a trial before the Commissioners.
 Sec. S. The Commissioners shall see that the officers. members and en- ployees of the Department faithfully discharge their duties, and that the laws, ordinances and regulations per taining to the Department are carried into effect. The Board shall make such rules and regulations as may be neces- sary to secure discipline and efficiency in the Department, and for any viola ton of such rules and regulations may impose reasonable fines upon the of ficers, members and employees of the Department, or may suspend any of them for such reasonable time as the Board may by rule prescribe. Such fines shall be deducted from the month ly warrants of the officers. members and employees upon whom they are imposed, and shall be transferred by the Treasurer to the Firemen's Relief and Pension Fund.
 Sec. g. The Clerk and Commissary of the Fire Department Corporation Yards shall not deliver any supplies or stores of the Fire Department except upon an order signed by the Chief En- gineer and the Secretary of the Com missioners; but during a conflagration, such material or apparatus as may be required for the purpose of eXtfnguiSh- ing such conf1agration may be with drawn from said Corporation Yards by order of the Chief Engineer, or by any officer In charge of the force of the Department at such conf1agration.
 Sec. 10. No member or employee of the Fire Department shall be engaged in any other employment.