davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-13
CHAPTER IT.
Municipal Elections.

SECTION 1. There shall be held in the City and County of San Francisco on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety nine, and in every second year there after, an election to be known as the municipal election.
 At said elections there shall be elected by the electors of the City and County the following officers: The Mayor, eighteen Supervisors, an Auditor, Treasurer, Assessor, Tax Collector. Recorder, City Attorney, District At torney, Public Administrator, County Clerk, Sheriff, Coroner and four Police Judges Each of the above officers shall be elected for two years, except the Police Judges and the Assessor, each of whom shall be elected for four years. The Superintendent Of Public Schools shall be elected for four years, and the Justices of the Peace for two years, at the same time that members of the Legislature are elected.
 Sec. 2. All of the officers of the City and County of San Francisco who shall be elected in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety eight under existing laws, except the Superln~ tendent of Public Schools and the Jus tices of the Peace, shall hold office only until the hour of noon on the first Mon day after the first day of January in the year nineteen hundred.
 Sec. B. The officers first elected as aforesaid under this Charter shall take office at noon on the first Monday after the first day of January following.
 Sec f. The Mayor shall issue his proclamation and publish the same in the official newspaper for at least twenty days previous to the day in each year on which the municipal election Is to be held under this Charter, calling upon the electors of the City and County to meet for the purpose of electing such officers as are provided for in this Charter, reciting in such proclamation the different officers to be elected at such election
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-13
CHAPTER V.
Fire Marshal.

SECTION l. The Board of Fire Com missioners, on the written recom- mendation of the Board of Directors of the corporation known as the Under writers Fire Patrol of San Francisco, may appoint such persons as may be recommended by said Board of Di- rectors as Fire Marshal and Assistant Fire Marshal. Vacancies occurring in the office of Fire Marshal or Assistant Fire Marshal shall be filled in the same manner. The salaries of said Fire Mar shal and of his assistant and deputies shall be fixed and paid by said Board of Directors of said Underwriters Fire Patrol of San Francisco, and in no event shall the City and County be liable therefor or any part thereof.
 Sec. 2. The Fire Marshal or, in case of his disability, the Assistant Fire Marshal shall attend all fires which may occur in the City and County, and he shall take charge of and protect all property which may be imperiled thereby.
 Sec. 3. The Fire Marshal may call upon policemen during the time of any fire for the purpose of protecting prop erty until the arrival of the owner or claimant thereof, and in case the owner or claimant of such property does not take charge of the same within twenty four hours, the Fire Marshal may have SuCu property SlOfeu at the owner $ or claimants expense.
 Sec. 4. The Fire Marshal shall be charged with the enforcement of all laws and ordinances relating to the storage, sale and use of oils, combus- tible materials and explosives, together with the investigation of the cause of all fires. In all cases where there Is reason to believe that fires are the re- suit of crime or that crime has been committed in connection herewith. the Fire Marshal must report the same in writing to the District Attorney. The Fire Marshal shall also have the care of, and may sell, subject to the orders of the Board of Fire Commissioners, all property saved from fire for which no owner can be found. and at once pay the amount realized from any such sale into the treasury. He shall exercise the functions of a police officer.
 Sec. 5. The Fire Marshal shall have power to appoint deputies for inspect ing buildings, but such deputies shall receive no compensation for their serv- ices from the City and County.
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-13
CHAPTER VII.
Firemen's Relief Fund.

SECTION 1. In order to continue in force. and make effectual pensions already existing in favor of flremen. a. fund is hereby created to he known and designated as the Firemen's Relief Fund. The Board of Fire Commission CTS of the City and County and it's sue cessors in office shall constitute a Board of Trustees of said Fund. The Board shall be known as the Board of Fire Pension Fund Commissioners.
 Sec. 2. There shall be annually levied, collected and apportioned to the Firemen's Relief Fund a tax sufficient to meet and pay all demands upon said Fund, for the purposes set out in this Chapter.
 Sec. 8. The Commissioners may, by a unanimous vote, retire and relieve from service any aged, fnfirm or disabled fireman of the Department who has ar rived at the age of sixty-five years. and larly certificated practicing physicians appointed by the Commissioners for that purpose, may be ascertained to he by reason of such age, infirmitv or other disability, unfit for the perform ance of his duties. Such retired fire man shall receive from the Firenoen,s Relief Fund a monthly pension equal to one-half of the amount of the salary attached to the rank held by him three years prior to the date of his retire. ment. No such pension shall be paid unless such person has been an active member of the Fire Department for twenty years continuously next pre- ceding his retirement, and the same shall cease at his death.
 Sec. 1. Any member of the Fire De-
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-13
CHAPTER IT.
The Chief Engineer.

SECTION 1. The Board of Fire Con- missioners shall appoint a Chief Engi- neer, who shall be charged with the special duty of experimenting the ex- tinguishment of fires. The Chief En- gineer shall be the chief executive of1l- cer of the Fire Department, and it shah be his duty and that of the Assistant Chief Engineers and of the Battalion Chiefs to see that all laws, orders, rules and regulations in force in the City and County, or made by the Commissioners concerning the Fire Department, are enforced.
 Sec. 2 The Chief Engineer may sus- pend any subordinate officer, member or employee of the Department for in- competency, or for any violation of the rules and regulations of the Fire De- partment, and shall forthwith report in writing such suspension, with his req sons therefor, to the Commissioners for their action. He shall diligently ob- serve the condition of the apparatus and workings of the Department and report in writing thereon at least once a month to the Board and make such recommendations and suggestions re- Specting the same as he may deem proper In the absence or inability Of the Chief Engineer, an Assistant Chief Engineer shall perform his duties.
 Sec. g. The Chief Engineer, or, in his absence, the Assistant Chief Engineers, or, in their absence, any Battalion Chief in charge may, during a conflagration, cause to be cut down or otherwise re- moved any buildings or structures for the purpose of checking the progress or such condagratiOn.
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-13
CHAPTER VII.
Promotions, Suspensions, Dismissals
 and Disratements.

SECTION l. All promotions in the Department shall be from the next lower rank, seniority of service and meritoriOus public service being con- sidered.
 Sec. 2. Any member of the Depart ment guilty of any offense, or violation of rules and regulations, shall be liable to be punished by reprimand, or by fine to be fixed by the Commission CTS, or by dismissal from the Depart ment; but no fine shall ever be imposed at any one time for any offense ex- ceeding one months salary.
 Sec. 3. No member of the Department shall be subject to dismissal for any cause, or to punishment for any breach of duty or misconduct therein, except after a fair and impartial trial before the Commissioners upon a verified com- plaint filed with the Board setting forth specifically the acts complained of. and after such reasonable notice to him of the time and place of hearing as the Board may by rule prescribe. The ac- cused shall be entitled upon such hear ing to appear personally and by coun- sel; to have a public trial; and to se- cure and enforce free of expense to him the attendance of all witnesses neces- sary for his defense.
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-13

T. Twenty five per centum of all fines collected in money for violation or any ordinance.
 8. All rewards to members of the Po- lice Department, except such as shall be excepted by the Commissioners.
 g. The Treasurer shall retain from the pay of each member of the Police Force two dollars a month, which shali be forthwith paid into the Police Relief and Pension Fund. No other or further retention or reduction shall be made from such pay for any other fund or purpose unless the same is herein au- thoriZed.
 Sec. 12 When request is made for regular policemen to be detailed at any place of amusement or entertalnment' ball, party or picnic, the party or per son making such request shall first de- posit two dollars and fifty cents for each man so detailed with the Property Clerk of the Department, who shall give him a receipt for the same, ana such sum shall be at once paid into the treasury to the credit of the Police Re- lief and Pension Fund.
 Sec. 13. On the last day or June or each year, or as soon thereafter as practicable, the Auditor shall make report to the Supervisors of all moneys paid out of such Fund during the pre- vious year, and of the amount then to the credit of such Fund The surplus then remaining in such Fund exceeding the average annual amount paid out of such Fund during the three years next preceding shall be transferred to and become a part of the Surplus Fund, and shall be no longer under the control of the Board, or subject to its order. Pay ments provided fer in this Chapter shall be made quarterly upon proper vouchers. When in any one year de- ficiency shall exist in such Fund, such deficiency shall be provided for and made good by the Supervisors In their next ensuing tax levy.
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-13

ganize within ten days after their ap- pointment by choosing one of their number President. In case of failure to agree, he shall be selected by lot. He shall hold office for one year and until his successor is chosen. The Board shall appoint a Registrar of Voters who shall receive an annual salary of twenty-four hundred dollars. The Registrar shall be the Secretary of the Board, and shall keep a record of it's proceedings, and shall execute all orders and enforce all rules and regula- tions adopted by the Board. The term of office of the Registrar shall be four years.
 Sec. 1. The Board may appoint such other clerical assistants as may be ne- cessary at a salary not to exceed one hundred dollars a month each for the time actually employed. The Board shall, by resolution adopted by a ma jority vote of all it's members and en- tered upon it's minutes designate the service to be rendered by such as~ sistants and the time for which they shall be employed The time of em- pIoyment of such assistants shall not be extended except by like resolution of the Board, and when a salary shall have been once fixed it shall not be in creased. This section is subject to the provisions of Article XIII of this Charter.
 Sec 5. All provisions of the general laws of this State respecting elections shall be applicable to all elections held in the City and County of San Fran cisco. All provisions of the general laws of this State respecting the registration of voters shall be applicable to such registration in the City and County. The Board of Election Commissioners must provide for precinct registration so far as it can do so under the Con- stitution and laws of the State.
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-13

the Police Department shall consist of Captains, who shall each receive an annual salary e twenty-four hundred dollars; Lieutenants, who shMl each receive an annual salary of sixteen hundred and eighty dollars; Sergeants, who shall each receive an annual salary of fifteen hundred dollars; and Corpor- als, who shall each receive an annual salary of fourteen hundred and four dollars.
 Sec. ?. There shall be one Captain for each one hundred police officers. The duties of Captains shall be defined by the rules and regulations of the Commissioners and by the orders Of the Chief of Police.
 Sec. 3. There shall be one Lieutenant for every fifty police officers. The du- ties of the Lieutenants shall be defined by the rules and regulations of the Commissioners, by the orders of the Chief of Police, and by the orders of their respective Captains.
 Sec. 4. There shall be as many Ser geants as in the Judgment of the Com- missioners may be advisable, not to ex- ceed one Sergeant for every ten police officers. The duties of Sergeants shall be defined by the rules and regulations of the Commissioners, the orders of the Chief of Police, and the orders of their respective Captains and Lieutenants.
 Sec. .. mere snail De as many Cor porals as in the Judgment of the Com- missioners may be advisable. The du- ties of Corporals shall be defined b the rules and regulations of the Commits sioners, the orders of the Chief of Po- lice. and the orders of thelr respective Captains, Lieutenants and Sergeants.
 Sec. 6. The Chief of Police may detail for detective duties such members of the Department as he may select, not to exceed twenty-five. He shall desig- nate a Captain of Police to act as Cap tain over the officers so detailed who shall receive an annual salary of three thousand dollars. Such Captain shall rank as Captain of Detectives, and his duties shall be defined by the Commis- sioners and by the Chief of Police. The members so detailed shall be known and ranked as Detective Sergeants. Each of said Detective Sergeants shall receive an annual salary of eighteen hundred dollars. They may be re- moved at any time from such detail by the Chief of Police. Their duties shall be defined by the rules and regulations of the Commissioners, by the orders of the Chief of Police. and by the orders of the Captain of Detectives.
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-13
CHAPTER IT.
Duties of the Commissioners.

SECTION 1. The Board of Fire Com missioners shall immediately after their appointment and qualification proceed to reorganize the Fire Department in conformity with the provisions of this Charter. In so doing the Board shall make its appointments of officers and members from the persons constituting the force in the service of the Fire De- partment at the time this Charter goes into effect. Such officers and members shall not be required to pass any Civil Service examination. All future ap- pointments and promotions shall be made subject to the provisions of Arti- cle XIII of this Charter. If any reduc- ton is made in the force of the Depart ment, the Commissioners may tempo rarily discharge those persons, whose discharge shall be most conducive to the efficient reorganization of the De- partnent, but in case of a subsequent increase of the force, those temporarily discharged shall be reappointed without Civil Service examination and assigned to the same rank in which they were at the time of their discharge.
 Sec. 2. No officer, member or em- ployee of the Department shall be dis missed or transferred except for cause nor until after trial. The accused shall be furnished with written copy of the charges against him at least three days previous to the day of trial He shall have the right to appear in person and by counsel and examine witnesses In his behalf. All witnesses shall be examined under oath, and all trials shall be public.
 Sec. 8. When any officer, member or employee of the Department shall be- come temporarily disabled by reason of injuries received while in the actual performance of his duty therein so as
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-13
CHAPTER VI.
Police Officers.

SECTION 1. The Police Force of the City and County shall not exceed one Police Officer for each five hundred in habitants thereof. Police Officers shall dred and twenty-four dollars.
 Sec. ?. Every Police Officer shall, upon the arrest of any person charged with the commission of crime, search the person of such offender, and take from him all property and weapons, and forthwith deliver the same to the prison keeper, who must deliver the same 10 the Property Clerk, to be kept by him until other disposition be made thereof according to law.
 Sec. 8. Police Officers shall be health officers by virtue of their office.
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-13

to incapacitate him from performing his duty, the Commissioners shall allow his salary during the continuance of such temporary disability
 Sec. 4. The Commissioners shall see that all contracts awarded and work done for the Department are faithfully performed, and shall, upon the award ing of any such contract, exact an ade- quate bond for the prompt and faithful performance of the same.
 The provisions of Article II, Chapter III, of this Charter, in regard to the ad- vertising for proposals, the affidavit and security accompanying the same, the presentation and opening of pro- posals. the aw cding of contracts and the security for the performance thereof, shall. so far as the same can be made applicable, apply to all pro posals and contracts made, awarded or entered into for furnishing supplies to the Fire Department. Any contract made in violation of any of the provI- sions of this Chapter shall be void.
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-13
ARTICLE xI.
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTIONS.
 CHAPTER I.
Board of Election Commissioners.

SECTION 1. The conduct, manage ment and control of the registration of voters, and of the holding of elections. and of all matters pertaining to elec- tions in the City and County, shall be vested exclusively in and exercised by a Board of Election Commissioners. consisting of five members, who shall be appointed by the Mayor, and shall hold office for four years. Each of the Commissioners shall receive an annual salary of one thousand dollars Each member of the Board must be an elec- tor of the City and County at the time of his appointment and must have been such for five years next preceding such time Those first appointed must. immediately after their appointment, so classify themselves by lot that one shall go out of office at the end of one year one at the end of two years, one at the end of three years, and two at the end of four years.
 The Mayor shall not make any ap- pointment upon the Board at any time before thirty days prior to the time when such appointee Is to take office. Two of the five members first appoint ed shall be chosen from each of the two political parties casting in the City and County the highest vote for Governor or Electors of President and Vice President as the case may be, at the last preceding general election. The fifth member shall be chosen from the political party casting the third highest such vote at such election, if there be such third party. and if not, then at the discretion of the Mayor. Upon the expiration of the term of office of any Commissioner, the appointee must be chosen from the same political party as the retiring Commissioner. consistently with the foregoing provisions as to equal representation at all times of the two political parties casting the high est vote at the general election last pre- ceding the appointment in question as prescribed in this section
 Sec. 2. No member of the Board. nor Registrar. nor Deputy Registrar shall. during his term of office. be a mem ber of any convention the purpose of which is to nominate candidates for office: nor be eligible to any other m1lnicipaI office during the term for which he shall have been appointed, or for one year thereafter; nor act as officer of any election or primary election: nor take part in any election except to vote and when acting as Election Com missioner. at which time he shall per form only such official duties as may be required of him by law and by this Charter.
 Sec. 3. The Commissioners shall or
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-13
CHAPTER ".
Fire Companies.

SECTION l. Each Steam Fire En- more than one Captain, one Lieutenant, one Engineer, one Driver, one Stoker and five Fosemen.
 Each Hook and Ladder Company shall be composed of not more than one Captain, one Lieutenant, one Driver, one Tillerman and eight Truckmen.
 Each Chemical Engine Company shah be composed of not more than one Cap tain, one Lieutenant, one Driver and one Hoseman.
 Each Water Tower Company shall be composed of not more than one Cap tain, one Driver and one Hoseman.
 Each Fire Boat Company shall be composed of not more than one Cap tain. one Lieutenant, one Engineer, one Assistant Engineer, two Bremen, one Pilot and twelve Hosemen.
The San Francisco call., 1898-04-13
CHAPTER VIII.
Unclaimed and Stolen Property.

SECTION l. All property or money taken under suspicion of having been stolen or feloniously obtained, the re- suit of crime or constituting the pro- ceeds of crime, and all property or money taken from intoxicated or in- sane persons, or other persons incapa- ble of taking care of themselves. or property or money lost or abandoned that may in any way come into the possession or custody of any member of the Department, or of any Criminal Court or Judge of the City and County. shall be delivered to the Prop erty Clerk, who shall enter in Record Book, to be kept by him for that pur- pose, a full and explicit description of the same, together with the name of the person or persons from whom re- cetved, the names of any claimants thereto, the time of the seizure, and the final disposition thereof.
 Sec. 2 When property or money taken from any person arrested, or otherwise under suspicion of having been feloni- ously obtained, or of being the proceeds of crime, is brought with the claimant thereof and the person arrested. before court for examination and adiudica ton, and the Court shall adiudge that the person arrested Is innocent of tba offense alleged, and that the propertv or money belongs to him, 1t shall or Oer Sucn property or money returned to the accused, and the Property Clerk shall thereupon deliver such property or money to him personally. but not to his attorney or agent. If upon such hearing the accused shall be held for trial or examination, such property or money shall remain in the custody of the Property Clerk until the discharge or conviction of the person accused.
 Sec. g. All unclaimed property and f hof he g,, q the Property Clerk for one year shall be sold at public auction, after having been five times advertised in the official newspaper; and the proceeds of such sale shall be paid into the treasury to the credit of the Police Relief and Pen sion Fund. In no case shall such prop erty be sold or disposed of until the ne- cessity for the use thereof as evidence has ceased. The proceeds of property taken from insane persons shall not become part of such Fund until after the expiration of three years from the time the same Is paid into the treasury: but the Commissioners and the Chief ot Police shall. during such period, make diligent inquiry to ascertain the person or persons to whom the same should by right be payable.
 Sec. 4. If any property or money in the custody of the Property Clerk be re- quired as evidence in any Court. 1t shall be delivered to any officer who shall present an order in writing to that effect from such Court, and the Clerks of such Court shall be responsi- ble for the safe delivery of such prop erty or money to the Property Clerk.
 Sec 5. All valuables and money in the custody of the Property Clerk shall be deposited by him for safe keeping with the Treasurer in such manner and subject to such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Board.