The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1906-05-18
PUBLIC GENERAL LAWS,

Section 2. And be it enacted, 1t shall
be the duty of the said Fire MarshaI
after created to examine into the
causes, circumstances and origin of all
! fires occurring within the State to
| which his attention may be called!
and which in his judgment requires
| examination; and in making said eX-
aminations the said Fire Marshal or
| Deputy Fire Marshal may, when in his
| judgment said proceedings are neceS-
| sary, take the testimony on oath of all
| persons supposed to be cognizant OF any
| facts. or to have the means of knowledge
in relation to the matters herein re
| qutred to be examined and inquired into,
| and to cause the said testimony to be
| reduced to writing; and when in his
| judgment such examination dlscloses
/ that the fire was of incendiary origin,
the Fire Marshal or Deputy Fire Mar
| shall may cause the supposed incendiary
| to be arrested and charged with the
crime; and shall transmit a copy of
/ the testimony so taken to the States
Attorney for the county or city wherein
! said fire occurred; and upon the re-
| quest of the owner or insurer of any
| r-cperty destroyed by fire. the said
| Fire Marshal or Deputy Fire Marshal
! shall make written report to the
person requesting the same of the re-
suit of the examination made by him
regarding said property, and said Fire
| Marshal shall annually report to the
Governor the results of all eXamina-
tons made by him and the Deputy
| Fire Marshal.
Section g. And be it enacted, That
the Fire Marshal and Deputy Fire Mar
shall. in the absence of the Fire Mar
shall shall have power, to subpoena
! witnesses and to compel their atten-
] dance before him or them to testify
| in relation to any matter which is,
by the provisions of this Act, subject
of inquiry and investigation by the
said Fire Marshal or Deputy Fire Mar
shall and shall also have power to
cause to be produced before him, or
I them. such papers as he or they may
require in making such examinations;
the said Fire Marshal and Deputy Fire
| Marshal, in the absence of the Fire
, Marshal, shall be and they are hereby
| authorized to administer oathS and af-
firmations to persons appearing as wit
! nesseS before him. or them; and false
| swearing in any matter of proceeding
| aforesaid shall be deemed perjury and
said Fire Marshal and Deputy Fire
Marshal shall have the authority at
all times of the day or night, in per-
the provisions of this Act, to enter upon
| and examine any building or premises
| where any fires shall have occurred,
or which at the time may be burning,
and also the power to enter upon at
any time any building adjacent to
that in which the fire occurred should
| he deem 1t necessary in the proper dis
! charge of his duties; and the said Fire
Marshal and Deputy Fire Marshal shall
have authority to inspect public build
ings, such as school houses, churches,
opera houses. theatres hospitals. as
! and other buildings of like character,
and to compel the owner or owners
thereof to provide sufficient fire es-
he, the said Fire Marshal, shall direct
for the benefit and safety of the oc-
! cupants of said building. and the
days notice to the owner or own
ers of such buildings to provide such
| fire escapes or other means of exit
| as in his judgment shall be deemed
| necessary, and upon failure or refusal
of the said owner or owners of such
! buildings to comply with the said notice
| of the said Fire Marshal, the said Fire
| Marshal shall cause the said person or
! persons to be arrested and upon con-
! viction before any Justice of the Peace
| OF the city of county of the State of
Maryland wherein the owner or own
ers reside or the respective building
| or buildings may be located. they shall
be deemed guilty of a misdemanor. and
shall pay the fine of not more than one
twenty five dollars (s25) FOR each Of
Tense. and an additional fine of five
dollars (S5) for each and every day
| thereafter such violations shall con-
| himself aggrieved by the judgment
| of the Justice of the Peace, he shall
have the right of appeal to the Cir
| cult Court for the county. and have a
jury trial: this Act shall. however, not
| conflict with any existing laws now
| fully covering the same in any of the
| towns or cities of the State of Mary
| land.
Section 4. And be it enacted. That
! the entire expenses of the office here
| by created shall not excede fifty-fve
| hundred dollars (S5,500) a year. which
shall be paid out of money paid into
! the State Treasury by or for the in
| surance companies doing business in
| this State; and Immediately upon the
| n Two Nov ho1
| provided herein, the Treasurer of the
State shall, upon the warrant of the
| Comptroller, pay to the said Fire Mar
| shall the sum of twenty-seven hundred
and fifty dollars (s2,750), and the like
sum at the expiration of each succeed
ing period of six months. and out of
| shall received. he shall pay himself a
salary of twenty-five hundred dollars
| !SZ,b0O) per annum, payable in monthly
instruments; and he shall have the
| Deputy Fire Marshal, who shall also
act as clerk to the Fire Marshal and
who shall have all the powers and au-
thority herein enumerated and granted
| to him, to whom the said Fire Marshal
shall pay the sum of twelve hundred
dollars $4,000 as salary per annum
also payable in equal monthly install
| ments;. he shall also be allowed out
of said moneys a sum not exceeding
| five hundred dollars ($500) a year for
office rent, and may from time to time
assistants. and provide himself and
the Deputy Fire Marshal with such
means of conveyance as in his judge
ment the necessities of the office re-
quire; and when in the proper dis
charge of their duties the said Fire
Marshal and Deputy Fire Marshal shall
be compelled to go outside of the linn
it's of the city Of Baltimore or, the
place of their residence. they shall be
allowed their travelling, hotel and other
necessary expenses; he shall also pro-
vide himself with such office fixtures
and appliances as the needs of the
office may require; and at the end of
each year. accounting from the date
of his qualification as Fire Marshal.
he shall make to the Comptroller I'M
der OATH full report of the receipts
and disbursements received and made
by him during the proceeding year,
and shall at the same time pay into
sum of fifty-fve hundred dollars ($5.-
600) that may then remain unexpend-
ed; and the said Fire Marshal shall
keep or cause to be kept full and ac-
curate account of the finances of his
office, and shall also keep or cause to
be kept an accurate account of his
official Acts.
Section s. And be it enacted. That
the Fire Marshal shall have an Office in
the city of Baltimore. but in making
examinations as to fires occurring out
Marshal or the Deputy Fire Marshal.
or both. when. in his Judgment. the
proper discharge of his or their duties
require it. shall visit the county. town
or city. where such fire or fires occurred
or where it is necessary to examine
building as to proper fire escapes or
exits therefrom.
Section 6. And be it enacted. That
the Fire Marshal or Deputy Fire Mar
shall shall at the request of the Board
of Fire Commissioners of the city of
Baltimore. or the County Commission
ers of any county, or the municipal au-
thorities of any incorporated city or
town in this State. make to them n |
written report Of the examination made |
by him or them regarding anY fire |