Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-08-27
THE STA TIE FIRE MARSHAL'S
DUTIES
Provisions of the Law Under
Which He WI Work


Which He WI Work
The fire marshal law recently passed
by the legislature and which has be-
come law should be of interest to all
property owners. 1t is shown by the
experiences of other states tina. the fire
marshal laws lessen the number of
cases of incendiarism more than one
half and make large reduction in the
fire loss by the correction of conditions
which cause fires. Below is a synopsis
of the law:
The most important duty of the fire
marshal is to create a universal i'm
preston that swift pursuit and inevi-
table punishments awaits any one
who burns property for revenge or to
defraud He is also given power to
correct conditions which are liable to
cause fires, that are discovered by his
inspectors or are reported by citizens.
The fire marshal law provides that
the "cause, origin and circumstances
of every fire occurring in the state in
which the loss exceeds $500 shall be
reported to the fire marshal. The re-
port of a fire in city having fire
department is to be made by its chief;
if in city or village by the mayor or
president of the board; if in a rural
community by the town clerk. The
officer is required within two days to
especially make investigation as to
whether such fire was the result of
carelessness, accident or design"
SUSPICIOUS FIRES.
If there be circumstances which
suggest probability that the fire was
started Intentionally by some one, no
matter how small the loss, the state
fire marshal must be notified at once.
IL there are no suspicious circumstances
the officer must "within one week fur
nish to the fire marshal a written state
ment of all the facts relating to The
cause and origin of the fire and such
other information as may be called for
by the blanks furnished by said fire
marshall"
The penalty for the failure of the
clerk, mayor or fire chief to so report a
fire is fine of S25 to 5000.
For the making of each report town
ship clerks and municipal officers who
do not receive stated salary are al
lowed $500 and ten cents mile to and
from the place of the fire. This money
is paid to the reporters of fires at the
years end Fire chiefs and mayors
receiving stated salaries get no fee. In
a few days blanks and instructions will
be mailed to these officers. Upon their
active sympathetic aid the success of
the new fire marshal department largely
depends.
POWERS OF THE FIRE MARSHAL.
The fire marshal, his assistants or
deputies may take up the investigation
of any fire at any time and exercise all
the powers of court. They may CON-
pei the attendance of witnesses and the
production Of books; may administer
oaths, make arrests, and punish for
contempt by fine or Jail sentence. They
may separate witnesses and exclude
attorneys during examinations. The
fire marshal must reduce all testimony
he takes to writing, furnish copy of
it with all other facts of value TO the
prosecuting attorney of the county and
follow each case until it is disposed of.
The fire marshal or any of his assist
ants is given the right, at all times of
day or night, to enter a building in
which a fire has occurred, or the build
ings near by for the purrcse of
examination and may ''at all reason
able hours" enter any building or
premises for the purpose of investigat-
ing fire dangers.
MAY REMOVE DANGERS.
The fire marshal or his assistants
may direct that any building which is
so dilapidated as to be fire danger
shall be repaired or that dangers from
combustibles or explosives be remedied
The owner who fails to comply with
the order of the fire marshal can be
punished by fine of $40 to $50 for each
days neglect, by suit brought in the
municipal or Justices court.
The necessity of having n state de-
partment for the Investigation of sHs-
plClOuS ureS lies IN the TACT that success
full work in that line can only be done
by those who have special training in
the pursuit of incendiaries; a. training
that officers charged with other duties
have no time to acquire.
DIFFICULTY IN CONNECTING.
1t is more difficult to convict one for
burning his property to defraud the
insurance company than for any COM
mon crime. The burning is always
deliberately planned, requires no
accomplices, may be so arranged that
the fire will occur p: time ut which
the guilty person is at distance, and
the evidences of the crime all go up in
smoke At best the evidence is circum-
stantial and to secure a conviction by
circumstantial evidence is always
difficult.
In nearly ali cases of burning to de-
fraud, an insurance agent has over
insured losing business or an unde-
sirable home. Many think that it is
loss. 1t is not. The other policy
holders have paid it in advance in
their premiums. The insurance COM
pauy only distributes the loss.
Elk. Gov HOARD has prophesied that