Evening journal., 1908-12-04
CITY STABLES TO
BE FIREPROOF
City Council Receives Ordi-
nance Designed to Save
Lives of Horses


Leonard +. Wales. representing one
hundred horsemen Of the city, including
James +. Winchester. president of the
Delaware Horse Show Association sent
TO City Council last evening the draft Of
an ordinance providing for the better pro-
lection OF horses from fire. The proposed
ordinance was suggested by the several
fires within the past few years IN which
many horses were burned to death Fol-
lowing the fire which destroyed the
Lank stable In West Fifth street and
thlrty-three horses recently, DR.. w. p.
Miller wrote an open letter on the sub
iect Of stable fires to THE EVENING
JOURNAL in which he suggested such
an ordinance as has been prepared by
Mr.. Wales. All the horsemen Of the city
as we'll as the Society for the Preven-
tion Of Cruelty TO Animals, have en-
dorsed the measure. II Is now in the
hands Of the Law Committee Of Council.
Following is the text Of the proposed
ordinance:
BE 1T ORDAINED by The Council Of
Wilmington
SECTION 1. That from and after
the passage Of this Ordinance. it shall
be unlawful for any person or persons,
firm or corporation, to KEEP, maintain,
conduct, or be interested in, as owner,
tenant or occupant OF any Livery,
Boarding, Club, Sale or Exchange
Stable, or other place Of business.
within the limits of the City of Will
mington, wherein any horse or horses
shall or may be boarded, kept or lodg-
ed for hire, sale. or reward of any
kind. without providing and maintain
ing for every such stable, or other place
of business, where the stalls are To-
Gated in a separate room or apartment.
two or more doorways, entrances or
exits therefore. each of which shall
have an opening of not less than five
feet i'm width and seven feet in height
/ (measured from the floor); and when
ever such stable, or other place Of
business, is located at the corner Of in
tersectng streets, or has a free and
open space in the rear, or on the sides
thereof, at least one OF the doorways.
entrances or exits aforesaid shall be
made TO connect the room or apart
ment containing the horses stalls di-
rectly with the outside street OF open
space.
SECTION >. That no hay straw,
corn fodder or other inflammable ma
terial, except such quantity thereof as
may he needed for actual use or con-
sumption each day. shall be kept or
stored in any part Of. or directly over
the room or apartment i'm such stable
or other place of business where the
horses stalls are located. provided
however, that IL shall and may hc law
ful, to keep and store any such mater
ial TO be used for food or bedding, i'm
room or apartment over tho horses
stalls.-if the flooring thereof is laid
in mortar, cement or concrete. or COW
cred with tin or paved with brick or
other fre-proof material; and proyid-
ed further that such flooring contains
no trap door, chute or open space less
than ten feet distant from a point di-
rectly over the nearest stall
SEXTON 3. Smoking shall he un-
lawful. and is hereby expressly pro-
hibited IN such stable or other place
Of business except in the Office con
nected Herewith, as also the carrying
Of any lighted match. candle, fuse.
torch or any lamp with an unprotected
flame. and any person who shall offend
against the provisions OF this Section
shall, upon conviction thereof i'm the
Municipal Court. forfeit and pay a
fine of not less than Ten Dollars
$4,000 for each offence enumerated
herein
SECTION 4. ANY person or persons.
firm or corporation offending against
any of the provisions contained in Sec
tions ] and Of this Ordinance, upon
conviction thereof in the Municipal
Court shall forfeit and pay a fine Of
s2500) nor more than One Hundred
Dollars CS100.00). and each week such
Stable. or other place Of business, is
so unlawfully conducted, shall be held
TO constitute a separate and distinct
offence.
SECTION 8. In case Of violation
Of any of the provisions Of Sections
and Of this Ordinance. prosecution
shall be first directed against the own
er or owners of the building wherein
the business is conducted and carried
on. il such owner or owners he found
within the jurisdiction OF the Court
In any prosecution under this Ordi-
nance. the charge may be laid against
all or any of the several members or
q firm or Partnership. or against any
employee OF any person. firm or part
nership. and in case Of a Corporation
the prosecution may be against either
the President or other chief officer
thereof. or against the person in charge
OF, or managing the business. or any
employee thereof
SECTION 6. That this Ordinance
shall take effect and be in force from
and after sixty days from the date of
its passage,
SECTION Z. All Ordinances or parts
thereof. inconsistent with this Ordi-
nance, are hereby expressly repealed