Weekly Caledonian. (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1919-1920, 1919-04-23

| ldtlrS 10 inc taxation or corporations
or from the provisions OF chapter tw,
hundred and forty of the General Laws
relating to the publicity of partnerships
Sec. ?. This act shall take etfec
from its passage.
Approved April ?, 1910.
NO. 147
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE
OFFICE OF STATE FIRE MAR
Shall, DEFINING IT'S POWERS
AND DUTIES AND TO PRO
VIDE FOR THE MAINTENANCE
THEREOF.
1t is hereby enacted by the Genera
Assembly of the State of Vermont:
Section I. The office of state fire
marshal is hereby established.
Sec. 2. The insurance commissioner
shall be ex-oficio state fire marshal
and he is hereby authorized to appoint
deputy fire marshal whose duties shall
be to assist him as state fire marshal
and in case of the absence or inability
of that officer, to perform the duties
of the Office
Sec. 3. The fire marshal or the
deputy fire marshal, the chief of the fire
department in every city or incor-
porated village in which a paid fire de-
partment is established the president
or the chairman of the board of trustees
in case there is no president, of incor-
porated villages and the first selectmen
of towns are authorized to investigate
the cause, origin and circumstances of
every fire occurring in any such city,
,,,11 ~, u C
been destroyed or damaged, when the
damage exceeds fifty dollars, except that
all fires of unknown origin shall be re-
ported and they shall make special i'll
vestigation as to whether any fire was
the result of carelessness, accident or
design.
Sec. q. Such investigation shall be
begun within five days after the occur
renee of such fire or as soon thereafter
as it appears that there is cause there
for, and the fire marshal or the deputy
fire marshal shall have the right to
supervise and direct such investigation
whenever he deems it necessary or ex-
pedient.
Sec. 5. The officer making an investi-
cation of fire, as provided in the pre-
ceding sections, shall forthwith notify
the fire marshal and shall within one
week after the occurrence of the fire,
furnish to him a written statement of
all facts relating to the cause and
origin of the fire and shall give him
such other information as may be called
for on blanks furnished by the fire
marshal Whenever it may seem to be
for the public good, the insurance COM
missioner shall personally visit and in
vestigate any fire in accordance with
the provisions of this act, and he shall
be repaid all expenses incident thereto
out Of the funds provided for in this
act.
Sec. E. The state fire marshal shall
keep in his office record of all fires
occurring in this state and of all the
facts concerning the same, including
statistics as to the extent of such fires
and the damage caused thereby, and
whether such losses were covered by
insurance and, if so, in what amount.
Such record shall be made daily from
the reports made to him under the pro-
visions of this act All such records
shall be public, except testimony taken
in an investig cation under the provi-
sions of this act which the state fire
IIldI SIdl Ill Ills UlSClCllOi ilIdy
from the public.
Sec 7. The state hre marshal shall,
when in his opinion, further investiga-
ton is necessary, take or cause to be
taken, the testimony under oath of all
persons supposed to have knowledge of
any facts, or to have means of knowl-
edge relating to any fire or matter re-
garding which an examination is herein
required to be made. and shall cause the
same to be reduced to writing If the
state fire marshal or deputy fire mar
shall, after making such investigation,
is of the opinion that there is prob
able cause to believe person guilty
of the crime of arson. or of all attempt
to commit the crime of arson. or of
to defraud. or of any GRIM
inal conduct in connection with such
fires, he shall furnish to the states
attorney copy of all such testimony
together with the names and residences
Of witnesses and all necessary informa-
ton obtained by him, and such state IS
attorney shall take such action as the
facts justify, and diligently inquire into
all circumstances attending the fire.
The fire marshal may assist in the prose
.ution either In person or by the deputy
ire marshal
Sec. 8. A states attorney upon re-
quest of the state fire marshal or the
deputy FIRE marshal, shall assist such
officers in an investigation of a fire
which in their opinion is of suspicious
origin.
Sec 9. The fire marshal and the
deputy fire marshal, or either of them.
shall have the power throughout the
,tate to summon and compel the
,ither of them. to testify relative to any
natter which is by the provisions of this
let subject of inquiry or investigation,
md may require the production of any
,ook, paper or document deemed peril
tent thereto by them. Such witnesses
hall be subpoenaed in the same man
Ter as witnesses in Justices courts.
They shall receive the same compensa-
ion as is paid in Justices courts, which
hall be paid out of the fire marshal
und upon vouchers signed by the fire
marshal or deputy fire marshal before
whom any witnesses have attended. and
UGH officer shall at the close of the
INVESTIGATION wherein such witnesses
we're subpoenaed certify to their attend
nee and mileage, which certificate
hall be filed in the office of the fire mar
hal. All Investigations held by or
nder The direction of the fire marshal
II deputy fire marshal may, IN his dis
retion, be private and persons other
han those required to be present by
he provisions of this act may be ex-
luded from the place where such in
estipation is held. and witnesses NAV