Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-12-24
MEASURE TO
PREVENT FIRES
TO BE URGED

CONTINUED From Page One)
or in the event that the office becomes
vacant the bill would make it the duty
Of the county commissioners to appoint
another person.
Each township warden would have the
power to appoint as many deputies as
he may deem necessary TO enforce the
provisions of the law. The bill provides
that the appointment of the township
wardens shall be made subject to the
approval Of the chief State farm and
forest fire warden, and that all appoint
ments of deputies shall be approved by
the boards Of county commissioners.
Duties of the State farm and forest
Are warden would be numerous. 1t
would be up to him to Investigate all
hres reported to him, and that may
come under the provisions Of this act.
He shall ascertain, If possible, the cause
Of any such fire. prosecute the offenders,
keep a record Of all such fires and make
en- annual report of the number Of fires,
the causes. losses and prosecutions"
TOWNSHIP
WARDEN's DUTIES.
Direct responsibility for fires in his
ship warden. Section of the bill, which
sets forth his duties. reads:
It shall be the duty of the township
warden, as soon as he has knowledge of
a fire in his township, to proceed i'm
mediately to extinguish the same. AS
soon as the fire is extinguished the town
ship warden shall make settlement
with all persons whom he employs, and
for material required, and for other ex-
penses incurred in extinguishing the
fire. He shall also. within twenty-fOur
hours thereafter, make n report to the
State File Marshal, in such form and
detail as the State Fire Marshal shall
prescribe. The chief State farm and
forest fire warden, his assistants or any
OF the township wardens may summon
any male resident Of the State, between
the ages of IS and so years. TO assist In
extinguishing fires, and may also re-
quire the use OF horses and other prop
erty needed for such purposes. ANY per
son so summoned. and who is physically
able and who shall refuse or neglect
to assist. or 10 allow the use of horses.
wagons of other material required, shall
be liable to a penalty of not less than
- nor more than Sl00. No action for
I trespass shall lie against any one cross
Ing or working upon the lands of an
other in eXtinguishing fires. Each town
ship warden shall make such reports TO
the State warden as the State warden
may prescribe.
The bin would give township wardens
power to arrest, without warrant, any
person or persons taken by him in the
act Of violating any Of the provisions
OF the bill, and to bring said persons be-
fore a justice OF the peace. or any other
magistrate with the power to hear such
cases, who shall proceed without delay
to hear. try anl determine such case.
The proposed act sets forth:
~
shall be for the time actually and neees-
sarily engaged in lighting fires and max
Ing adjustments, settle nents and other
duties prescribed In this isct. Such war
dens shall be paid twice the rate Of com
mon labor at the place where the FIRE
occurs. LabOrers and. teams shall he
paid one and one half times the price OF
common labor and the local price of
teams Materials used shall be paid for
| at the local retail price. The expense
eral funds OF the township in which the
IRE occurs, II the amount does not ex-
coed 500. In the event that the amount
exceeds 500. the excess shall be paid out
Of the general county funds. In the event
the loss exceeds s., 800 the excess shall
be paid out of the funds
PENALTY FOR SETTING
TIRE IN FIELDS.
Any person who shall maliclously set
nre to any fallOw field. field In grain, hay
Held, stubble held, prairie, peat or muck
land. pasture or forest land, on the land
OF another. or on any public lands. and
| shall thereby cause damage to such lands
shall be deemed guilty of a felony and
! upon conviction there Of shall be fined
IN sum sufficient to compensate for all
damages Incurred, or imprisoned for not
more than two years in the State Prison,
or both.
ANY person who shall start fire on
Z mr. Ga
other person, and who shall permit such
hre to escape to the land Of another
ana thereby cause damage to any field
crop, pasture or forest shall be deemed
guilty of misdemeanor and upon con
Fiction thereof shall be fined in n sum
sufficient to fully compensate for all
damages done, or imprisoned not more
than elk months in the county Jail or
state Penal Farm. or beth. In any event
the person who started the fire shall
be held for all damages done Any per
son who kindles fire by throwing down
n lighted match, cigar or cigarette, or
other burning substance shall he deemed
within the meaning Of this SECTION
1t shall be unlawful for any person
to kindle fire on any public land with
out the permission of the person in
charge OF such land, or some one au-
thorized to represent him. 1t shall be
unlawful for any person, other than duly
appointed highway employees, to kindle
Il nre along any highway of the State
without permission of the adjacent land
owner, or the one in charge of such
land, or without the permission of the
township warden. 1t shall be unlawful
for any person to kindle a fire along
any stream without first obtaining the
permission Of the owner through whose
land the stream flows, or the owner of
the land adjacent to such stream. Any
person who shall violate any OF the
provisions of this section shall be deemed
guilty Of a misdemeanor and upon con-
vlction thereof shall be fined in any
sum not more than 500 or imprisoned
in the county jail or State Penal Farm
for not more than six months, or both
IL any fire warden or his deputy shall
wilfully neglect or refuse to perform the
duties prescribed in this act, he shall
forfeit sum not less than 500 nor
more than $500. to be recovered in an
action IoG deht.
1t shall be the duty OF any Dersoo
of legal age VINO discO,e rs fire, under
the meaning of this act. that Is not un-
der the control or supervision of some
person, to extinguish such fire or report
the same Immediately to the township
warden or his deputy, and failure to do
so shall be punishable by a forfeiture
of NOT TO exceed $40