The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1920-02-12
Inspection Committees Recom-
mend Chief Daley as
Deputy State Marshal
LOCAL ORDINANCE
NEEDS NO ADOPTION
Building Ordinance Is Being
Drafted; Plans for Elec-
trical Inspection

At the business session of the
Bemidji Civic and Commerce asso-
citation, after the monday luncheon
Wednesday, the committees that made
the inspection of fire hazards in the
business district made their reports,
and the recommendations will be pre-
sented to the city council.
One of the features of the report
was recommending the appointment
of the. fire chief as a deputy state
fire marshal, which would eliminate
the necessity of passing a new ordi-
nance for giving him authority in en-
forcing the eradication Of fire haz-
ards. The state laws cover the points
and suggestions made by the COM
mittee at the last meeting, and are
as follows:
Statute, 1917, Sec. 5l4O.
"The state fire marshal may con-
denim and by order direct the destruc-
ton, repair or alienation of any
building or structure which by rea-
son of age, dilapidated condition, de-
fective chimneys, defective electric
wiring, gas connections, heating ap-
paratus of other defect, is especially
liable to fire and which building or
structure in the judgment of said fire
is so situated as to endanger
life or limb or other property in the
In case the order requires
the repair of building, the owner or
lessee, or other persons upon whom
the duty to keep the structure in
repair and upon whom the order is
served, shall make such repairs as
thereby directed, and the order may
direct the structure be closed and
not further used until such repairs
are made. Any person who shall
willfully disobey the order directing
the closing of such building, pend
ing the making of such repairs, shall
be guilty of a misdemeanor."
Section STAG.
"The state fire marshal or any
deputy fire marshal, who finds in any
building or upon any premises any
or explosive material,
rubbish, rags, waste, oils, gasoline or
inf1ammable matter OF any kind, en-
the safety of such build
ings or the occupants thereof or the
occupants of adjoining property,
shall order such materials or such
dangerous condition corrected forth
with.
"Such order shall be in writing and
directed generally to the owner,
lessee, agent, or occupant of such
building or premises, and any such
owner, lessee, agent or occupant upon
whom such notice shall be served who
fail to comply Herewith within
hours thereafter, unless
the order prescribes longer period
within which it may be complied with,
shall be guilty Of misdemeanor and
said material may be removed or
dangerous condition corrected at the
expense of the owner of the build
ing and premises or the person upon
whom the service is so made, or both,
and said marshal may maintain all
necessary actions for the recovery
thereof.
Action Being Taken.
City Attorney Hal Huffman has
applied for the appointment Of the
fire chief as deputy marshal. He is
also drafting building ordinance
which will embody the suggestion as
to the cleaning Of chimneys, under
the direction of the fire department
chief. It is also recommended that
an electrical inspector from the state
bureau come to Bemidji and make
an inspection Of wiring and make a
complete record of all corrections
deemed necessary.