USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1871-1875 > Part 7
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Dec. 27, 1872.
4
2
4
Temple Palmer Fay,
Dec. 28, 1872.
5
4
Whole number of Deaths,
66
Males,
37
Females,
29
Average age, 28 years, 1 month, 21 days.
SOME OF THE DISEASES, OR CAUSE OF DEATH.
Consumption, 15 Cholera Infantum, 9
Scarlet Fever, 6 Disease of Heart, 5
1
Daniel Sheehan,
Nov. 6, 1872.
53
TOWN CLERK'S REPORT.
Lung Fever,
4 Disease of Brain, 4
Old Age,
4 Accident, 3
Cancer,
3 Whooping Cough, 3
-
Other Diseases,
10
REGISTER OF DOGS, Licensed since May 1st, 1872.
Whole number,
165 Rec'd for licenses, $375 00
Males,
150
Fees,
33 00
Females,
15 Paid County Treas. 342 00
JOHN F. ALLEN, Town Clerk.
.
54
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS
OF THE
ARLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SECT. 1-There shall be chosen by the Selectmen, in the month of March, annually, a Chief Engineer, and four As- sistant Engineers, who shall hold their offices for one year from the first Monday of April in each year, and until others are chosen in their places, unless sooner removed, and whenever a vacancy shall occur by removal from the town, death, or resignation, the same shall thereupon be filled by a new election in the manner prescribed in this section.
SECT. 2 .- The Engineers so chosen shall meet, and organ- ize themselves into a Board of Engineers, a majority of whom shall form a quorum, and of which, in the absence of the Chief Engineer, the senior engineer present shall be the pre- siding officer. They shall appoint a Secretary, who shall receive such salary as the Selectmen may from time to time determine.
The Board of Engineers shall be held responsible to the Selectmen for the discipline, good order, and proper conduct of the officers and men constituting the Department, and for the good condition of all houses, reservoirs, hydrants, wells, engines, hose, hose-carriages, hooks and ladders, trucks, and all apparatus and furniture thereto belonging, and connected with the Department. They shall have the superintendence, and, under the direction of the Selectmen, the control, of
55
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
the engine or other houses used for the Department, of the furniture therein, and of the engines and apparatus, as well as any other property properly appertaining to the Depart- ment.
1
They may make such rules and regulations for the better government of the Department, and for the extinguishment of fires, as they may from time to time deem expedient ; the same being subject to the approval of the Selectmen.
SECT. 3 .- The Chief Engineer shall have the sole and ab- solute control and command over all the other Engineers, all members of the Department, and over all other persons present at fires. It shall be the duty of the Chief Engineer to direct the other Engineers to take proper measures to ar- range the several engines and other apparatus in the most ad- vantageous manner, and cause the same to be duly worked for the effectual extinguishment of fires.
SECT. 4 .- In case of the absence of the Chief Engineer, the Engineer next in rank, who may be present, shall, during such absence, have and exercise all the power and authority of the Chief Engineer, and shall perform the duties of his office. The officer in command of the company which first arrives at a fire shall be the officer in command until an En- gineer is present.
SECT. 5 .- It shall be the duty of the Chief Engineer to keep, or cause to be kept, fair and exact rolls of the respec- tive companies ; specifying the name, age, occupation, and residence, and the date of the admission and discharge, of each member of the Department, and keep an accurate ac- count of all money that may be received or expended for the Fire Department.
He shall annually, in the month of March, make to the Selectmen a detailed report of the condition of the Fire De- partment, and the cost of maintaining the same; also all losses and accidents by fire that may happen within the town, with the causes thereof as well as they may be ascertained ; also the number and description of the buildings and other property destroyed or injured, the amount of insurance
56
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
thereon, and the names of the owners ; the report to be pub- lished in such manner as the Selectmen may direct.
SECT. 6 .- It shall be the duty of the Board of Engineers to examine into the condition of the engines and all other fire apparatus, and of the engine and other houses and prop- erty belonging to the Town, and used for the purposes of the Fire Department, as often as circumstances may render it expedient ; they shall cause the same to be kept in repair, provided that such repairs, as well as all expenditures in- curred relating thereto, and all incidental expenses of the Department, shall be subject to the approval of the Select- men.
SECT 7 .- Each of the Companies composing the Depart- ment respectively, may adopt such constitution, by-laws, and regulations for their government, as may be approved by the Board of Engineers.
Each of said companies, shall, in the month of March in each year, choose a Foreman, an Assistant Foreman, a Sec- retary, and a Treasurer, and such other officers as they may require in accordance with their respective constitutions, and in the manner therein provided ; and such officers shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Engineers and Board of Selectmen.
SECT. 8 .- It shall be the duty of the Foremen of the companies to see that the several engines and apparatus committed to their care, and the several buildings in which the same are deposited, and all things in or belonging to the same, are kept clean, and in order for immediate use; and they shall cause the snow to be cleared from the sidewalk connected with the houses under their charge. It shall also be their duty to preserve order and discipline at all times in their respective companies, and require and enforce a com- pliance with the Rules and Regulations of the Department, and the orders of the Chief, and Assistant Engineers. They shall forthwith report in writing to the Board of Engineers the name of any member or members who shall be guilty of a neglect of duty or a disobedience of orders. They shall
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57
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
keep or cause to be kept by the Secretary of their respective companies, fair and exact rolls of the companies under their charge, specifying the time of admission and discharge of each member, together with the age, residence and occupa- tion of the same, and a record of all the Town's property intrusted to their care, in a book or books provided for that purpose at the expense of the Town; which rolls and record-books shall at all times be subject to the inspection of the Board of Engineers. They shall also make or cause to be made, to the Chief Engineer, true and accurate returns of all members, with their ages, residences, and occupations, and the condition of the apparatus intrusted to their care, whenever called upon so to do.
SECT. 9 .- It shall be the duty of the officers and mem- bers of the several companies, whenever a fire shall break out within the limits of the Town, to repair forthwith to their respective apparatus, and convey the same in a speedy and orderly manner to or near the place where the fire may be, and, in conformity to the direction of the Chief or Assistant Engineers, to exert themselves in the most orderly manner possible, in managing their apparatus, and in performing every duty required of them by the Chief or Assistant En- gineers ; and, upon the permission of the Chief or other engineers, shall, in an orderly and quiet manner, without any outcries, return said apparatus to their respective places of deposit ; provided that, in the absence of all the Engineers, such permission may be given by their respective foremen.
SECT. 10 .- Any officer or member who shall neglect or refuse to perform his duty, or who shall be guilty of any disorderly conduct, or disobedience to any officer or engi- neer, shall be suspended, or expelled from the Department, by the Board of Engineers ; and such action shall be final, unless the same shall be reversed by the Selectmen within thirty days thereafter.
SECT. 11 .- In all cases of removal from office or from the Department by the Engineers, the name of the person removed, with a statement of the reasons therefor, shall be 8
58
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
entered on the books of the Engineers ; and a copy of the same shall be transmitted to the Selectmen by the Chief Engineer before their next regular meeting.
SECT. 12 .- No officer or member who may have been dismissed or removed from the Department shall be re-in- stated therein except by vote of the Board of Engineers, and approval of the Selectmen.
SECT. 13 .- Immediately on the alarm of fire during the night, it shall be the duty of the Policeman to give notice thereof by crying " Fire !" and giving an alarm (under such regulations as the Board of Engineers may adopt). And, if any policeman neglects so to do, he shall be reported to the Selectmen by the Chief Engineer.
SECT. 14 .- Any person intentionally raising a false alarm of fire shall be liable to a fine not exceeding fifty dollars.
SECT. 15 .- Whenever it shall be determined at any fire by any three or more of the Engineers, of whom the Chief Engineer shall be one, or, in his absence, the senior Engi- neer present, to be necessary to pull down or demolish any building in order to prevent the spreading of fire, the same may be done by their joint order.
SECT. 16 .- All persons not members of the Department are hereby enjoined and required to obey the orders and di- rections of any Engineer given at any fire, and to render their services if ordered so to do by any Engineer. Any person who shall violate any provision of this section shall be liable to a fine not exceeding ten dollars.
SECT. 17 .- No boys shall be allowed in any house occu- pied by the Department; neither shall they be allowed to have any access whatever to the apparatus; neither shall they be allowed upon the rope in going to or returning from fires or alarms. The officers of the several companies will be held accountable for any violation of this section.
The sums allowed to the several members shall be paid in equal semi-annual payments, and shall be paid to the Treas- urer of each company, or to his order for the use of the company.
59
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SECT. 18 .- Once in six months (viz., on the first Satur- day of June, and the first Saturday of December, respect- ively), the Secretary of each company shall make a roll, the blank of which shall be furnished by the Board of Engineer's bearing the full name, age, occupation, and residence of every member of said company ; specifying, also, the num- ber of times the company has been called out, and the atten- dance of the members respectively, to which shall be ap- pended the following certificate, viz. :-
" We, the undersigned, do hereby certify, that according to the best of our knowledge and belief, the foregoing per- sons are members of [here state the company], and that said company has consisted of members during the last six months ; that during that time they have resided in Arlington, have performed all the duty incumbent on them as firemen, have been present at every turnout of the com- pany, or duly excused for non-attendance, and are entitled to all the privileges and pay of firemen ;" which certificate shall be signed by the Foreman and Secretary respectively, and immediately delivered to the Chief Engineer ; and if the Foreman or Secretary, or either of them, shall make, or cause to be made, a fraudulent return, he or they may be expelled from the Department by the Board of Engineers.
SECT. 19 .- Within ten days after the receipt of these rolls by the Chief Engineer, the Board of Engineers shall meet and examine the same ; and if found to be correct, and they are approved by a majority of said Board, they shall be so certified, together with the amount due to each com- pany, by the Chief Engineer, and immediately transferred to the Selectmen, who within twenty days thereafter, shall examine the same, and draw orders for the semi-annual pay- ments upon . the Town Treasurer; provided, however, if upon examination of the rolls by the Selectmen, it shall shall appear to them that the same are erroneous, they have authority to withhold the sum certified, or any part thereof, as shall to them appear just and reasonable under this ordinance and to the Rules and Regulations of the De- partment.
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60
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SECT. 20 .- The Board of Engineers with the consent of the Selectmen, may grant permission to any company to take their apparatus beyond the limits of the town on an excursion to be absent such length of time as they may direct.
SECT. 21 .- No company shall leave the town in case of fire in the neighboring cities or towns, except by the order of one of the Engineers.
SECT. 22 .- No person shall be deemed to be a member of. the Department until he shall have been approved or ap- pointed by the Board of Engineers and Selectmen.
SECT. 23 .- No person shall be a member of the Depart- ment who is under the age of twenty-one years, and who is not, at the time, a resident of the town and a citizen of the United States.
SECT. 24 .- Any officer or member of the Department who shall remove from the town shall thereupon be dis- charged from the Department by the Board of Engineers.
SECT. 25 .- Every person admitted into the Department shall be and remain a member of the company named in his application, until he shall be transferred to another company, or discharged ; and no member shall be transferred from one company to another except by order of the Board of Engi- neers.
SECT. 26 .- Every member of the Department shall wear at all fires such badge as the Board of Engineers shall pre- scribe ; and no person without such badge, shall except by permission of an Engineer, enter within the lines formed at any fire.
SECT. 27 .- If any officer or member shall, except in case of sickness, be absent from more than one-third of the fires, or alarms of fire, occurring during the quarter, such absences if more than five in number, shall be considered good cause for his discharge from the Department; and an intentional violation of any of the provisions of these Regulations by any officer or member shall also be a good cause for his dis- charge.
SECT. 28 .- The Board of Engineers shall examine into all
61
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
shops and other places where shavings or other combustible materials may be deposited or collected ; and at all times be vigilant in the removal of the same, whenever, in the opinion of any three of them, the same may be dangerous to the security of the town from fires ; and direct the owner, ten- ant, or occupant of said shops or other places to remove the same ; and in case of such owner, tenant, or occupant's re- fusal or neglect so to do, to cause the same to be removed at the expense of such owner, tenant, or occupant, who shall, in addition, be liable to a penalty not exceeding twen- ty dollars for such neglect or refusal.
It shall also be the duty of said Engineers to take cogni- zance of all buildings in the town in which any steam-engine shall be used, and of all buildings in the town in process of erection or alteration, and to make a record of such thereof as in their judgment may from any cause be dangerous, and report the same to the Board of Selectmen forthwith; and whenever, in the opinion of any three of the Board of En- gineers, any chimney, hearth, oven, stove, stove-pipe, fire- frame, or other fixture, or any camphene or other explosive or inflammable fluid or material, or whatever else may give just cause of alarm, should be altered, repaired, or removed, they, the said Engineers, shall forthwith notify and direct the owner, tenant, or occupant of the premises upon which the same are situated, to alter repair or remove the same as the said Engineers shall direct. And in case such tenant, owner, or occupant shall refuse or neglect so to do, the said Engineers shall cause the same to be removed, altered, or repaired at the expense of such owner, tenant, or occupant, who shall also be liable to a penalty not exceeding twenty dollars for such neglect or refusal. And any person who shall obstruct the Engineers, or any of them, in carrying out the provisions of this section, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding twenty dollars.
These Rules and Regulations shall take effect and be in force from and after the acceptance of the same by the Town at its annual meeting.
62
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
STATE LAWS. CHAPTER 164.
SECT. 12-Whoever is concerned in causing or making a bonfire within ten rods of any house or building, shall be punished by fine not exceeding twenty dollars, or impris- onment not exceeding one month.
SECT. 13 .- Whoever without reasonable cause, by outcry or the ringing of bells, or otherwise, makes or circulates, or causes to be made or circulated, a false alarm of fire, shall be punished by fine not exceeding fifty dollars.
Extracts from the Revised Statutes.
CHAPTER 18, SECTION 17 .- All Enginemen shall be ex- empted from ordinary military duty, and from serving as jurors or constables, during the time they may be employed in the service aforesaid.
SECT. 18 .- If any Engineman shall, in the opinion, of the Selectmen, be negligent in the duties required of him, the Selectmen shall, upon sufficient evidence thereof, discharge him, and appoint another Engineman in his stead.
SECT. 20 .- The Chief Engineer, or the officer who holds by law the first office in any Fire Department established as aforesaid, shall, on or before the first day of May in each year, make out and certify to the Assessors of their respect- ive towns a list of all persons in their department and com- panies respectively, who through the year preceeding, have performed all the duties therein required by law ; and the Assessors shall, within ten days thereafter, examine said lists, and certify to the Treasurers of their respective towns the amount to be paid to each person named therein ; and the said Treasurers shall, after dedueting all taxes due from the per- sons so named, pay the same to them, or, if minors, to their parents, masters or guardians ; and upon the refusal of the Treasurer to pay, the persons entitled may severally have
63
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
an action for money had and received, to recover the same from such town; but no town shall be liable as aforesaid, unless the lists above described shall have been duly certified and returned to the Assessors of such town in the matter aforesaid.
SEC. 21 .- If any Chief Engineer or other officer, re- quired to make a certificate to the Assessors as provided in the preceding section, shall, wilfully refuse to make such certificate, he shall forfeit to the use of each person who ought to have been so certified a sum not exceeding five dol- lars : and if such Engineer or other officer shall make a false certificate, in such case he shall forfeit to the use of the town a sum not exceeding fifty dollars, nor less than twenty dollars.
SECT. 22 .- The provisions of the two preceding sections shall not take effect in any town or city, until the same shall be adopted and approved by the town, at their annual town- meeting, or by the city council of such city ; and when such approval shall be revoked by the town at any annual meeting, or by the said city council, the said provisions shall cease to have effect in such town or city respectively.
SECT. 23 .- If any person shall wantonly or malicionsly break or injure any Fire Engine, or the apparatus thereto belonging, he shall be punished by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding two years, and be further ordered to recognize, with sufficient surety or sureties, for his good behavior during such term or time as the Court shall order.
64
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SPECIAL RULES.
ARTICLE 1. Each Engine, Hose, and Hook and Ladder company shall have for officers, a Foreman, an Assistant Foreman, and a Secretary, and such other officers as they may require in accordance with their respective constitu- tions.
ART. 2. The first Engine or Hose Company arriving at a fire, in the absence of an Engineer, will proceed to the nearest hydrant or place whence a supply of water may be obtained, and extend their hose in the direction of the fire ; all others to report to an Engineer. No Company shall ex- tend two lines of hose without permission of an Engineer, if there be one present.
ART. 3. One of the Officers of each Hose Company shall be at the pipe when not otherwise specially engaged, and shall be responsible for the management of the same-look to the safety of Hosemen, and report any one who wil- fully or maliciously causes a stream of water to be thrown upon any person, whether a member of the Department or otherwise.
ART. 4. The Hook and Ladder Company will take posi- tion as near the fire as circumstances will admit, one Axe- man, one Rakeman, and an Officer, to keep within call of the Engineer directing operations within a building.
ART. 5. The orders of the Chief Engineer to the several Companies shall be communicated to the commanding Officer. And whenever an Engineer may be charged with an order for any Company, and does not immediately see its commanding Officer, he will call the number of the Company, which will
2
65
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
be responded to by the Officer present in command, to whom the order will be given, which shall be immediately executed by such Officer, without waiting to communicate with his superior, unless it can be done without delay.
ART. 6. All members of the several Companies, except when otherwise engaged on special duty, will remain at or about the apparatus to which they are attached ; and any member of the Department leaving duty without permission from the Engineer in command, will be discharged.
ART. 7. No property shall be placed in the houses used for the purposes of the Fire Department, neither shall any be removed therefrom, other than that furnished by the Town, except by the permission of the Board of Engineers.
ART. 8. Each Engine and Hose Company may have sub- stitutes not exceeding two in number, and each Hook and Ladder Company not exceeding four, to do duty in place of persons absent from duty, viz : in cases of sickness or ab- sence from the Town. .
ART. 9. In case of proposed absence from the Town of any member of a Fire Company, or inability to perform fire duty in consequence of sickness, he shall, after notifying the Foreman, provide a substitute who has been approved by the Board of Engineers, and the Clerk shall record the names of all substitutes so approved. Neglect to comply with this requirement for a period of one week shall be suf- ficient cause for his discharge for neglect of duty. Said substitutes shall not be approved in any other than the above mentioned cases, nor shall said substitutes be employed for more than two weeks without the permission of the Board of Engineers, nor shall any person be employed who has been discharged or rejected from the Fire Department for cause.
ART. 10. Members of the Board of Engineers, Hose, and Hook and Ladder Companies, and those legally acting as substitutes in said Companies, shall at all times when on duty wear conspicuously placed on the left breast of the coat or vest, the Fire Department badge, and shall also wear a fire hat ; and no member without said badge or hat shall
9
66
FIRE DEPARTLENT.
enter a building on fire, or within the lines formed at a fire. Every member, on his appointment, shall receive with his notice of appointment one of the badges referred to ; a fire hat and key, for which the sum of ten dollars shall be de- ducted from his first payment for services-said articles not to be loaned on any account whatever, and if lost the loser shall take proper measures to recover the same, by adver- tising or otherwise. In all cases of discharge from the De- partment the said articles shall accompany the application for said discharge, and be forwarded with the same to the Chief Engineer ; and said sum of ten dollars shall be refunded to the applicant.
ART. 11. Whenever, after a fire, one Company shall find in their possession hose or other fire apparatus belonging to another, the Stewards shall take measures to have the same promptly returned.
ART. 12. Monthly meetings of the several Hose Compa- nies shall be held on Wednesday before the last Monday of each month, and that of the Hook and Ladder Company Tuesday before the last Monday of the month; and the Clerks shall severally make return to the Chief Engineer on the day following said meeting, of any business requiring the action of the Board of Engineers.
ART. 13. The Monthly Meetings of the Board of Engi- neers shall be held on the last Monday of each month.
ART. 14. Hose-belts and Spanners, when not in use, are to be kept in the box of the Hose Carriage, ready for use in case of the absence of Hosemen.
ART. 15. Members of the Department are strictly en- joined, in proceeding to a fire, to use the utmost care and caution, consistent with promptness. Racing between Com- panies is forbidden under any circumstances.
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