USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Newton > Town of Newton annual report 1887 > Part 17
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For Assistant Chief of Department. - Same as for Chief of Department, except there shall be seven large regulation buttons on each breast, placed equidistant.
For All Other Members. - Same as for Chief of Department, except that the seams will be plain, with six large regula- tion buttons on each breast, placed equidistant.
VEST.
For Chief of Department. - A single-breasted vest made of same material as coat, without collar, and to button with eight small regulation buttons, grouped in pairs ; inside to be
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lined with light-colored silesia ; back to be made of black twilled silesia.
For Assistant Chief of Department. - Same as for Chief of Department, except that there shall be seven small regula- tion buttons, placed equidistant.
For All Other Members. - Same as for Chief of Depart- ment, except that there shall be six small regulation buttons, placed equidistant.
For Summer Wear. - A vest may be worn made of light cloth or flannel, dark blue, indigo dye, and in all other respects as above prescribed.
TROWSERS.
For Chief of Department. - To be made of same material as the coat, with a lap seam ; to be cut to fit close around the waist, but loosely around the hams and legs to admit of their free use.
For All Other Officers and Members. - Same as for Chief of Department, except that they will be made with plain seam.
For Summer Wear. - Trowsers may be made of lighter material (dark blue), in the manner prescribed above.
SHIRT.
For Chief and Assistant Chief of Department. - White linen or muslin, with rolling or standing collar.
For All Other Members. - To be of white cotton or linen, with rolling collar.
CRAVAT.
For All Officers and Members. - A small necktie of black silk to pass once around the neck, and tie with a double bow
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and flat knot in front, the ends to extend not more than three inches from the knot.
INSIGNIA OF RANK.
For Chief of Department. - Embroidered upon dark blue cloth in silver, five trumpets, measuring one and five-six- teenths inches, each crossed with bells outward and project- ing beyond mouth pieces, so as to form a design one and one-half inches in diameter.
For Assistant Chief of Department. - Same as for Chief of Department, except that there shall be three trumpets, meas- uring one and one-half inches, each crossed with bells down- ward.
For All Other Members. - A white metal badge of the prescribed pattern.
COAT BADGE.
For Chief of Department. - A gilt badge from the Depart- ment die, as follows : In semi-circle at the top the words, " Chief Fire Department ; " in the centre, and resting on a ladder, the city seal ; beneath, over crossed trumpets, the word " Newton ; " below this, the monogram "F. D .; " the whole badge to be two and one-half inches long by one and one- half inches wide, to be fastened with a pin and improved catch.
For Assistant Chief of Department. - Same as for Chief of Department, except to prefix the word " Assistant."
For All Members Engine Companies. - Same as for Chief of Department, except that the badge will be of white metal, with "Newton Fire Department " at the top, below the seal the word " Engine," and beneath this the registered number.
For All Members Truck and Hose Companies. - Same as for
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engine companies, except that "Truck " and " Hose " will be substituted respectively above the registered number.
BUTTONS.
For All Officers and Members. - To be of white metal of the following description : For overcoat (except the cuffs) to be round, one inch in diameter, with convex roughened face, having the initials " F. D." in block letters one quarter of an inch high, in the centre the words "City of," at the top, and " Newton " at the bottom, in block letters one-eighth of an inch high, near and parallel to the rim around the button, which rim is to be bright, and about one-sixteenth of an inch wide, the button to be attached to the coat by means of an eye of white metal wire securely fastened to it.
For the coat (except the cuffs) same as for the overcoat, except that it is to be three-quarters of an inch in diameter, with the dimensions of all the parts described proportionately reduced in size.
For vests, cuffs of coat, and fatigue cap, same as for over- coat, except that it is to be five-sixteenths of an inch in diameter, with the dimensions of all parts described propor- tionately reduced in size.
All officers and members will be held responsible for the safe keeping, proper use, and return of the articles above enumerated, and they are liable to the following penalties for the loss of either of them : For the loss of coat badge, $3.50. For the loss of cap badge, $1.00. For the loss of fire-hat, $4,50. For the loss of buttons, $0.05 each. No part of the uniform pre- scribed in this order is to be loaned to any person, whether in or out of the Department, or used for any but the legiti- mate purposes of the same. This order is imperative.
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All members shall wear the uniform prescribed in the above order when on duty, except while cleaning apparatus, quarters, etc., when old clothing may be worn. The purpose of this regulation is, that the officers and members of the Department may at all times, except when in the perform- ance of necessary labor in quarters, appear in proper dress. No officer or member in uniform shall smoke in the streets, or public places, or upon the apparatus floor, where smoking
rooms are provided. Officers and men, when upon leave of absence, must wear the uniform entire, or no part of it. Whenever the uniform is worn, it must be in an unsoiled condition, coat buttoned to the neck, buttons, badges, and boots properly polished, and their persons at all times neatly and tidily dressed. While actually wearing the overcoat, the undercoat may be dispensed with, and a cardigan jacket substituted, but the overcoat must be buttoned at all times when on the street or on duty, and no part of the uniform will be laid aside until bedtime.
The Assistant Chief of Department shall inspect all uni- forms or parts of uniforms before they are worn, and reject all found not in conformity to the provisions of this order.
To take effect on or before September 1, 1887.
In the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, April 4, 1887. Adopted,
HENRY L. BIXBY,
Chief Fire Department.
I. F. KINGSBURY, Clerk.
ORDINANCES RELATING TO FIRE DEPARTMENT.
ORDINANCE XIII.
Fire Department.
Department established. Charter, §7.
SECTION A Fire Department is hereby established.
There shall be a Chief of Fire Department, an Assistant Chief, who shall be operator of the fire alarm under the direction of the superintendent telegraph, three steam fire-engine companies, four hose companies, and one truck company.
Number men and officers.
Each steam fire-engine company shall consist of eleven men ; to wit, a foreman, an assistant fore- man (who shall also be clerk), an engineman, a driver, a fireman, and six hosemen.
Each hose company shall consist of six men; to wit, a foreman, an assistant foreman (who shall also be clerk), and four hosemen.
Each truck company shall consist of thirteen men ; to wit, a foreman, an assistant foreman (who shall also be clerk), a driver, and ten truckmen.
Chief. Duties.
SECT. 2. The Chief of Department shall be responsible for the discipline, good order, and proper conduct of the officers and men consti- tuting the Department, and for the good condition
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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. He may suspend any officer or member ; and shall forthwith May suspend. refer his case to the board of aldermen for its action. He shall have the superintendence and, Superinten- dence and control of houses and apparatus. under the direction of the Joint Standing Com- mittee on the Fire Department, the control of the engine and other houses used by the Department, of the furniture therein, and of the engines and apparatus, as well as of all other property apper- taining to the Department.
SECT. 3. The Chief of Department, or, in his Sole command absence, the Assistant Chief, shall have sole and of members. absolute control and command of all the other members of the Department and of other persons present at fires.1 The officer in command of the
1 PUBLIC STATUTES. - SECT. 3. The fire-wards, or any three Fire-wards, of them, present at a place in immediate danger from a fire, or, etc., may where no fire-wards are appointed, the selectmen, or mayor and order build- aldermen, present, or, in their absence, two or more of the civil officers present, or, in their absence, two or more of the chief military officers of the place present, may direct any house or building to be pulled down or demolished, when they judge the same to be necessary in order to prevent the spreading of the fire.
SECT. 4. In cities and towns which, by vote of the City Engineer to Council, or of the legal voters respectively, have accepted the have power of provisions of this section, or of chapter two hundred and one of fire-wards un- the statutes of the year eighteen hundred and seventy-three, the der Sect. 3. engineer of a Fire Department in command at a fire shall, to the exclusion of all other persons, have the power conferred by the preceding section.
[Stat. 1873, chap. 201. Accepted Feb. 12, 1877.]
ings to be pulled down.
Acceptance.
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company which first arrives at a fire shall be the officer in command until the Chief of Department or the Assistant Chief arrives.
Rolls.
SECT. 4. The Chief of Department shall keep rolls of the companies, specifying the name, age, occupation, and residence, and the date of the admission and discharge, of each member of the department ; and he shall keep an accurate account of all property belonging to it.
Reports of fires, etc.
He shall, at the close of each three months, and oftener if required, make to the city council a detailed report of the condition of the Fire Department, of losses and accidents by fire, with the causes thereof, as well as they can be ascer- tained, and of the description of the buildings and other property destroyed or injured, the amount of insurance, and the names of the owners.
Foremen.
SECT. 5. The foremen shall preserve order and discipline in their respective companies, and shall promptly report in writing the name of any mem- ber guilty of misconduct to the Chief of Depart- ment, who shall, if he thinks it proper, report thereon to the mayor and aldermen.
Rolls.
The foremen shall cause to be kept by the respective clerks rolls of the companies, specify- ing the time of admission and discharge of each member, together with the age, residence, and occupation of each member, and a record of all the city's property intrusted to their care. Their rolls and record-books shall at all times be subject
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to the inspection of the Chief of Department, and they shall furnish him with copies or abstracts thereof at his request.
SECT. 6. It shall be the duty of the men per- Care of ap- manently employed in the Department to keep the apparatus committed to their care, and the several buildings in which the same is deposited, and all things intrusted to their care, clean, and in order for immediate use, and to wash and dry the hose of the entire Department when required so to do; and they shall clear the snow from the sidewalks and driveways connected with the houses under their charge.
SECT. 7. No company shall leave the city in Companies case of a fire in another city or town, except by order of the Chief or Assistant Chief of Depart- ment.
SECT. 8. No member shall be transferred from one company to another, except by order of the Chief of Department.
SECT. 9. Every member of the Department shall wear at every fire such a badge as the Chief of Department shall prescribe; and no person without such badge shall, except by permission of the officer in command, enter within lines formed at a fire by such officer.
SECT. 10. The Chief of Department shall ex- amine all places where shavings or other com- bustible materials are deposited or collected ; and shall see to the removal of the same, whenever, in his opinion, the same are dangerous ; and shall
paratus, etc.
not to leave city, except.
Members not to be trans- ferred, except.
Badge.
Shavings and other combus- tible material. Pub. Stats., chap. 104, §§ 1-12.
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direct the owners, tenants, or occupants of such places to remove the same, which they shall do forthwith; and, in case of refusal or neglect, he shall cause the same to be removed at the expense of such owners, tenants, or occupants.
Inspection of buildings by Chief.
Steam engines.
Camphene, etc.
SECT. 11. The Chief of Department shall oh- serve all buildings in which steam-engines are used, and all buildings in process of erection or alteration, and make a record of such of them as in his judgment may be dangerous, and report thereon to the mayor and aldermen forthwith. Whenever, in the opinion of the Chief of Depart- ment, any camphene or other explosive or inflam- mable fluid or material should be removed, he shall forthwith notify and direct the owner, ten- ant, or occupant of the premises upon which the same are situated, to remove the same, which he shall forthwith. do. In case such tenant, owner, or occupant shall refuse or neglect so to do, the Chief of Department shall cause the same to be removed at the expense of such owner, tenant, or occupant. No person shall obstruct the Chief of Department in carrying out the provisions of this section.
Chief to pre- pire pay-roll.
SECT. 12. The Chief of Department shall, on the last day of each month, prepare a pay-roll of all persons regularly employed in the Department, and present it to the committee on the Fire De- partment for their action. On the last day of June and of December in each year, the clerk of each company shall make a roll, bearing the
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full name, age, occupation, and residence of every member of the company, specifying also the num- ber of times the company has been called out, and the attendance of each member, to which shall be appended the following certificate : -
" We, the undersigned, do hereby certify that, according to the best of our knowledge and belief, the foregoing per- sons are members of - company, and that said company had consisted of - members during the last six months ; that during that time they have performed all the duties incumbent upon them as firemen, have been present at every turnout of the company, or been duly excused; and that they are entitled to all the privileges and pay of firemen."
The certificate shall be signed by the foreman Certificate of and clerk, and shall be delivered to the Chief of pay-roll. Department.
The Chief of Department shall examine these rolls, and, if they are found correct, shall approve them, and present them, with the pay-rolls of the several companies, to the committee on Fire Department for their action.
SECT. 13. The Chief of Department shall have the care and management of the rooms, apparatus, and machinery connected with the fire-alarm telegraph, and shall determine to whom shall be intrusted the keys of the signal-boxes. Keys. He shall prepare rules and directions for giving alarms of fire through the telegraph.
' SECT. 14. No unauthorized person shall open signal-boxes. any of the signal-boxes, except in case of fire, or
Fire-alarm telegraph.
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interfere with the wires or the poles or other supports of the wires.
False alarms.
SECT. 15. The Chief of Department shall see that every person raising a false alarm of fire is prosecuted.
Gambling.
SECT. 16. No gambling shall be allowed in any building occupied by the Fire Department, nor shall spirituous liquors be kept or used there.
Water from hydrants, etc.
SECT. 17. No person shall draw water from the reservoirs or fire-hydrants, except in case of fire, and except as otherwise provided ; 1 nor shall any engine, hose, or truck be taken out of the city without permission of the Chief or Assis- tant Chief. No part of the apparatus shall be taken from the city, unless to a fire, without special permission from the mayor and aldermen.
SECT. 18. No occupant of any building or room in which there is a hatchway or trap-door shall suffer the same to be left open at night.
Disabled members.
SECT. 19. Any member of the department in- jured or disabled while on actual duty shall receive pay for the time lost in consequence, not exceeding three months.
Setting fires wantonly to trees, etc.
SECT. 20. No person shall wantonly or care- lessly set fire to any tree, bush, grass, leaves, brushwood, rubbish, or other substance in any place in the city of Newton.
Penalty.
SECT. 21. Whoever shall violate any provision of this ordinance shall forfeit a sum not exceeding twenty dollars.
1 Ordinance XV., §19.
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ORDINANCE XXIV.
Buildings.
SECTION 1. No person shall erect, alter, or rebuild, or essentially change any building or any part thereof, for any purpose other than a dwell- ing-house, without first obtaining in writing a permit from the board of aldermen. The appli- Permit. cation for such permit shall specify the location and size of said building, the material of which it is to be constructed, and the use for which it is intended.
SECT. 2. No person shall use any building, or part thereof, for any purpose rendering said build- ing, or buildings adjacent thereto, hazardous, unsafe, or liable to be destroyed by fire, or danger- ous to persons or property, without first obtaining a permit, as named in Section 1.
SECT. 3. All chimneys hereafter erected shall be built of brick, stone, or other fire-proof, non- conducting material. All brick flues shall be smoothly plastered inside with mortar from top to bottom, and outside below the roofing. In no case shall chimneys rest upon any flooring with- out a footing of masonry or iron, supported by iron beams, having a secure bearing on iron at either end.
Hearths of fireplaces or grates shall be laid Hearths and upon brick or other trimmer arches, or upon bars grates. of iron supporting a bed of brick-work.
No wood-work of any kind shall be placed at a Wood.work.
Chimneys and brick flues.
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less distance than one inch from the outside brick-work of any flue, and in no case shall a nail be driven into the masonry of any flue.
No wood-work shall be placed at a less distance than one inch from any tin or other metal flue or flues, pipe or pipes, used or intended to be used to convey heated air or steam in any building, unless such flues or pipes be cased with metal, leaving a free circulation of air all around the same.
Smoke-pipe.
No smoke-pipe shall pass through any stud or wooden partitions, whether plastered or not, with- out being guarded either by a double collar of metal, with at least four inches air-space and holes for ventilation, or by a soapstone ring not less than three inches in thickness and extending through the partition.
SECT. 4. Whoever violates any provision of the preceding sections of this ordinance shall be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars.
ORDINANCE XXII.
Gunpowder and other Explosive Compounds.
SECTION 1. No person shall keep or deposit any gunpowder within the city unless it is well secured in tight casks or canisters.
No person shall keep or deposit more than fifty pounds of gunpowder in any shop, store, or other building which is within the distance of twenty- five rods from any other building or wharf; no person shall keep or deposit more than twenty-
Pub. Stats., chap. 103, § 56.
Ño person to keep or de- posit gun- powder un- less, etc.
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five pounds of gunpowder in any shop, store, or other building which is within the distance of ten rods from any other building; and no person shall keep or deposit more than one pound of gun- powder in any shop, store, or other building which is within ten rods of any other building, unless it is well secured in copper, tin, or brass canisters holding not exceeding five pounds each, and closely covered with copper, brass, or tin covers.
SECT. 2. Licenses may be granted by the Licenses. mayor and aldermen for the retailing of gun- power, in form substantially as follows : to wit, -
Gunpowder License No.
LICENSE TO SELL GUNPOWDER IN THE CITY OF NEWTON.
This certifies that of Newton is (or are) hereby licensed and authorized to sell gunpowder at retail, at on street, being place of business in said city, for one year from the date hereof, at noon, pro- vided shall duly conform to the laws and to the provisions of the ordinance printed hereon. And in case the said shall at any time during the term aforesaid infringe the laws, or any of the provisions of the said ordi- nance, then this license shall be void.
Dated at Newton this day of , in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and
No person shall sell any gunpowder within the Sales without city without such license. Every such license license pro- hibited. shall be in force one year from the date thereof, License may provided that any such license may be rescinded be rescinded. by the mayor and aldermen, at their discretion.
Limit of amount.
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Sign.
SECT. 3. Every person so licensed shall keep a sign over the outside of the principal entrance from the street of the building in which powder is kept, on which shall be printed in capitals the words, " Licensed to Keep and Sell Gunpowder."
City clerk to keep record of licenses, etc. Place not to be changed.
SECT. 4. The city clerk shall keep a record of all such licenses, and of the places designated therein ; which places shall not be changed, unless by consent of the mayor and aldermen in writ- ing. Every person who receives a license shall sign his name to a copy of the rules prescribed in this ordinance, as evidence of his assent thereto.
Exceptions. Keeping in magazines.
SECT. 5. The provisions of this ordinance shall not apply or extend to the keeping or stor- ing of metallic cartridges in fire-proof magazines, nor to cartridge manufacturers, so long as they shall keep their powder in canisters, as prescribed in Section 4, and in fire-proof magazines, located and built to the satisfaction of the mayor and aldermen, and so long as such manufacturers allow no more than one hundred pounds of gun- powder in any magazine, or five pounds of gun- powder not made into cartridges, to be in any one workshop at any one time.
Pub. Stats., chap. 102, §§ 59, etc.
SECT. 6. No person, except on military duty in the public service of the United States or of this Commonwealth, shall keep, have, or possess, in any building, place, vehicle, ship, or other vessel within one rod of a dwelling-house, any explosive compound other than gunpowder, in quantity exceeding one-fifth of a pound.
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SECT. 7. The mayor and aldermen may license Licenses. any suitable person to keep, store, and sell such compound, in accordance with the foregoing pro- visions.
SECT. 8. Any member of the police or of the Fire Department may enter the building or prem- ises of any person so licensed, to make the exam- ination provided by law, at his discretion ; and on alarm of fire may cause such compound there deposited to be removed or destroyed, as the case may require.
SECT. 9. Whoever violates any provision of this ordinance shall be liable to a fine not exceed- ing twenty dollars.
ORDINANCE XXVIII.
Telegraph, Telephone, and Electric-Light Lines.
SECTION 1. The Chief of the Fire Department, under the direction of the mayor and aldermen, shall have the supervision and charge of all tele- graph, telephone, and electric lines. He shall forthwith report to the mayor any violations of this ordinance.
SECT. 2. No telegraph, telephone, nor electric line shall be erected nor maintained until the owner thereof shall file with the mayor and alder- men a written agreement accepting and promising to abide by and perform all the conditions and provisions of this ordinance, and all orders, rules, regulations, and amendments hereafter made in addition thereto.
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SECT. 3. All writings and authority for the erection of telegraph, telephone, and electric lines shall be subject to the right of the mayor and aldermen to permit other lines to be placed upon the same posts; but this shall not prevent a reasonable compensation therefor.
SECT. 4. On streets where curbstones are set, all posts shall be erected in the sidewalk, within and adjoining the curbstones ; and where there are no curbstones, the posts shall be so erected as not to interfere with the gutters. No post shall be erected within fifteen feet of any hydrant, nor so as to interfere with any water-pipe, shade-tree, driveway, or intersection of streets.
SECT. 5. All posts for telegraph, telephone, and electric lines shall be straight, properly trimmed and painted, shall not be less than twenty feet in height from the ground, shall be of iron, cedar, or chestnut, and, if of wood, not less than six inches in diameter at the smaller end, and ten inches in diameter at the ground. Such posts shall be properly set in the ground to the depth of at least five feet. Wherever any wire shall cross any street or way, it shall be at a height not less than twenty-five feet above such street or way, and be protected by guards, and, where practicable, cross at right angles.
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