AN ORDINANCE
TO ESTABLISH A
PAID FIRE DEPARTMENT
FOR THE
CITY OF BALTIMORE
DECEMBER 1858
Section 1. Be it enacted and ordained by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, That immediately upon the passage of this ordinance,there shall be appointed, as city officers are appointed, five persons of good character and standing, who shall be styled the “Fire Commissioners of the City of Baltimore,” who shall draw for the term of their respective office, say, one for the term of five years, one for the term of four years, one for the term of three years, one for the term of two years, and one for the term of one year, and annually thereafter in the month of February, there shall be appointed in the same manner, one person of like character, to serve for the term of five years.
Section 2. And be it enacted and ordained, That in the event of a refusal, or neglect to perform the duties of their office, on the part of any one or more of said Commissioners, the Mayor being duly certified thereof, by any two of the said Commissioners, shall fill such offices by new appointments to serve the full term of those refusing, or neglecting to serve, or in the event of a vacancy occurring from any cause, the Mayor shall fill such vacancy by new appointment, and at the first session of the City Council thereafter, if the Council be not in session, submit such appointment to the City Council for its confirmation.
Section 3. And be it enacted and ordained, That the said Fire Commissioners shall appoint a clerk, who by virtue of his office, shall be a member of the Fire Department constituted by this ordinance, and who shall receive a salary of seven hundred dollars per annum, but shall not be entitled to any other pay under any of the provisions of this ordinance. Said clerk shall also perform the duties of clerk to the Chief Engineer; and the Fire Commissioners shall be authorized to fit up an office for their use, which shall be centrally located, and the cost of which, together with the rent and necessary stationary, shall be paid by the city; and the Commissioners shall be further authorized to receive the names of as many persons as they may think proper as honorary members, said honorary members paying the annual sum of five dollars.
Section 4. And be it enacted and ordained, That the Fire Commissioners shall have power to appoint the requisite number of persons to perform the duties of their several positions set forth in this bill, the Chief Engineer excepted, who shall hold their places during good behavior, to suspend or expel any member of any company, and to disband or reorganize any company, and they shall also adopt a suitable uniform to be worn by the officers and men; and generally the said Fire Commissioners shall adopt such rules and regulations for their own government, and of the Fire Department, as they shall deem expedient for the interests of said department, provided such rules and regulations are not inconsistent with the laws of the State of Maryland, or the ordinances of the City of Baltimore: they shall keep a record of all their proceedings, subject to the inspection of the Mayor and City Council or either Branch thereof; the Fire Commissioners, moreover, shall define the duties of their clerk.
Section 5. And be it enacted and ordained, That the Fire Department shall consist of a chief engineer, two assistant engineers, one of whom shall reside in the first and the other in the second district named in the ordinance; one fire inspector who shall be appointed and paid pursuant to existing ordinance; six steam fire engine companies, to consist each of one foreman, one engineer, one fireman, one hostler and nine extra men; two hook and ladder companies, to consist each of one foreman, one hostler, and fourteen extra men.
Section 6. And be it enacted and ordained, That the steam engine companies shall each have one steam engine, one hose reel, three horses, and one thousand feet of hose.
Section 7. And be it enacted and ordained, That the hook and ladder companies shall each have one truck, with all the hooks, ladders, &c. and two horses.
Section 8. And be it enacted and ordained, That the salaries of the officers and men comprising this department, shall consist of the following sums per annum, payable monthly; the chief engineer shall receive twelve hundred dollars; two assistant engineers, each six hundred dollars; the foreman of each company, three hundred dollars; the engineman, seven hundred and twenty dollars; the fireman, four hundred and seventy-five dollars; hostlers, four hundred dollars; and the extra men, two hundred dollars; and the paid members of the department, except the extra men and foremen, shall give their undivided attention to their respective duties.
Section 9. And be it enacted and ordained, That the steam fire engine and hook and ladder companies, shall be located at such points as the Commissioners shall designate.
Section 10. And be it enacted and ordained, That the chief engineer shall be appointed as other city officials are appointed, and shall continue in office during five years. He may be suspended for inattention or neglect of duty by a majority of the Fire Commissioners, with the approbation of the Mayor.
Section 11. And be it enacted and ordained, That the Fire Commissioners together with the chief engineer, shall form a Board of Control, and shall be responsible for the discipline, good order and proper conduct of the whole department, both officers and men, and for the care of the houses, engines, hose reels and other furniture and apparatus thereto belonging; they shall have superintendence and control of all the engine and other houses used for the purposes of the fire department, and all the furniture and apparatus thereto belonging.
Section 12. And be it enacted and ordained, That it be the duty of the chief engineer, and his assistants, whenever a fire shall break out in the city, to immediately repair to the place of such fire, and to take proper measures that the several engines and other apparatus be arranged in the most advantageous situations.
Section 13. And be it enacted and ordained, That the Chief Engineer shall have sole command at fires over all other officers, all members of the fire department and all other persons who may be present at fires and shall take all proper measures for the extinguishment of fires and further protection of property, preservation of order and observance of laws of the State, ordinances of the city and regulations of the Fire Commissioners, respecting fires, and it shall be the duty of said engineer to examine into the condition of the engines and all other fire apparatus, and of the engine and other houses belonging to the city, used for the purposes of the fire department and the companies attached, as often as circumstances may render it expedient, or whenever directed to do so by the City Council or Fire Commissioners and annually to report the same to the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, also to cause a full description of the same, together with the names of the officers and members of the fire department, to be published annually in two of the daily city papers to be selected by him, twice a week for two consecutive weeks, and, whenever the engines or other fire apparatus, engine or other houses used by the Fire Department, require alteration, additions or repairs; the chief engineer shall cause the same to be made, provided such repairs, &c., shall not exceed in any instance the sum of twenty dollars, if it exceed that sum, the assent for the same of a majority of the Fire Commissioners must be obtained, and it shall be moreover the duty of the said Chief Engineer, to receive and transmit to the said Fire Commissioners, for the use of the Council, all the returns of the officers, members and fire apparatus, made by the respective companies as hereafter prescribed, and all other communications relating to the affairs of the fire department, to keep fair, and exact rolls of the respective companies, specifying the time of admission, and age of each member, which he shall report in writing to said Fire Commissioners, who shall safely file such reports.
Section 14. And be it enacted and ordained, That in case of the absence of the Chief Engineer the Assistant Engineer in whose district the fire may occur, shall exercise the duties of this office with the full power of the Chief Engineer.
Section 15. And be it enacted and ordained, That the city shall be divided into two fire districts, the first comprising all that part of the city lying west of Calvert Street; the second district, all that part of the city lying east of the same.
Section 16. And be it enacted and ordained, That immediately on the appointment and organization of the Fire Commission, herein provided for, it shall be their duty to prepare rules and regulations for the government of the fire companies and the members thereof, and to furnish each member of the fire department with a copy of said rules, and to have said rules posted conspicuously in the office of the department, and in and about the several engine houses belonging to the department, and to give notice that they are prepared to receive applications for membership in the City Fire Department, and that they are also ready to receive proposals for the sale to the city of such fire apparatus as the city may require.
Section 17. And be it enacted and ordained, That the Register be, and he is hereby authorized, and directed to pay to the order of the Fire Commissioners the sum of forty thousand dollars for the purchase of fire apparatus as described in section 5 of this ordinance, for the use of the Fire Department.
Section 18. And be it enacted, and ordained, That should any person or persons not a member of the City Fire Department, use the uniform determined upon by the Fire Commissioners, or any part thereof, such person or persons shall each be fined not less than five dollars nor more than twenty dollars for each and every offence, to be recovered as other fines are recovered; one –half to the use of the informer, the other half to the use of the city.
Section 19. And be it enacted, and ordained, That should any persons, injure, deface, or in any manner destroy any city fire apparatus, or should any person or persons hinder or obstruct any city fire company or hook and ladder company or any member thereof from freely passing along the streets of the city to or from a fire or in manner hinder or prevent any of said fire companies or any member of the same from operating at any fire, each and every person or persons so hindering, obstructing, or preventing, shall be fined not less than five dollars nor more than twenty dollars, to be recovered as other city fines are recovered; one-half to the informer the other half to the city.
Section 20. And be it enacted and ordained, That in the event of the establishment of a Police and Fire Alarm Telegraph, it shall be the duty of the members of the police department, in the district in which the fire may occur, to communicate the fact to the Central Station by means of the signal box in the district in which the fire may be, in accordance with the rules and regulations governing the signal boxes, and it shall be the duty of the police, in the night time, on the occurrence of a fire to give farther notice thereof, within their respective districts by springing their rattles, and crying fire, and if practicable the number of the signal box from which the alarm proceeded; and when a police officer has an alarm bell in his district, it shall be his duty to ring the same by striking the location as indicated by the Fire Alarm Telegraph.
Section 21. And be it enacted, and ordained, That it shall be the duty of the Fire Commissioners to erect a suitable shop or shops, in such locality as they may deem best suited for the same, for repairing apparatus, and that the six engineers be required to do whatever repairing, &c., that may from time to time be required by said Commissioners.
Section 22. And be it enacted, and ordained, That the Chief Engineer and his assistants, be authorized to exercise the powers of police officers in going to, while at, or returning from any fire that may occur, or alarm.
Section 23. And be it enacted, and ordained, That this ordinance shall take effect immediately on and after its passage.