Aldermen and Assistants, Firewardens, Foremen

and Bell ringers, to be notified

of fires by

the Watch

men.

shall be painted and distinguished in the manner following, viz. the cap of each Foreman shall be painted black, with a white frontispiece, and the word "Foreman," with the initials of the name of the Foreman, and the number of the Engine to which he belongs, painted thereon in black. The cap of each Fireman shall be painted black, with the initials of the name of the Fireman, and the number of the Engine to which he belongs, painted in front thereof, in white. The Foreman of each of the Hook and Ladder Companies shall wear a cap painted black, with a white frontispiece, and the word "Foreman," and the initials of his name, and the number of the Company to which he belongs, and a Hook and Ladder painted thereon, in black. And each member of the Hook and Ladder Companies shall wear a cap, painted black, with the initials of his name, and the number of the Company to which he belongs, with a Hook and Ladder painted in front thereof, in white. And each Foreman of the Fire Hose Companies, shall wear a cap painted black, with a white frontispiece, and the word " Foreman," and the initials of his name, and the number of the Company to which he belongs, and a coil of hose painted thereon, in black. And each member of the said Fire Hose Companies shall wear a cap painted black, with the initials of his name, and the number of the Company to which he belongs, with a coil of Hose painted thereon, in white. And the Assistant to each respective Company shall wear a cap, painted in the same manner as that of the Foreman of the Company, with the word "Assistant," in lieu of the word Foreman. And further, That it shall be the duty of the Chief Engineer to report to the Common Council, the name of every person who shall neglect or refuse to comply with the foregoing requisitions, which said person shall thereupon be removed from his station.

XX. And be it further ordained, That the names and places of abode of the members of the Common Council, Engineers, Firewardens and Foremen of the respective Companies, and Bell-ringers, shall annually, in the month of June, be printed, and set up in the several watch houses by the City Inspector. And whenever any fire shall happen in the night, the Watchmen shall give notice to each of the members of the Common Council, Engineers, Firewardens, Foremen and Bell-ringers, within their respective Watch Districts. And it shall, moreover, be the duty of every Watchman, upon the breaking out of any fire, to alarm the citizens by crying fire, and mentioning the street

where it may be, so that the Firemen and citizens may thereby be generally directed where to repair; and if any Watchman shall neglect so to do, he shall forfeit and pay the sum of one dollar. And if it shall happen that a chimney only shall be on fire, either by day or by night, the fire bell at the city hall, and the bells of the several churches in this city shall not be rung, but only on occasions where a building shall be proclaimed to be on fire. And it is enjoined on the occupants to place a lighted candle at the windows of their respective buildings, when fire may happen at night, in order that the citizens may pass along the streets with the greater safety.

and Mar

XXI. And be it further ordained, That it shall be the duty of Constables the Constables and Marshals, to repair immediately on the alarm shals to atof fire, with their staves of office, to the place where such fire tend fires. may be; and it shall be the duty of the Constables, then and there to report themselves to the High Constable; and of the Marshals, then and there to report themselves to the First Marshal, and to conform to such orders as may be given them by the Mayor, Recorder, or any one of the Aldermen or Assistants, for the preservation of the public peace, and the removal of all idle and suspected persons, or others, not actually or usefully employed in aiding the extinguishment of such fire, or in the preservation of property in the vicinity thereof. And if any Constable or Marshal shall not attend at such fire, or shall neglect so to report himself, or to obey any orders that may be given him aş aforesaid, he shall forfeit and pay the sum of ten

dollars for each offence.

XXII. And be it further ordained, That if any chimney, stove- Penalties pipe, or flue, within this city, shall take fire, the occupant of the for Chimneys, &c. house to which such chimney, stove-pipe, or flue appertains, being on fire. shall forfeit and pay five dollars.

cure sha

XXIII. And be it further ordained, That all carpenters and Carpenters others, making or using shavings, shall respectively, at the close &c. to seof each day, cause the same to be securely stowed in some safe vings. place, remote from danger by means of fire, under the penalty of five dollars for each omission so to do.

the streets.

XXIV. And be it further ordained, That no person shall kindle of fires in any fire, nor furnish the materials for any fire, nor in any way authorize or allow any fire to be made in any street, road or lane, or on any pier or bulk head in this city, except for the purpose of boiling tar, which fire shall not be more than six feet

Hay and straw how

to be pla

ced.

from the bulk-head or the end of the pier, under the penalty of ten dollars for every such offence.

XXV. And be it further ordained, That no person shall have, put, or keep, any hay or straw uncovered, in any stack or pile, or in any other way exposed, within one hundred yards of any building, to the southward of a line commencing at the Hudson River, and running from thence through Fitzroy street, Greenwich lane, Art street, and the Bowery, to Stanton street: from thence through Stanton street to the East River; or shall have, put, or keep, to the southward of said line, any hay, straw, hemp, flax, shavings, or rushes, in any building not built of stone or brick, and covered with tile or slate, or other fire proof materials, which is or shall be within ten feet of any dwelling house or chimney whatsoever, under the penalty of twenty-five dollars for every such offence, and the further penalty of ten dollars for every twenty-four hours the same shall so remain, after a printed or written notice has been given to the owner or person having charge thereof, by any Firewarden to remove the same. XXVI. And be it further ordained, That no owner or occuused in sta- pant of any stable within this city, or any person in the employment of such owner or occupant, shall use therein any lighted candle or lamp, except the same shall be securely kept within a lantern, under the penalty of ten dollars for every such offence.

Candles

how to be

bles.

Penalties

XXVII. And be it further ordained, That all the fines, penalhow appro- ties and forfeitures, imposed by this law, for not attending fires, priated. and for not attending the meetings for washing the Fire Engines, and for exercising the men, shall, when received, be paid to the Treasurers of the respective Companies aforesaid, in which the delinquencies may happen, for the use and benefit of said Companies; and that all the other fines, penalties and forfeitures, imposed by this law, shall, when recovered, be paid to the Treasurer of the Fire Department of the City of New-York," for the use and benefit of the said Fire Department. And further, That the Chief Engineer shall annually, on the second Monday of December in each year, report to the Common Council, the amount of the sums which may be received by the said Fire Department of the city of New-York, and the application thereof.

Penalties

vered..

XXVIII. And be it further ordained, That it shall be lawful how reco- for the Fire Department of the city of New-York, and for the respective Companies before mentioned, or persons duly authorized by them, to receive, sue for and recover, in the name

of the Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty of the city of NewYork, all the fines, penalties and forfeitures hereby imposed, which shall be appropriated for their respective uses as aforesaid.

not to be

der a certain age.

XXIX. And be it further ordained, That no person shall be Firemen elected a Fireman until he shall have attained the age of twen- elected unty-one years; and that it shall be the duty of the Foreman of the respective Fire Companies, when they report to the Chief Engineer the names of the persons elected Firemen, to certify that the persons so elected are at least twenty-one years of age. XXX. And be it further ordained, That it shall be the duty Certifiof the Clerk of the Common Council, to furnish the certificates required to be furnished to the Firemen, without fee or reward,

cates.

1

LAWS

OF THE

STATE OF NEW-YORK,

RELATIVE TO THE

Fire Department

OF THE

CITY OF NEW-YORK.

Gunpow

der how

A LAW FOR THE MORE EFFECTUAL PREVENTION OF FIRES.

PASSED APRIL 9, 1813.

LXVI. And be it further enacted, That it shall not be lawful and where for any person or persons, to have or keep any quantity of gunto be kept, powder exceeding twenty-eight pounds weight, in any one place,

house, store, or out house, less than one mile to the northward of the city hall of the said city, except in the public magazine, at the fresh water, which said quantity of twenty-eight pounds shall be separated in four stone jugs, or tin canisters, each of which shall not contain more than seven pounds and if any person or persons, shall keep any greater quantity than twentyeight pounds in any one place, house, store, or out-house, or if the same gunpowder so permitted to be kept as aforesaid, shall not be separated in the manner herein above directed, he, she, or they, shall forfeit all such gunpowder, so kept contrary to the true intent and meaning of this act, or so permitted to be kept, and which shall not be separated as aforesaid, and shall also forUnder a pe- feit the sum of one hundred and twenty-five dollars, for every nalty. hundred weight of powder, and in that proportion for a greater or less quantity, to be recovered with costs of suit in any court having cognizance thereof, by any person or persons who will Proviso, as sue for the same: Provided always, That all actions and suits to be commenced, sued or prosecuted, against any person or persons, for any thing done contrary to this and the two follow

to time of

commen

cing suit.