The Charter of the Antigo Fire Department and its purposes

Section 1.
The common council, for the purpose of guarding against the calamities of fire, shall have the power to prescribe the limits within which wooden buildings, or buildings of other materials that shall not be considered fireproof, shall not be erected or repaired and to direct that all and every building within the limits prescribed shall be made and constructed of such fireproof materials, to prohibit and repairing or rebuilding of wooden buildings within the fire limits where the same shall have been damaged to the extent of fifty per cent of the value thereof, and to prescribe the manner of ascertaining such damages and to prescribe the penalties for the violation of any resolution or ordinances passed under this section.

Section 2.
The common council shall have power to prevent the dangerous construction and condition of chimneys, fireplaces, hearths, stoves, stovepipes, ovens, boilers, and apparatus used in and about any building, and to cause the same to be removed or placed in a safe and secure condition when considered dangerous, to prevent the deposit of ashes in unsafe places, to require in such manner and time as it shall prescribe and to regulate and prevent the carrying on of manufacture dangerous in causing or promoting fires, to regulate and prevent the use of fireworks and firearms, to compel the owners and occupants of buildings to have scuttles in the roofs, and stairs on inside leading to same. To authorize the mayor, alderman, fire wardens, and other officers of the city to keep away from the vicinity of all the fire all idle and suspected persons, and compel all bystanders to aid in the extinguishing of fires, and in the preservation of property exposed to danger thereat, and generally to establish such regulations for the prevention and extinguishments of fires as the common council may deem expedient and to provide penalties for the violation of any resolution ordinance passed under this section.

Section 3.
The common council shall have full power to purchase fire engines and other fire apparatus and to authorize the formation of fire engine, hook and ladder and hose companies, and to provide for the due and proper support and regulation of the same, and to order such companies to be disbanded, and their meeting to be published and the apparatus to be delivered up. Each company shall not exceed forty able-bodied men, between the ages of eighteen and fifty years, and may elect its own officers and form their own units not inconsistent with the laws of this state or the ordinances and regulations of said city, and shall be formed only by volunteer enlistments. Every member of said companies shall be exempt from highway work, and the poll tax, and from serving on juries and military duty, except in cases of wars, insurrection or invasion during the continuance of such membership, and any person having served for the term of seven years, in either of such companies, shall be forever thereafter exempt from poll tax and military and jury duty, except as in case before mentioned.

Section 4.
The mayor shall appoint two fire wardens for each ward subject to confirmation by the common council, who shall perform such duties as the common council may prescribe and they may at any time enter into an building, house, store, barn or enclosure, for the purpose of inspecting same.

Section 5.
When any person shall refuse to obey the lawful order of any engineer, fire warden or alderman of the city, or the mayor of the city, or marshal, at any fire it shall be lawful for the officer giving, such order to arrest, or direct orally to the city marshal, constable, or watchman or an citizen to arrest such person and to confine him temporarily in any safe place until such fire shall be extinguished and in the same manner such officers or any of them may arrest or direct the arrest and confinement of any person at such fires who shall be intoxicated or disorderly and any such person who shall refuse arrest or aid in arresting any person, shall be liable to such penalty as the common council may prescribe, not exceeding twenty dollars.

Section 6.
The common council shall have power to organize a sack company or to countenance any such company now organized, which shall be known by such name as it may select, and shall consist of not more that thirty members. Such company shall constitute a part of the engineers. The members of said company, either collectively or individually, are hereby authorized and empowered to act as a special police in and for the city of Antigo, and are hereby vested with all the power and authority which now is or may hereafter be vested in any other police officer of said city, and shall be entitles to all the rights and immunities of members of the fire department, except for exemption from jury duty. At fires, it shall take charge of all property which may be exposed or endangered and shall as far as may be in its power, preserve the same from injury or destruction. Such company may from time to time adopt such laws as it deems necessary, not inconsistent with the laws of this stare, or the ordinances of said city. The members shall be entitles to any compensation for any service rendered in their official capacity. They shall I case of riot or other disturbance of the peace, have access to all licensed places of amusement in the city and shall perform such services as may be necessary for the peace and good order of the same.

Section 7.
The treasurer of the fire department shall receive and pay out all moneys belonging to said department and shall secure the faithful performance of his duty by his bond to said city in such peal such as shall be required, and with the sureties to be approved by the common council. Such moneys shall only be paid out on order signed by the chief engineer, or acting city engineer, and countersigned by the clerk of said department.

Section 8.
There shall be elected by the members of each company aforesaid, annually, at their annual meeting, a clerk or secretary ad a treasurer, who shall, on or before the first Monday of May in each year, return to the city clerk a list containing the name of each member of their respective companies, and when any member of either of said companies shall cease to be a member thereto by resignation, expulsion or otherwise, notice thereof shall be given to the city clerk.

Section 9.
The city clerk is hereby required to keep a record of the members of the several companies organized under this chapter and such record shall consist of the returns made by the several clerks or secretaries as above provided, and no person shall be exempt from jury duty unless the name is entered on such list, in case any person shall for and cause, cease to be a member of either of said companies, the clerk shall note the fact thereon, and shall return to the clerk of the board of supervisors of the county of Langlade a list of all persons who are members of either or all said companies exempt from jury duty, on or before the day now appointed for the annual meetings of said board shall not pace the names of such persons on the jury list for the ensuing year.

Section 10.
The officers on the fire department shall be a chief engineer, and assistant engineer, a secretary and a treasurer. The several fire companies shall hold at least on annual meeting for the purpose of electing department officers, the first meeting to be called by the mayor. Each member of the several companies, in good standing, shall be entitled to a vote in the election of department officers, and a majority of the votes cast shall elect. The officers so elected shall be subject to confirmation by the common council.

P. 124 History of Langlade County Wisconsin Dessureau. Berner Bros. Publishing Co. 1922

 

 

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