Ordinance by Michel Begon on the prevention and control of fires, 8 July
1721.
Michel Begon Knight and seigneur of Picardiere Murbelin and other Locations,
king’s counsellor at the Conseil and at the Parlement de Metz, Intendant of
Justice Police & finance in Nouvelle france.
As presented to us by The Police officers of The jurisdiction of This City,
a major Cause of the Great number of houses lost in the Fire that occurred
on the 19 of the past month is the difficulty in obtaining the number of Pails
needed to Extinguish the fire and the axes needed to bring down houses in
order to arrest the fire, even though by Police Regulations it is required
that all Bourgeois and inhabitants Answer the call to go to the fire as soon
as the Alarm is sounded and bring an axe and pail. Owners are obligated under
the same Regulations to have a Ladder in Good Condition on the Roofs of Their
houses and one in their Yard the height of the Main Floor to the roof and
to have their Chimneys swept at least once
Per month, which most give little Thought to doing, and they will Continue
in this neglect that is so detrimental to the public’s welfare if they are
not Constrained to do so under threat of fines. Also to be added to these
precautionary measures is the obligation to have in their Attics two poles
Measuring four inches in diameter and of A length proportionate to the height
of the said Attic and pierced at intervals so that in the holes made in the
two poles can be passed Kingpins that stick out on both Sides to serve as
battering Rams to bring Down the roof in the event of a Fire. We could make
the most of the debris Taken from Burned houses and from houses that will
later be Built in This City; we could use it to Build up and compact the Streets
by obliging the owners to have it transported to Locations indicated to them
by the said officers and Police who will ensure that the rubble is spread
along in Embankments on both Sides of the Street so as to form in the middle
a
Stream with the slant needed for the Flowing of water. Until the Roads
have been paved There is no other method for the People on foot to Avoid the
Mud than by the Method that has been in place for so Long, that of placing
planks of wood of eight inches in Thickness by one foot in Width at the short
end Along the houses and Sites and at a Distance of two feet from the said
houses, filling in the Empty space with Gravel [illegible word] including
Lime, or other materials from around the house, so that the Embankment with
the Gravel measures three feet in Width, if the owners of the said houses
and Sites do not wish to have the Said space of Three feet paved which is
[illegible word] The foundations. In addition, the ordinance by M. Raudot
of the twenty-two of June seventeen Hundred six, must be Executed under penalty
of the fines carried with it. For which we have noted Together the said ordinance
and The Regulation by the
Conseil superieur of Quebec of the eleven May sixteen Hundred seventy Six.
We ordain That the said regulation and ordinance Be Executed In their form
and manner, requiring that All Bourgeois and inhabitants Run to a fire as
soon as the alarm sounds and take with Them an axe and pail under penalty
of paying a fine of six Livres, and Each of them will have at Their House
a ladder in Good Condition on The roof of their house and another in Their
Yard the height of the Main Floor to the roof under penalty of a fine of three
Livres, And will have their Chimney Swept at least once Per month in winter
and every Two months in summer under penalty of a fine of two Livres. We ordain
that Each of the said Owners will have the obligation to have in his Attic
two poles Measuring four inches in diameter and of A length proportionate
to the height of the said Attic and pierced at intervals so that in the holes
made in the two poles can be passed Kingpins that stick out on both Sides
to serve as battering Rams to bring Down the roof in the event of a Fire,
under penalty of a fine of three Livres. We will make the most of the debris
Taken from Burned houses and from other houses that will later be Built in
This City; we will use it to Build up and compact the Streets by obliging
the owners to have it transported to Locations indicated to them by the said
officers and Police who will ensure that the rubble is spread along in Embankments
on both Sides of the Street so as to form in the middle a
Stream with the slant needed for the Flowing of water. Until the Roads
have been paved the said owners of the said houses And Sites will be Held,
under penalty of a fine of ten livres, to place planks of wood of eight inches
in Thickness by one foot in Width at the short end Along the houses and Sites
at a Distance of two feet from the said houses and Sites, and to fill in the
Empty space with Gravel [illegible word] including Lime, or other materials
from around the house, so that the Embankment with the Gravel measures three
feet in Width, if the owners of the said houses and Sites do not wish to have
the Said space of Three feet paved.
In addition, the ordinance by M. Raudot of the twenty-two of June seventeen
Hundred six, must be Executed under penalty of the fines carried with it.
For which we have noted Together the said ordinance and The Regulation by
the
Conseil superieur of Quebec of the eleven of May sixteen Hundred seventy
Six.
In addition, we ordain that the said Regulation and ordinance be Executed
In Form and manner and under penalty of the fines they carry. We Request that
the said officers of the regular Jurisdiction of This city see to the Execution
of the present ordinance, under the diligent duty of the king’s prosecutor,
Registered at their registry, read, Published and posted wherever Required
and for all to Note, done and given at Montreal The eighth of July Seventeen
hundred Twenty-one.
[signed]Begon
Source: Archives nationales du Québec, Centre de Montréal, Ordonnances, 1684-1760, TL4, S35, Bégon, Michel, Ordinance regarding the prevention of fires and fire fighting, July 8, 1721.
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