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Ordinance by Claude-Thomas Dupuy on the construction of houses, 7 June 1727.

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Ordinance for the Construction of Houses.

Claude Thomas Dupuy

Knight, King’s counsellor in His State and Private Councils, In charge of ordinary requests at his hotel, Intendant for Justice, Police And finances for the Whole of Nouvelle france, Islands and adjacent And Dependant lands.

It is with satisfaction that we have noted the tendency of most people this year in the city of Québec, to construct their houses in Stone, due to the Fire in the city of Montréal and the frequent fires that occur in the city of Québec; the intent of my Predecessors was to prohibit the Construction of houses inside city walls other than in stone and of two Stories, Because these individuals understood that it was no more costly to construct a house out of stone than out of Wood in a Country where Stone is as common as wood, And that to construct in this manner would result in more solid, more durable houses, less affected by cold or hot weather, less at risk from their own fires, those in neighbouring houses, or generalized fires if ever they were to unfortunately occur. [...]

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It is with this in mind And for this reason that we have renewed the said bans and that We ban Anew

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the Construction, other than in stone, of any house in Cities and Major

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Towns where stone is easily available; we Prohibit the construction of houses in Wood, out of logs, and out of timber even if they are covered and treated with lime and sand.[...]

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We prohibitthe use of wood in the Construction of the frontage and Exterior Front Gables, and front Posts, or the use of wood Frames for windows or doors both inside and outside, under penalty of a fine of three livres for each door payable by the mason or any other person responsible for these constructions, as of the publication of the present ordinance, given that these types of Wood are rather Flammable and at risk from the smallest fire, and capable of spreading the fire to other areas of the house; and if burned, they can no longer support walls, which will then fall.[...]

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Again, we Renew the bans so often reiterated And Expressly forbid that houses currently under construction in Cities and suburbs be roofed with Shingles, under penalty of being discovered at the expense of the owners and of a fine of fifty livres against the Roofers who will have installed them in violation of Our bans. [...]

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In order to reduce the costs of roofs And make them easier to access in emergency situations, We ordain that in lieu of a major framework they be constructed using simple purlins, with a single ridgepole spanning but not fitted to the interior support walls and gable walls, [...] to the purlins will be nailed from top to bottom

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a layer of Tongue-in-groove planks covered over with another layer of planks in the opposite direction, So that they will overlap one another like Tiles. This type of Roofing is less costly than Shingles and longer lasting. It is made of wood that is more resistant to Sparks from Chimneys, whereas shingles are reduced to moss,[...] Two more advantages to them are that in generalized fires they can be easily cut down with an axe, And when slate or Tiles become available some day, they can be easily installed without having to Reconstruct the attic of the house. [...]

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We Prohibit Contractors, Master Masons and others involved in Construction from installing on their own and in private any chimney or Stovepipe

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on partitions, Wood Panels or Half walls, and from constructing any chimney with Pipes that are less than ten, twelve or fifteen inches across, with three to four feet of open Pipe on both sides so that a man may easily climb up and not risk falling. [...]

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And Until the precious use of plaster

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and the Tiles so needed for Buildings are fully Available in this country; We enjoin All Contractors, Master Masons and others involved in Construction, to install on attic and garret floors a Thick layer of lime or sand, at least two inches thick so that the upper floor of the house will Be protected from fire and in order to make it easier to demolish the roof of the same house in the event of fire in the house or in adjoining houses.

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Furthermore for the safety of their houses many people have constructed Separating Walls that Rise above the Roof and divide it into various sections or separate it from Neighbouring Houses so that fire will be prevented from spreading. We ordain that a useful practice such as this one be applied until such time as houses can be covered with Tiles or slate.[...]

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We mandate all officers in the ordinary jurisdiction

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of this city and other Cities of the Colony together with police judges, And Our sub-delegates in the said Cities, to see to it that the present ordinance is Executed As applicable for each of the said cities; to have it Recorded at Their Registry and Read, Published and posted wherever Necessary for all to know. Done and given In our hotel at Quebec the Seven of June Seventeen Hundred twenty-Seven.

[signed]Dupuy

By Monseigneur
[signed]Vitré

Source: Archives nationales du Québec, Centre de Montréal, Ordonnances, 1684-1760, TL4, S35, Dupuy, Claude-Thomas, Ordinance on the construction of houses, June 7, 1727.

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