The Chief of the Fire Department, under the
direction of the Mayor and Common Council, shall have the supervision
and charge of all telegraph, telephone and electric lines. He shall
forthwith report to the Mayor any violations of this article.
No telegraph, telephone or electric line shall
hereafter be erected or maintained until the owner thereof shall file
with the Mayor a written agreement accepting and promising to abide
by and perform all the conditions and provisions of this article,
and all amendments hereafter made thereto.
On streets where curbstones are set, all posts
shall be erected in the sidewalk, within and adjoining the curbstones,
and the posts shall be so erected as not to interfere with the gutters.
No post shall be erected within five (5) feet of any hydrant, nor
so as to interfere with any water pipe, shade tree, driveway or intersection
of streets.
All posts for telegraph, telephone and electric
lines shall be straight, properly trimmed and painted, shall not be
less than twenty-five (25) feet in height from the ground, shall be
of iron, cedar, pine or chestnut, and, if of wood, not less than six
(6) inches in diameter at the smaller end and ten (10) inches in diameter
at the ground. Such posts shall properly set in the ground to the
depth of at least five (5) feet. Wherever any wire shall cross any
street or way it shall be at a height not less than twenty-five (25)
feet above such street or way, and, where practicable, cross at right
angles. In cases where any such wire shall be connected with any building,
it shall be attached to the top or firewall of such building.
All wires for the transmission of electricity
for lighting and motive power shall at all times be so insulated as
to resist abrasion and heat, and be impervious to water. When placed
above the surface of the ground such wires shall be suspended upon
posts, and, wherever in proximity to other wires, dead guard wires
must be placed so as to prevent any possibility of contact with foreign
wires. This rule must apply to both arc and incandescent wires. When
any such wire shall be broken, or its insulation become imperfect,
the electric current shall forthwith be discontinued and the wire
not used until properly repaired and insulated.
Wires for the transmission of electricity for
lighting and motive power shall be secured to insulating fastenings
of glass, hard rubber or other approved insulating material. All tiewires
shall be insulated in the same manner as conducting wires. All joints
in wires shall be securely made and, where possible, soldered and
wrapped with insulating material that will resist heat and abrasion
and be impervious to water. Continuous wires, without joints, shall
be used as far as possible.
Wires for the transmission of electricity for
lighting and motive power passing through the exterior walls of buildings
shall be firmly incased in substantial tubes of nonconducting material
not liable to absorb moisture and so placed as to prevent water from
entering the building along the wire. Outgoing and returning wires
for arc lights shall enter and leave buildings at points one (1) foot
at least from each other; those for incandescent lights shall so enter
and leave buildings at points one (1) foot at least from each other.
In running along outside walls, cornices and the like, all such wires
shall be rigidly fastened by nonconducting fastenings and, where carried
over or attached to buildings, must be at least seven (7) feet above
the highest point of the roofs, and one and one-half (1Â 1/2)
feet above pitch roofs, and placed so as to avoid ladders of the Fire
Department. They shall not be run over or attached to buildings other
than those desiring light and power. In the interior of buildings
all such wires shall be so placed as not to come in contact with iron
pipes, posts, or girders, or in any way so as to form other circuits
or ground connections. In passing through floors or partitions or
walls, they shall be surrounded by an insulating tube of substantial
material to protect them from injury by rats or mice. All inside wires
must be so placed so they can be easily and thoroughly inspected.
Whenever such wires enter a building, a cutout of simple form and
construction shall be provided and properly attached as near as possible
to such entrance.
The frame and exposed parts of all arc lamps
shall be insulated from the circuit. All such lamps shall be provided
with a separate hand switch and also with an automatic switch which
will close the circuit whenever the carbons do not approach each other
or the resistance becomes excessive. Arc lamps must be provided with
some arrangement to prevent the lower carbon from falling out in case
the clamp does not hold them securely. For inside use, the globes
must rest in a tight stand so that no particles of melted copper or
heated carbon can escape. Converters on alternating circuits must
be outside of buildings and must be placed high enough from roof to
prevent possible injury to firemen.
For incandescent lamps the conducting wire to
each building and branch circuit shall be provided with an automatic
switch or cutout or its equivalent, capable of protecting the system
from injury by an excessive current of electricity.
In the case of fire, the Chief of the Fire Department,
or the assistant in command, shall have full power and authority to
order and cause any electric wires to be cut or removed and electric
currents discontinued until the fire is extinguished.
All dead wires where crossing public streets
or ways shall be removed.
Upon the completion of any circuit for the transmission
of electricity for lighting and motive power, and before it is used,
a chart showing the location of the wires and posts of such circuit
shall be filed with the Chief of the Fire Department, and any change
of such posts or wires shall be reported to him within twenty-four
(24) hours.
The provisions of this article shall apply to
all wires now or hereafter strung or suspended in, through or across
any and all public streets, avenues, alleys, public places and squares
in the City of Albany.
[Amended 5-19-2008 by Ord. No. 25.42.08; 12-21-2009 by Ord. No. 52.71.09]
Every person or corporation violating any or
either of the provisions of this article shall incur a penalty not
to exceed $1,000 for each and every such violation, and a further
and additional penalty not to exceed $1,000 for each and every day
he or it shall neglect after notice received from the Chief of the
Fire Department to comply therewith.
