Subtitle 9 – Steam-Propelled Vessels

It shall be the duty of every owner, agent, master, or captain of any vessel or craft propelled in whole or in part by steam or on which any steam engines, boilers, or stoves are used, to cover securely each funnel or smoke-stack on such vessel with an efficient metal spark arrester, the wire mesh of which shall not be less than 4 to the inch, when crossing the pierhead line in approaching any grain elevator, or any pier, in the Patapsco River or its tributaries, at which cotton or naval stores are being handled or are stored, and shall keep same covered the entire time while within said pierhead line.

It shall be the duty of every agent, owner, master, or captain of any such vessel propelled in whole or in part by steam while loading or discharging cotton or naval stores into or from said vessel at any pier in the Patapsco River or its tributaries, to protect or have protected all hatch combings so that the cargo of cotton or naval stores so loaded or unloaded shall not come in contact with the combings.

It shall be the duty of every owner, agent, master, or captain of any vessel, or craft, propelled in whole or in part by steam, while in the Patapsco River or its tributaries, and while said vessel or craft is loading or discharging a cargo of cotton or naval stores, to couple its fire hose and keep the same ready for use at all times while so loading or discharging such cargo at said wharf or pier, and it shall keep sufficient steam while so loading or discharging, at all hours of the day, on the donkey or one of the main boilers, to enable a full stream of water to be turned on in case of fire occurring upon or alongside said vessel or craft; and to supply such vessel with sufficient fire hose to reach to each and every hatch of the said vessel or craft.

Any person violating any of the provisions of this subtitle shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to a fine of not less than $25 or more than $100.