University of Virginia Library

CHAPTER XXV.

Regulating Storage, Transportation and Handling of
Explosives—Steam Boilers.

Sec. 318. Gunpowder and other explosives.

Except as hereinafter provided no gunpowder, blasting powder,
nitroglycerin or other high explosives shall be kept within
the City limits.

(a) No person shall keep within the City more than ten pounds
of gunpowder or other explosive compound, except for purposes
of sale.

(b) Licensed retail dealers may, to supply their trade, keep
any quantity of gunpowder or blasting powder not exceeding
fifty pounds in all; provided such powder be kept in metal packages,
with good, close-fitting and well-secured covers thereon.
No such retail or wholesale dealer shall keep in his store more
than 40,000 loaded gun shells.

(c) Wholesale dealers may, for the purpose of their trade,
have in their possession elsewhere than in a magazine, between
the hours of 7 A. M. and 5 P. M., any quantity not exceeding
fifty pounds. But no dynamite or nitroglycerin in any of its
forms shall be stored or kept for sale in any store within the corporate
limits.

(d) Every dealer in gunpowder, blasting powder, dynamite
or other high explosives shall place on the building containing
the same, over or at the side of the front door thereof, a sign
with the words "Powder for Sale" printed or painted thereon in
legible characters, at least three inches in height; he shall store
said powder or other explosives, including explosive cartridges,
within fifteen feet of the front entrance to the building and shall
notify the Chief of the Fire Department in writing that the same
has been done. The Chief of the Fire Department is hereby authorized
to enter any building in which powder or other explosives
may be habitually kept for sale and familiarize himself with
the location of such explosives, to the end that he may be able
to take the necessary steps to prevent disaster therefrom in case
of a fire.

(e) No person shall carry gunpowder, blasting powder, dynamite
or other explosives on any vehicle in any part of the City
unless the same shall be secured in kegs, boxes, or canisters, so
that no part thereof can fall out or escape.

(f) No person shall allow any vehicle under his charge or
control, containing more than one keg or case of twenty-five
pounds of gunpowder, blasting powder, dynamite or other high
explosives to remain within the City limits more than two hours;
and no person shall permit more than the said quantity of any
kind of the said article to be upon any street or sidewalk more
than thirty minutes; provided, however, that said articles may,
during the day, be brought from magazines or depots in such
quantities as may be required to supply the trade of merchants
and wholesale dealers.

Any person who shall violate any of the clauses of the foregoing
section in regard to gunpower or other explosives, or permit
the same to be violated with his consent by any person in his
employment or under his control, shall, upon conviction, be fined
not less than $5.00 nor more than $50.00, for each offense.

Sec. 319. Gasoline filling stations prohibited.

No person, firm or corporation shall operate a gasoline or oil
filling station for public service within 300 feet of any hospital,
sanitorium, church, public school or public library within the
City. The 300 feet specified herein is to be measured over a
straight course between the nearest point of the building of such
proposed filling station, and the nearest point of such existing
hospital, sanitorium, church, public school, or public library.

This section shall not apply to filling stations already in operation
at the time of the passage of this section, but no additional
filling station shall be operated without a special permit from the
Council.

Any violation of this section shall be punished by a fine of not
less than $10.00 nor more than $25.00, and each day such violation
continues shall constitute a separate offense.

Sec. 320. Gasoline, benzine or naphtha—sale and storage.

(1) It shall be unlawful to store or keep for use or sale gasoline,

benzine, naphtha or other highly volatile liquid within the
City, except under the following conditions and restrictions.

(a) In dwelling, apartment or tenant houses not exceeding
one gallon in approved metal can free from leak.

(b) In drug, hardware, paint, oil stores, or in garages ten
gallons or less if in approved, metal cans, free from leak.

(c) In tailoring shops, printing offices, pressing establishments,
or other establishments where the use of gasoline, benzine or
naphtha is inherent to the business—not exceeding five gallons in
approved standard metal cans made for the purpose. No other
can to contain more than one quart.

(d) Outside of any building and not less than 30 feet therefrom—not
exceeding ten gallons in closed metallic cans.

(e) No gasoline, benzine, naphtha or other highly volatile liquid
shall be poured into or removed from any container in the
presence of any artificial light other than an incandescent electric
lamp.

(2) No tank for the storage of gasoline, benzine, naphtha, or
other highly volatile liquid of more than 10 gallons capacity shall
be installed without a written permit from the City Manager.
The fee for such permit shall be $1.00 for each tank installed.

(3) No permit shall be issued for the storage or keeping for
sale or use gasoline, benzine, naphtha or other highly volatile
liquid exceeding ten gallons in quantity, (except as provided
in article (5) of this section) save in underground (buried in
the ground) metal tanks with no opening for drawing off contents
below the level of the ground, but to be drawn from by
pumps. Such tanks shall be constructed of metal or iron galvanized
or painted and of suitable thickness and weight, and
shall be provided with a fill and vent pipe so arranged that the
fill pipe cannot be opened with the vent; and also these pipes
shall be provided with a screen near the top and filler pipe terminating
in an iron cover which shall be kept locked.

Said tanks shall be buried at least three feet below the surface
of the ground if beneath the building, or if outside of the building
and within ten feet thereof. If outside and more than 10
feet from any building they shall be at least one foot below the
surface of the ground.

Said tank or tanks shall not be installed within two feet of the

nearest adjacent property line other than the street line nor
within four feet of any other tank used or to be used for similar
purpose; and in no case shall such tanks be so connected that
the contents may flow or be drawn from one tank to another
and no connection of any nature between tanks will be permitted.

(4) Within the fire limits of the City of Charlottesville as
now existing or as hereafter changed or amended no tank for
the storage of gasoline, benzine, naphtha or other highly volatile
liquid having a capacity of more than 560 gallons shall be installed;
provided however, that nothing herein shall prevent the
use or repair of tanks of more than 560 gallons capacity installed
prior to the passage of this section or in territory which
may be embraced within the fire limits by subsequent changes
or amendments thereto.

(5) Outside of the fire limits as now existing or as hereafter
changed or amended no tank of more than 25,000 gallons capacity
for the wholesale storage (or storage in quantity) of gasoline,
benzine, naphtha or other highly volatile liquid shall be
erected or installed; provided however, that nothing contained
herein shall prevent the repair or use of any such tank for this
purpose installed prior to the passage of this section.

If buried underground, said tank or tanks shall be lower than
floors, basements, cellars, or pits of all buildings within a radius
of 50 feet. The top of the tank shall also be at least 3 feet under
the ground and below any piping to which the tank may be
connected. Except in lieu of the three feet of earth, tank may
be buried under 18″ of earth and covered with reinforced concrete
at least 6″ in thickness which shall extend at least one foot
beyond the outline of the tank in all directions; said concrete
shall be set on a firm foundation and be surrounded with soft
earth or sand, well stamped into place or encased in concrete.
Tank may have a test well, provided the test well extends to near
the bottom of the tank and 12 feet above the source of supply
and top and shall be hermetically sealed and locked except when
necessarily open.

The tank shall be of galvanized steel, basic open hearth steel
or wrought iron of a minimum thickness of 5/16 of an inch. The
use of wooden top tanks is prohibited.

Tanks shall be riveted, welded or brazed, and shall be soldered,

caulked or otherwise made tight in mechanical and workman
like manner, and if to be used with a pressure discharge system
shall safely sustain a hydrostatic test at least double the pressure
to which the tank may be subjected; top of tank to be securely
fastened to top ring, with joints of equal tightness to those between
rings. They shall be covered with asphaltum or other
non-rusting paint or coating. All pipe connections shall be
made through flanges or reinforced metal securely riveted, welded
or bolted to tank and made thoroughly tight.

Tanks shall be constructed entirely of metal, including top,
sides, and bottom; all openings shall be gas tight, except beneath
vent which shall be screened. All tanks shall be electrically
grounded by resting directly on moist earth or otherwise electrically
grounded to permanent moisture, perferably to water
piping and to the satisfaction of the City electrican and Chief of
the Fire Department. No insulated connection shall be permitted.
Telephone or similar poles, projections liable to act as discharge
points shall be kept as far as practicable from tanks.

The tank shall have a vent pipe at least 1″ in diameter which
shall run from the top of the tank to at least 12 feet above ground
level and shall terminate in a goose neck protected in the outer
end by a 40×40 mesh or equivalent noncorrodible wire screen,
or a tank at all times, even during filling operations, may be used.

If erected above ground said tank shall conform to the same
requirements concerning quality of material, thickness thereof,
riveting, welding, venting, freedom from leaks, electrical grounding,
non-insulated connection, freedom from electric wiring or
similar apparatus; as are required herein for underground installations.

Said tank shall be erected only on steel or metal supports of
sufficient size and thickness for carrying the load to be imposed
thereon, and on concrete foundations.

(6) All installations under authority of this section shall be
under the direction and meet with the approval of the City Manager.

(7) Nothing in this section shall apply to any tank, permission
to erect and maintenance of which has already been granted.

(8) Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the
provisions of this section shall be fined not less than $10.00 nor

more than $50.00, and each day such violation continues shall
constitute a separate offense.

Sec. 321. Insulation and operation of steam boilers.

No steam boiler, carrying over ten pounds of pressure per
square inch, shall be erected or operated within the City limits
unless an inspection certificate of a recognized insurance or casualty
company is filed with the City Manager not later than
May 1st of each year, or on or before such steam boiler is put
in operation.

Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be
fined $5.00 for each day he fails to comply.