I found an online directory of Kalispell City ordinances and thought it would be intriguing to see what some of the ordinances of the past were. The last post covered a 1937 ordinance that related to "Inner Fire Limits" . As I was looking at the 1938 ordinances, I saw the Inner Fire Limits were revoked. So whatever the original reason for them was, the rules were eliminated in the following year.
This time, I'm sharing a 1938 ordinance about the regulation and licensing of electric wiring, devices, appliances and materials.
Ordinance #473, effective as of June 15, 1938, was not for public telephone/telegraph companies or central stations, power houses or substations but covered all other electrical work. The code indicated the following.
General Wiring Rules
- All conductors for new work must be 12 B&S gauge or higher
All outlet boxes that are concealed must be 18.75 cubic inches or greater and must have fixture studs and approved plaster rings.- All conduits, boxes and fittings must have corrosion protective coating made of cadmium, tin, zinc or galvanized.
- Within 20 feet of any service entrance, the ability to disconnect ungrounded conductors from supply source must be available.
- Service wires must be #6 or larger, and must be enclosed in a 3/4" conduit.
- All buildings must have metal conduit. This includes public buildings, apartment houses with 24 or more rooms and commercial buildings of 1,000 or more square feet.
- Electric ranges may be wired with rigid metal conduit, and the service wire may be fed from the same service conductors as home lighting.
- Service conductors may not go through roofs or skylights, as this could impede work of firemen.
- The point of contact for service wires must be approved by power company.
- Meters must be installed between five and seven feet above ground.
- In "inner fire limit" district, metal conduit is required in new construction - no BX allowed.
- All wiring must be inspected by the City Electrician.
Permits, Fees and Plans
All electrical work in the city would require an electrical inspection and permit.
The 1938 fees for the permits were:
- $1 for the first 10 lights, switch or outlets, with additional outlets 5 cents each.
- Each neon or gas tube system would cost $1, with additional transformers 25 cents each.
- Floodlights were $1 for the first one and 25 cents for each additional one.
- Motors of 1 horsepower or less would cost $1, between 1 and 10 horsepower, $1.50 and above that $2.
- Hooking up a generator was $5.
- Each range, water heater, oil burner, fireplace heater cost $1. There were discounts for hooking up several appliances at the same time.
To get a permit, electrical plans had to be submitted, and electrical inspector must have ability to enter building for inspections and to direct the work. Upon completion of work, the electrical inspector would inspect the installation with 48 hours except on Sundays and holidays. Re-inspections will be done as needed.
Approved Materials
Any electrical materials, devices and appliances must confirm with the Montana statues, Public Service Commission rules and regulations and this ordinance.
Licenses
A Grade A electrical license will allow the holder to install electric wires for light, heat, power or other apparatus. The fee was $25 per year and the applicant must produce public liability bond in amount of $1000.
A Grade B electrical license would be issued to a journeyman employed by Grade A Electrician at a cost of $4 per year.
A Grade C electrical license would be issued to an apprentice or helper of Grade A electrician at cost of $2 per year.
Penalties
Anyone violating any provisions of the ordinance would be deemed guilty of misdemeanor with a fine of $300 or less, 25 days or less imprisonment or a combination of the two.
What are the rules today?
In terms of 1938 general wiring rules, there are many similarities to the rules of today, and changes such as B&S is now AWG aren't really that critical to discuss here. What is different are the fees and the requirements for becoming a licensed electrician.
The fees for obtaining an electrical permit have definitely changed. Where costs ranged from $1 to $5 in 1938, depending on what was being done, they are now significantly higher. Depending on the amps being provided, a permit might run from $200-380, with interior rewiring or building addition permit costs of $120. The cost for commercial, public and multi-family units are based on the valuation of the work to be done. For example, if the valuation is over $50,000, the permit will cost $455 for the first $50K, plus 0.3% of the balance of the construction cost.
As for the licensing to become an electrician, the fees have not significantly risen but the time required to become one may have.
Today, to become a master electrician (most closely equated to Class A above), an applicant needs to show evidence of being an electrical engineer graduate of an accredited college or university. They also need to show they have a minimum of 2,000 hours of legally obtained practical experience. Alternatively, they can also show they have had 8,000 hours of practical experience and 20,000 hours working in the electrical field. There is a fee of $190 for the license and a $50 work permit fee for exam candidates. This seems to be a reasonable fee when comparing to the 1938 fee of $25.
A journeyman needs to pay the same fees as a master electrician, with proof of an approved inside wireman apprenticeship program or completion of union or trade association training program. Alternatively, they could prove they have 8,000 hours of practical experience or that they worked in the electrical maintenance field for 20,000 hours.
Finally, to become an apprentice, everything is the same except only 4,000 hours of practical experience is required. And just to point out, if you were to work in an office 40 hours a week, it would take two years of work to equal 4,000 hours of experience.
And there you have it, another blast from the past of Kalispell Montana. I wonder what I'll find the next time I peek into the Kalispell Ordinances?
If you have any real estate related needs, feel free to give me a call on 406-270-3667 or email me at kat@thehousekat.com and I would be happy to find the right person to assist you!
Photos made from Kat's brain and AI.
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