August H. Runge (February 12, 1852 – September 9, 1921) was the Fire Chief of Minneapolis for 20 years.[1] He then became the Fire Marshal for North Dakota and was involved in a North Dakota Supreme Court case Runge v. Glerum that forbade interfering with a fire marshal or police officer while on duty.[2][3][4][5]
Biography
Runge was born on February 12, 1852, in New York City.[6] In 1864 he joined the U.S. Navy. In 1865 he was transferred to the Colorado, of the European squadron. In 1867 he was again transferred, this time to the Pacific contingent. Soon after he resigned and went to the Pennsylvania oil regions, where he studied mechanical engineering. In 1873 he returned to New York, and after a brief stay came to Minneapolis, where he took charge of the steam heating plant at the Minneapolis City Hall. While there, in 1874, he volunteered as a member of Hook and Ladder Company No. 1; was promoted to assistant foreman in 1878, and appointed by the city as foreman of the company in 1879. The same change in the force that affected the chief, on December 21, 1881, also influenced his career, and he was accordingly advanced to the position of 2d assistant chief.[7]
He died in Los Angeles on September 9, 1921.[1]
References
- 1 2 "Former Minneapolis Fire Chief Passes". Los Angeles Times. September 11, 1921. p. 33. Retrieved February 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
August Runge [...] passed away night before last.
- ↑ Supreme Court, North Dakota; Libby, Hiram A.; Carothers, Robert Milligan; Hoskins, Robert Dimon; Cochrane, John Mcdowell; Camp, Edgar Whittlesey; Wilbur, Ames Francis; Coghlan, Joseph; Taylor, Edwin James (1920). Reports of cases decided in the Supreme court of the state of North Dakota.
We are not unaware of the decision of this court in the case of Ex parte Corliss, 16 N. D. 470, 114 N. W. 962, but, as pointed out by us in the case of Runge v. Glerum, 37 N. D. 618, 164 N . W. 284, that case merely forbids interference with officers, such as sheriffs and district attorneys, whose offices are provided for and "embedded" in the Constitution, and does not in any manner hold it unlawful for the legislature to control officers and offices which are not of constitutional creation or the policies of cities which it alone has the power to create.
- ↑ "Fire Chief A. H. Runge". Chicago Tribune. January 16, 1896. p. 8. Retrieved February 7, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
The position of chief of fire department in a big city like Minneapolis, with its acres of valuable building property, crossed by numerous railroad lines and dotted with factories where the fires are never "banked," is one of the utmost responsibility ...
- ↑ The Northwestern reporter. 1918.
That the said order heretofore and on the 4th day of February, A. D. 1915, made by Hon. A. H. Runge, fire marshal of the state of North Dakota, wherein and whereby, amongst other things, it was 'ordered, adjudged, and determined that the certain order heretofore and on the 14th day of January, A. D. 1915, made by assistant chief fire marshal of the state of North Dakota, duly served on the defendant, I, Glerum, and the same hereby is in all things affirmed; and it is further ordered that under and by virtue of the authority in me vested by virtue of my office under the provisions of chapter 169 of the Session Laws of 1913, you, I Glerum, are directed and required to tear down. and remove the remnants of that certain structure located on lot 16, block 25, of the original plat of the city of Devils Lake, Ramsey county. North Dakota, thereby lessening the fire hazard to adjoining property and the city of Devils Lake. You are hereby advised in no way to omit complying with this order under penalty of said law'—be and the same hereby is in all things affirmed, and costs of this appeal to be taxed and allowed by the clerk of the district court in favor of respondent and against the appellant, I. Glerum.
- ↑ Mack, William; Hale, William Benjamin (1920). Corpus juris: being a complete and systematic statement of the whole body of the law as embodied in and developed by all reported decisions.
- ↑ Hyde, C. W. G.; Stoddard, William, eds. (1901). History of the Great Northwest and Its Men of Progress. The Minneapolis Journal. pp. 131–133. Retrieved February 7, 2023 – via Google Books.
- ↑ Augustine E. Costello (1890). History of the fire and police departments of Minneapolis. Relief Association. p. 209.
August H. Runge, the 1st assistant chief, was born in New York city, February 12, 1852. In 1864 he entered the U.S. Navy. In 1865 he was transferred to the Colorado, of the European squadron. In 1867 he was again transferred, this time to the Pacific contingent. Soon after he resigned and went to the Pennsylvania oil regions, where he studied mechanical engineering. In 1873 he returned to New York, and after a brief stay came to Minneapolis, where he took charge of the steam heating plant at the City Hall. While there, in 1874, he volunteered as a member of Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1; was promoted to assistant foreman in 1878. and appointed by the city as foreman of the company in 1879. The same change in the force that affected the chief, on December 21, 1881. also influenced his career, and he was accordingly advanced to the position of 2d assistant chief. On March 1, 1882, he assumed the responsible duties of the office he now holds. The encomiums that can truthfully be bestowed upon either of the chieftains apply equally well to all the others. Assistant Chief Runge's early training, under the rigorous discipline of the naval authorities, fitted him to command men and insure obedience, while his training in mechanics was of like value as soon as he became an officer of the department. His especial field of operations is the northern half of the city, while his able co-laborer. the 2d assistant chief, looks after the fires that occur in the south half.