The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1780-01-11 00:00:00, page 1

DE3CRIPTlONION of the MACHINE.
THIS Machine in its most simple fiate confirts of a
pole, a rope, and a basket.
rhe p^e is of fir, or a common fcaffold pole, of any
Convenient length from thirty fix to forty fix feet, the
diameter at bottom or greatest end, about five inches,
an at toe top, q, fmallefi end, about three inches. At
three feet from the top is a mortice through the pole, and
in'that rar^ "°' "'"" the ' ame dia m ete r, as the pole
is , ab °" " ree 9 u2rt eis of an inch diameter,
„™ e ^°' h ° f tbe P ole > with a spring hock
?"° '° FT "' r °^ h the rin ^ i:] the handle of the bas
; ",' S Put lhr °’ th ° m ° rtice over the pulley,
role''—™"? V^' °° °° b fic ' e to near the bottom of the
pole, and rnade faft there til! wanted.
'°"'' ?° ° f ftr °°^ wickerwork, three feet
ht? ip °°'| V" '? a ' d a hah ' wide > rounded off at
the corners, and four feet deep, rounding every way at
the bottom. To the top of the basket is fixed'a strong
ironcurveor hmd,e with an eye or ring in the middles
Recommendation and Description of a New Machine for
enabling persons to escape from the windows of houses
on fire.
Mr. Aitken,
, MONGST all the disasters and calamities to
fl which mankind are exposed, few are more alarming
in their nature, or more terrible in their effeds, than the
mid-night fire. How often does it leave an unhappy fa
mily diverted of the comforts of life by the irretrievable
loss of money, goods, books of accounts and papers on
which their support depended ? But much more dreadful
still is the case when a disconsolate survivor is left to lament
the untimely fate of an affectionate wife, a beloved
child, or a tender parent ; miserably consumed by the de
vouring flames.
Houses frequently take fire in the lower apartments,
and before the unfortunate inhabitants can be ruufed to a
sense of the r danger, the flair- case is in flames or so
filled with fmoak as to cut off all possibility of escape,
otherwise than by leaping from the windows of the up
per stories, at the imminent rifle of life and limbs.
In the London Magazine f®r February last is an engra
ving and a description of a very simple machine for the
preservation of persons in these deplorable circumffan
ces.
Too much cannot be said in commendation of the ex
cellent regulations in this city for the better preventing
the dreadful calamities of fire. The humane and public
spirited manner in which gentlemen of all ranks have form
ed tbemfelvts into companies forthis purpose, regulated
by such prudent articles, that the most effectual order is
maintained at a time when furpriie, dismay and unavail
ing confufion would otherwise take place, well deserves the
admiration and imitation of the whole world.
The good effects of our fire companies are well khowo
to experience. Covered as our whole city is with the most
combuffible wood, and fubjeft as we are during the win
ter season t® dry and boifferous North-Weft winds, it is
highly probable we should long ago have fuffered great de
valuations byfire, were it not for the prudent provisions, the
ikilland activity of our several Fire Companies. To the
notice of these gentlemen in particular this new invented
machine is recommended. The fimplicify of its confiruc
tion, the smallness of the expence and the consideration
of tiie important use for which it is designed will it is ho
ped, induce each of the companies to add one tothem ap
paratus for fire.
Weare too apt to negle& providing against accidents
that seldom happen. A little tiouble and a little expence
are Efficient to make us put off to a future dry a precau
tion which may be of infinite importance in an hour of ne
cessity. The err value of precaution ftron, ly affeds the
wind when danger and aifirefs are nigh at hand, but di
minifhesin proportion as they recede. Immediately after
a fire hath happened how careful is every family to pre
vent the like calamity, but the irnpreffion soon wears off,
and in a week or ten days they fall into their usual indif
ference and inattention.
If every Fire Company in this city should furnifh them
selves with a machine of this kind, and only one indivi
dual should be thereby preserved in a course of years,
would not this to people of humanity be a fufficieot re
compence for all the trouble and expence in procuring it.
Or if an instance should happen where a person hath mi
serably perished in the flames who might probably have
been laved by such a provision, how should we regret the
want of it.
It is almost needless to observe that by the help of inch
an Engine, valuable papers, goods, &c.— may be taken
from the upper Horiesola boule on fire, with more fafety
and expedition than can be done by ladders or any other
method yet thought on.
A. B. C.
Philadelphia, Aug. 1775.
From the PENNSYLVANIA MAGAZINE,
For December, 1775.
TUESDAY,< J ANUARY n, i?8o.
THE
*^^y» # ^ A^W^^-’r^^^ ^^^^^ ^Gi^Z/^Zr^c fn\ ^i^Z^t
mat ^ c e^^
° R ' THE
GENERAL ^CTraffli, ADVERTISER .
[ Published every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. ]
Sick and infirm persons, women, children; and many
others, who cannot make use of a ladder, may be fafely
and easily brought down from any of the windows of an
house on fire by this machine, and by putting a short pole
through the handles of the basket, may be removed to
any didaoce, without being taken out of the basket. The
pole must always have the rope ready fixed to it, and
may be conveniently laid up upon two or three iron hooks
under any Blade or gateway, and the basket should be
kept at the watch-house. When the p®le is laid up, the
two fears should always be turned towards the head of it.
The bafleet should be made of peeled rods, aad the poles
and (pars painted of a light stone colour, to render it more
viable when used in the night.
The machine may allo be ufeful to workmen in various
branches, who have any t hing to do aloft on the outside
of houses, and will hot be more expense than a common l
flaadard ladder.
*, As all the Fire Companies have long and substan
tial ladders, would it not be more commodious to prepare
the ladder to answer the design intended. For this pur
pose one of the uppermost wrongs may be made thicker
than usual, and a flieeve being fixed in the wrung, no
thing more is necefiary than for the Fire Companies to
have a rope and a basket in readiness. The ladder is al
ways carried to a fire, and by it persons may go up to as
sist and guide the basket, &c.
* **4D^**^++)^:+4-++4b^+44'
Philadelphia, 'January y.
/~r^ H E Inhabitants who have had Troops
billeted oh them, and have Supplied them with
any Furl, are requeued to obtain receipts or certificates
from the Qi^rter-Mafter of the regiment or the Com
manding officer of the company, fpecifying the number
of men, the time billeted, and the quantity of Wood
delivered, in order that an equal quantity may be re
placed, which will be done as loon as poffiNe. Apply
to the Barratk-Mafter, at his office in the Barracks.
N. B. Application to be made before the Troops
march, in order that the quantity delivered in this way
be ascertained and noted accordingly.
Genteel board and lodging, far
Gentlemen only, in Tititd st r eet, next door to
Debtor Hutchinfen's, near the corner of Spruce-street.
and to one fide of the basket near the top, is fixed a small
cord or guide rope, of about the length of the pole.
When the pole is raised, and set against a house over
the window from which any persons are to escape, the man
ner of using it is so plain and obvious, that it needsnot to
be described.
The most convenient diflance from the house for the
foot of the pole to fland, where practicable, is about
twelve or fourteen feet.
If two firong iron straps about three feet long, rivet
ted tu a bar cross, and spreading about fourteen inches
at the foot, were fixed at the bottom of the pole, this
would prevent its turning round or flipping on the pave
ment.
And if a firing iron hoop, or ferule, rivetted or weld
ed, to a semi circular piece of iron spreading about twelve
inches, and pointed at the ends, were fixed on at the
top of the pole, it would prevent its Aiding against the
wall.
When these two last mentioned irons are fixed on, they
give the pole all the fleadinefs of a ladder.
And because it is not easy, except to persons who have
been used to it, to xaife and set uptight a pole of forty
feet or more in length, it will be convenient to have two
small poles, or spars of about two inches diameter, fixed
to the sides of the great pole, at about two or three feet
above the middle of it, by iron eyes rivetted to two plates,
so as to turn every way; the lower end of these spars to
reach within a foot of the bottom of the great pole, and to
have ferules and short spikes to prevent Hiding on the
pavement, when used occasionally to support the great
pole, like a tripod.
There should be two strong ash trundles let through the
pole, one at four feet, and one at five feet from the bot
tom, to stand out about eight inches on each fide, and to
serve as handles, or to twill the rope round in lowering a
very heavy weight.
Isa block and a pulley were fixed at about the middle
of the rope, above the other pulley, and the other part of
the rope made to run double, it would diminish any weight
in the basket nearly one half, and be very ufeful in draw
ing any perf®n up to the assistance of those in the chamber,
or for removing any effeds out of a chamber, which it
might be dangerous to attempt by the flairs.
It has been proved by repeated trials, that the pole com
pleat, lying on the ground in a petition for immediate
use, can be raised, and two or three persons taken cut
of the upper windows of an house, and set down fafely in
the street, in the (pace of 35 seconds, or little more than
half a minute.
Two Hundred Dollars Reward.
LOST by a Gentleman lift May, fappofed between
Cariide and Philadelphia, a PACKET of
LETTE RS, and other valuable papers, among
which were the following, viz. one certificate for one
thuufand dollars, No. 1907, dated April 29, 1779; ° ne
ditto for fix hundred do Jars, N I .28, dated April 30,
1779, taken up in the name of Jenny Butler. The a
bovc reward will be paid to any per 'on who may have
found the fame and will return them to the Printer here,
of. And as proper tteps have been taken at the Loan-
Office, it will be unfafe for any person to pals them.
TO BE SOLD BY
FREDERICK PHI LE,
At his house in Second-street, between Market and
Chefnut-ftr-etr, and opposite Black-horse Alley
A QUANTITY of Salt-Petre, a variety of frefh
Medicines, a few kegs of Yellow Ochre ground in
oil, force White Lead, &c. Also, a quantity es Ink
Powder
THE PROPRIETORS of INDIANA
ate requeued to be pu dual in meeting, agreea
ble to their adjournment, at the Indian Queen Tavern
in Philadelphia, cn the firft Monday in February, at
Four o'clock P. M. Per order,
Jan. 5. DAVID FRANKS, President.
Philadelphia, December 30.
One Hundred Dollars Reward.
RAN AWAY on Monday morning the 20th in
stant, an Irilh servant girl named JANE SMITH,
about five teet fix inches higb, black hair, a down look,
remarkably ire kkd in her race ; had on and took with
her, a fttiped short gown, striped lincey petticoat, a
pair of new flockings, new (hoes, and a new check
handkerchief: She stole and took with her a dark grey
clo^k almost nevi, a green bonne: with a white ribbond
round it, a pair of silver (hot buckles, a pair of white
mitts, and about forty dollars in Continentd money.
Whorver takes up tbe aid servant and secures her in any
gaol in this State, so that her matter my have her again,
(hall have the above reward, and reasonable charges if
brought home, paid by
JACOB KEEHMLE.
N. B. The above Jane Smith is a noted thief, and
was concerned in a gre^t robbery in July last.
The HIGHEST PRIC E,
IS GIVEN FOR
CLEAN LINEN RAGS,
BY
JOHN D UNL A P.
TO BE SOLD BY
JOHN D UNL A P,
( Bound or unbound )
ANY QUANTITY OF
DILWORTH'S SPELLING BOOK,
Printed on fine strong paper and a new type.
N. B. Those who buy by the thousand shall have a
large allowance.
GENERAL LO AN- OFFI CE,
Philadelphia, January 1, 1780.
Notice is hereby given, That in purfusnee
of the Resolves cf Congress refpeding the two
emissions of Continental Currency taken out of circula
tion, there hi(ve been counted and deflroyed in thia
Office, as follows, to wit:
Dollars.
Of the emission of A,ril it, 1775, 12,407,294,
Of the cmiffi>n of My 20, 1777, 7#439 # 9/4
Total, 19,84.77268
FRANCIS HOPKINSON,
Treasurer of Loans.
GENERAL POST-OFFICE, Jan. 8, 1780.'
r *^ H E Southern Posts will set out hereafter
§ on Tuffdays ano Fr:da,s, precisely at Twelve
o'clock, and return on Mondays and Thursdays at
noon. The Eaftcin Posts will f.tcut cn the fam; days
at Four P. M. and return or. Mondays and Thursdays.
Any careful, sober, single person, who is willing to
ride as Post between Morris-Town and Fish-Kill, or
between Annapolis and Fredericksburg, producing fuf
ficieut testimony of his fidelity to the United States, will
meet with good encouragement by applying at the Ge
neral Poll-Office.
N. B. None need apply unless they can provide
Horses.