Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-02-02
4 nosten Notion.

Boston is a city of notions, everybody
knows. America can show no other city |
so full of matured systems, useful coutri |
vances and odd conyeniences, as this same
Boston. The city maxim seems to be.
that =" there is best way Of doing all |
things" In public and domestic affairs,
the . solid men of Boston" are not con-
tent with the achievement, but they must
have achievements by the best methods.
The latest illustration of this is their +
scientific way OF giving fire alarm, and
calling out and guiding their fire depart
ment. A very simple matter, one would |
think, to raise the window sash and shout |
FER two or three times, and leave the |
alarm to spread Every villaper knows
how to pull a bell rope, and ring till he's |
tired Every New Iorker knows how to
count the booming strokes of the big
bells rs they tell on the district number.
a very simple thing. One way just as
gosd as another, so long as rousing
alarm is started. .r
BY no means. These Boston men
have found out best way.
If your house takes fire, and gets past
domestic control, and you find it necessa-
ry to appeal to the municipal authorities
for help, do not be at all excited or alarm
ed. Do not make yourself red in the
face, and hoarse with shouting. Put on
your hat and run to yonder corner,
where you see that little iron box fasten
ed up against the wall; step into the store,
ask quietly for the key, adding, my house
is on fire." by way of apology for the in
truSion now unlock the little iron door,
and remembering that the longest way
round is sometimes the shortest way
home, obey the inscription "turu six times
slowly" Your responsibility is ended
You have done all you need do. Bos
ton will take care of your house. Shut to
the little door, hurry home or the engines
will be there before YOU
Every bell in the city, and several more
across the water are telling people where
you live, and that your house is on fire.
In other parts of the city, men with gla
Zed hats and brass trumpets may be seen
running to these same little iron boxes;
they seem to whisper Il moment, then
they listen, and then they look very know
ing, and slap the door to; and here they
come all pell-mell to your help. How
much time has elapsed since you needed
help? Perhaps three minutes. There
is best way of giving an alarm, that's a
fact
But how was it done?
That little iron box you opened was a
telegraph station, and you can see the
wires where they come down through
those two iron pipes into the box. The
crank you turned is merely Il continuance
that enables an inexperienced person to
send the only message ever sent from this
hny tic, 4
organ enables the grinder to play one
tune WELL even though lie be no organist.
You turned it six times. Once would
have been enough, but six times over, and
every time the same number, there could
he NO mi! nit" L" The central office knew
Yes, but how did that make the bells
ring all over the city, and East Boston too?
Do they keep sexton at every bell rope
all the time, ready to pull when any body
telegraphs
No, that would be full as bad as the
New York plan of keeping watchmen up
IN the lire tower on a perpetual lookout.
mat would not be scientific enough for a
best way. But you know a church
clock strikes the hour without any help
from the sexton except to wind it up
Just so the bells are rung for fire in
every steeple there is machine like tho
striking of IL clock. These machines will
strike several hundred blows each with
their heavy hammers, by being wound up
once. When you sent off your dispatch,
1t went direct to third story room on
Court Square, and was read by man
whose business it is to attend to such
messages. From this same room, he can,
nv tnmcbi,r. l-a,r eonl h. of
wires, IL current of galvanism to every
steeple in the city. lfyou look, you can
see these wires entering every steeple that
holds good bell. When this galvanic |
current passes into the several steeples it
clrculates in each around bar of soft
iron, which instantly becomes powerful
magnet, strong enough to lift the detent
that keeps the striking machines from run
nlng. Now these machines are made so
that they would strike one blow and stop,
unless the magnet keeps the detent back,
and leaves the wheels unlocked and free
to run-sO this man in the little third sto-
~ room by the Court House (he'll show
You how 1t is done if you call upon him,
tor he Is very courteous to visitors, can,
by pressing the proper knob or key, make
these heavy bell-hammers strike any
number he chooses. And he made them
strike the Number of your ward.
But how happened the engines and
hremen to come straight to my house .
There are two or three thousand houses
IN the ward
Inc foreman of every fire company has
Key to those useful little iron boxes, and
SO When he has got the ward signifed by
the bells, he runs to the nearest box and
sends private signal to the man in Court