The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1853-01-08
A BOSTON NOTION.

BOSTON NOTION.
Boston Is city of notions everybody knows.
America can show no other city 50 fill Of
matured systems, useful contrivances and con-
venlcnres as this same Boston. The city max
i'm seems to be, ''thcre's a best way of do;no
all things" In public and domestic affairs
the ''Sold men of Boston" are not content
with simple achievement, but thev must have
achievement by the best methods.
The latest illustration of this is their scicn-
tine way of giving fire alarm, and callinc
ont and guiding their fire department 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
vliager knows how to pull bell-rope. and
ring till he is tired. Every New Yorker
knows how to count the booming strokes
of the big bells as they tell off the district
number. \ very simple thing. One wav
'sJuSt as good as another so long as rousinc
alarm is started.
BY no means. These Boston men have
found out best way
your house take fire. and gets past do
meStlc control, and YOU feel it necessary tn
appeal to the municipal authorities for help.
do not be at all excited or alarmed DO not
make yourself red in the face and hoarse with
shouting. Put on your hat and run to wonder
corner where Won see that little iron box
fastened up against the wall; step into the
store, ask quietly for the KEY, adding, "Nlv
house is on fire" by way of an apology for
the intrusion; now unlock the little iron door
and, remembering that the longest wav round
IS sometimes the shortest way home. obey the
inscription and turn six times slowly" Your
responsibility is ended. You've done all YOU
need to. Boston 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 A.
cross the water are telling people where Won
live, and that your house is on fire. Men in
other parts of the city with glazed hats and
brass :rumpets may be seen running to these
same little iron boxes; they seem to whisper
moment, and then they listen, and then
look very knowing, and slap the door to- and
here they come, all pellmell to your helm
How much time has elapsed since YOU needed
help? Perhaps three minutes. There is a
best way of giving an alarm, that's fact.
But how was it done?
That little iron box you opened was tel-
cgraph station; YOU can see the wires where
they come down through those two iron pines
into the box. The crank YOU turned i.mere-
iy a c'ntrIvance that enables an inexperienc-
ed person to send the only message ever sent
from this box-its omn number. Just so q
hand organ enables the grinder to nlav ono
tune well, even though he be no orranist
lon turned it six times. Once wonld b,vo
been enough, but six times over. and erer,.
time the same number. there could be- no mis-
take. The central Office knew in an ;ns.,n.
of your distress
Yes but how did they make the bells r;nc
all over the city, and East Boston, too i? Do
they keep sexton at every bcll-rope all the
time ready to pull when ANYBODY te1eerapbs?
No. That would be as bad as the New
ork plan of keeping watchmen up in the fire
towers on perpetual lookout That would
not be scientific enough for "REsr" way.-I
But you know church clock strikes the
hours without any help from the sexton ex-
cePt to wind it up. Just so the bells are runo
TOR fire; in every steeple there is a machine
like the striking train of a clock. These ma.
chlheS Will strike several hundred blows each
with their heavy hammers by being wound
up once. When YOU sent off YOUR desnatcb
IT went directly to third story room on Court
Square and was read by man whose bps;-
ness 1t is to attend TO such thines From this
same room he can, by touching kew, send
ty another set of wires current of oalvan.
Ism to every steple in the city. If YOU look
" yo" can see these wires entering every steeple
mat holds good bell. When this galvanic
current passes into the several steeples, it cir
eu'ates IN each around a bar of soft iron, which
Instantly becomes powerful magnet, strong
enough to lift the detcnt that keeps the strik.
's machines from running. Now these ma
,"'''es are made so that they would strike one
DO" and stop, unless the magnet keeps the
'e'ent back and leaves the wheels unlocked
ana Tree to run. SO this man in the little