The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-05-09
A Boston Notion---The Fire Alarm

Boston is city of notions, as everybody
knows. America can show no other CITY
so full of matured systems, useful contrivanc-
cs and odd conveniences, as this same Bos-
ton. The city maxim seems 70 be- that "thcrc's
best way of doing all things" In public and
in domestic affairs. the "soEI men of Boston -
are not content with simple achievement, but
they must have achievement by the best
methods.
The latest Illustration Of this, is their sci
entitic way of giving fire alarm, and calling
out and guiding their fire department.. 4
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
villager knows how to pull bell rope, and
ring till he's tired. Every New Yorker knows
how to count the booming strokes of the big
bells. as they tell off the district number. 4
very simple thing. One way just as good as
another, so long as rousing alarm is start
cd.
BY no means. These E1qton men have
found out a best way. If w. house takes
fire. and gets past domestic control, and YOU
feel it necessary to appeal to the municipal au-
thorltics for help. do not feel at all excited or
alarmed. DO not make yourself red in the
face. and hoarse with shouting. Put on YOUR
hat and run to yondcr corner. where YOU see
that little IRON box fastened up against the
wall; step into the store, ask quietly for the
key. adding. My house is On fire by wav
of apology fer the intrusion: now unlock the
little iron door. and remembering that the
longest way round is sometimes the shortest
way home. obey the inscription. and turn
SIX times slowly. Your responsibility is end
ed. You have done all YOU need to do Bos-
ton will take care of your house. Shut to
the little door. lIurr, home or the engines
will be there before YOU.
Ever! bell iii the CITY. and several more
acro>S the water. are telling people where YOU
iINe' ana that Your house is or fire In 9TH
rr parts OF the city. men with glazed hats and
brass trumpetS may be seen running to these
same little IRON boxes: they seem to whisper
moment. then they listen. and then thcv
look very knowing. and slap the door to: and
here they come. all pclmcl to Your help.
How much time has elapsed since vsu need
cd help: Perhaps three minutes. There is
best WAY of giving an ALARM that's Il fact.
NUt hoW WAS Il douco
That little iron hex rou opened was t,Ic
"rap! station; You can see the wires where
they come down through those two iron pipe,
into the box
Ike crank You turned is merely a contri-
vance that enables an Inexperienced person
to send the only mcssag" ever sent bv this
hoN-!i> own number. Just 50 a hand-oryan
tn3til,S II
even though he be no organi>t. You turned
ii six times. Occ would have been enough.
hut six times over. and every time the same
number. there could hc no mistake. The
central Office know in al instant of vour dis
trCSS.
Yes. but how did that make the bells ring
all over the city. and East Boston. too DO
they Keep sexton at every bcll-ropc all the
time, ready to pull when anybcdy teicsrapil>?
No: that woul;! c full as bad as the New
'- ' of Of ks'nE Er'Ssi Msl"bp" oas Oh; VI; rhs,
would not be scientific enough for a best"
way: But you know a church clock strikes
tn" hours without any help from the sexton
except to wind it up. Just so the bells are
r'ng for fire: in every stccple there is ma
chine like the >tr;ki n. of a clock. These ma
chimes will strike several hundred blows each
with their heavy hammers. by being wound
up oncc. When YOU sent of vcur despatch.
It went direct 20 4 third story room on Court
Square. and WIS read bv man whose bu>i-
ness II Is to attend to such messages. From
this room, he can. by touching key. send bv
another set OF WrcS Il current Of galvMl>m
TO every >trcr!c in the city. If YOU look You
can Sc" these wires entering every >.ecplc that
holds Il good bell. When this .ai, aric cur
rent passes into the several >,rcplcs. it circu-
latc> IL each around a bar of soft iron, which
instantly becomes powerful magnet strong
enough to lit the dctcnt that keeps TIE >tri-
king machines from running. Now these
machines are mat.c so that they would strike
one blow and stop, unless the magnet keeps
the dctcnt back, and leaves the wheels un-
locked and free to run. So this man in the
htt!r third story room by the Court House.
Che II sho" You how it is done if YOU call up
on HIM. for lie is very courteous 10 Visitors,
can by pressing the proper knob or KEY. make
those heavy bcll-hammcrs strike anv number
he chooses. And he made them strike the
number of your ward
Inc foreman of every fire company has "A
kc! to these useful little iron boxes. and so
when nc has got to the ward sign;ticd bv the
bells. he runs to the nearest box. and sends
private signal to the man in Court Suuarc.
asking Just where is the fire." and then he
listens while the answer comes back in little
taps. one. two. three. four. &C.. till he learns
the number of the very box YOU opened when
you gave the alarm in the first place. Every
box has Its own number. The bells foNcd
the fircmcn what ward. and the tclecraph
whispered what station box the alarm came
from
| see, but is it worth all this trouble of
wires and machinery, and boxes and bate
ricSo
Yes, indeed. Five minutes at the begin
nlng OF fire are very precious. But often
times SO rapid is this system, an alarm will
be given. bells rung, boxes consulted, fire
found hose procured and screwed to a Co
chituate fire plug. and the fire extinrui>hcd
ere the family in danger are well awake.
Many time. the first thing man knows Of
his danger by fire, is that his room is flooded
with water
But this municipal telegraph is used for
more purposes than one. In case Of riot. the
police captains can send for help to head
quarters. TO catch an absconding thief by
setting guard at every railroad and steam
boat, can be done in five minutes. Then,
too, very soon all the city clocks will be hitch
cd together by these wires, and all of them
go by one central pendulum, accurately, five
hundred clocks alike to second
Go it. Boston. We shall soon hear of new
er notions still. The next move will bc TO in.
troduce into every first class house. CITY fine
as wei! as city water and gas. Telcgraphic
time wires will he intrOduccd ;us+ o