The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-05-26
CITY INTELLIGENCE.

FIRE ALARM AND POLICE TELEGRAPH-Y Yesterday
morning the members of the City Council and others in
terested invitation visited the Hall of the Maryland
Institute to witness the working lin miniature FORM
OF the Fire Alarm and Police Telegraph of which Messrs
John N. Gamewe & Co. the proprietors for the
Southern States The exhibition, strictly speaking,
confined solely the operation of the machinery con-
structed with the view of giving instantaneous fire
alarms throughout large cities This system of giving
alarms for fires consists of two distinct electric circuits
of which is called the Signed circuit the other
the Alarm circuit. Both these circuits radiate
from central station and metallic circuits through
out the ground as a conductor being used in the
rangement all These circuits can be increased in
definitely each radating from CENTRE and for the
practical working of the system number of circuits
traversng different sections of city are found to be
most reliable The signal circuits starting from the central
station connected in their routes with any number of
signal boxes placed at certain distances from each other
throughout district each box being distinctly marked,
both with its station, and district numbers-the alarm
circuits also radiating from the central station are
connected with an ingeniousy constructed apparatus
placed in the various bell towers, for the pur-
pose of striking the number of the district upon
the alarm bells For communicating simultaneous
alarm Of fire by this system, person only necessary
he being at the Central station Each sigma box contains
an ordinary cicero magnet and armature which arma
ue on the closing of the electric circuit is brought for
chilly agansta small gong bell fastened in the signal
mature strike the bell not only in the one signal
box, but at the central station, and also at all
the other boxes The means by which the circuit
is closed, and by which intelligence is conveyed to
the central Office is very simple Inside the box there
is brass wheel from which certain number of points
project to this wheel end of the wire of the signal
circuit is connected the other end is fastened metal
lie spring at the top of the box in revolving this Wheel
each projection touches metallic spring. closes the
cult and brings the electro magnet into causing the
armature to strike the signal bell simultaneously at all
the stations These wheels are turned with small crank
q wis 10 han he hoy no
cult is simply connected with the machinery placed in the
bell towers which machinery also set in motion by the
power of the electro magnet, the number Of strokes
oeing given and regu I'D by the operator al inc
central station, on hearing the alarm from the
signal boxes To give an Illustration OF the working OF
this sytem, may suppose the city divided into five
DISTRICTS in each district certain number OF signal boxes
numbered from to twenty on the discovery of fire
IN the second district for example, person hSten TO
the nearest signal box which happens to be station four
which is marked District 2 Station L. The wheel in this
box would have of six projections two for the
number of the district for the station by turn
ing the crank these projections coming i'll contact with the
metallic spring close the electric circuit twice for the
number of the district after which, Ia certain space being
allowed the wheel,) four times for the station the
operator at the central office is Immediately aroused by
the signal bell whereupon lie closes the alarm circuit
corresponding number of times by simply pressing his fin
small key, and all the alarm bells Immediately com
ring Civ strokes at certain intervals there
by denotng the district at the same time he strikes four
times the signal circuit ringing simultaneously all the
signal bells in the boxes denotng to the fireman and
policeman almost the of the fire The expert
mens yesterday devoted principally to showing the
system for giving instantaneous and reliable fire alarms,
the subject of conveying intelligence by of registers
from police station another not into, and
therefore it is necessary to speak in regard to that
part of the system The City Council have both
this and the system of which Messrs. Phillips and Rob
nson the propretors and if they can't satisfy them
selves with adopting system exclusively perhaps by
blending the best qualities of BOTH they may
perfect Fire and Police Telegraph for the city of Baltimore
The system of Messrs. Gamewel Co. has been is sue
cessu operation for the past six in the city of Boston
and during the year successfully introduced in
the city of ST. Louis where it has been thoroughly tested
and heartily approved of by every who has witnessed
its operations The machinery very perfect and at the
same time simple not liable to be easily dsarranged and
easily be kept in perfect order The alarm bells used
at the Institute, of about 25 lbs weight and
readily rung by the model machinery exhibition Ma
chimes can be constructed of sufficient power to ring
alarm bell of any size