The penny press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1859-1860, 1859-12-09
Fire Alarm and Police Telegraph-Ex-
hibition Of Models at the city imiId-

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Fire Alarm and Police Telegraph -Ex-
hibitionof Models at the City i.uIId-
ings.
Our citizens are now presented with an op-
portunity to witness the practical workings Of
the Fire Alarm and Police Telegraph, which
has mot with 80 complete success in Boston.
New York, Philadelphia, and ST. Louis. Mr..
5amewell, one Of the proprietors Of the sys-
tenn, has erected the apparatus in the Council
Chamber, and is now prepared to lmpart any
information that Is desired on the subject.
The advantages of this system are so palpa-
bic that 1t is unnecessary to say a single word
upon this point. To have the whole city in
formed Of the fact that there is FIRE in the
Seventeenth Ward within one minute after it
has been discoveredj or to have instant police
communication with every station in the city
from the Central, must strike even the most
obtuse intellect, at once, as productive of in
calculable benefit.
That our readers may the better understand
the working of this system, which is quite
simple, we annex the following description of
the mode Of operation:
tThe signal station is cast iron, cottage
shaped box, attached to the side of house,
opposite gas lamp, and communicating by
wires, enclosed in wrought iron pipe, with
the signal circuit overhead. These boxes are
placed at every second or third corner through
out the city, securely looked, and key put
into the hands of each policeman and such re-
sponsible property holders as may be convent
emily near the boxes.
We will now suppose the central office to
be at the City Hall, and station 5, district 2,
to be located at the Burnet House. A fire is
discovered at the Burnet House; the person
first seeing it, would unlock she Signal Box
and turn crank instantly station s, district
2, is recorded in the central office, and the
man on duty there presses one finger on
key numbered 2, and instantly the church or
other bells ring twice and pause few
moments, aDd then twice and pause again,
and so until the whole city is alarmed at
the same TIME with the other hand he taps on
another key five times, and instantly very
small bell in each signal station is struck five
taps; then slight pause, and again five taps
and pause, as long as the large bells are
rung. The firemen and citizens are aroused
by hearing the large bells sound twice, with
intervals, which points out fire in district
No. 2. They step to the first corner of the
street, and listening at the signal station
moment, hear FIVE taps upon the little bell,
which points out station five, in district two,
already designated by the large bells, and
thus In less then one minute from the discovery
Of the fre-perhaps where it would not be
visible outside of the building for length of
time-the whole city is informed that the
house is on FIRE.
1t is not easy to estimate the importance of
the time that is thus saved, and often the fire
department is concentrated at the scene of
danger before the flames burst out of the
building. The simplicity or the whole
system is its greatest Recommendation, and
the present opportunity to witness its working
should not be permitted to pass by any who
are interested in scientific Improvements, or
desire to introduce into the city so important
an instrumeDtality for the prevention of
destructive conAagrations and their attendant
calamities.