The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1860-03-20
The Fire Alarm TelegranI,.


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The Fire Alarm Telegraph. -.
The contractors for the erection of the fire
alarm and police telegraph have prosecuted the
work with energy, aud it is now nearly brought
to a conclusion. The extent Of tic apparatus
| and machinery, andthcamount of laborrequired
70 put into effectual operation, is much greater
than is generally supposed.
The first step of progress was putting the :
wire. The wire used is a No. iron wire,
boiled in oil, 10 prevent oxydization by exposure
to the atmosphere and storms This is stretched
along from station to station, attached to the
chimncys Or the roofs Of the houses lying on the
line Of direction taken.
The contractors have found little or no op-
position from the owners Of private property to
this use Of their dwellings,, but have rather re-
ccivcd every possible aid for the rapid compile
ton of the work.
The manner in which the wire is put up
prevents injury to the property with which it is
connected, and adds no unsigitly attachment
When attached to the chimney, it's supported
by an iron clamp nailed to two of its sides, the
wire passing through an insulator at the apex
Of the clamp. But when following the roofs OF
houses it is supported on an iron stand screwed
to the root, piece of sheet lead under its feet,
the screws having becndippcd in preparation
of white lead.
/ All the wires concentrate in the central Office
to be established in the Municipal Hail.
and from circuits connecting every signal sta.
ton, bell tower and police station, with the
machinery on the disk of the chief engineer
and operator. There and at the signal stations,
is lightning arrestcr to discharge from the
wires any surplus of electricity, each arrester
having attached to it ground wires penetrating
the earth several feet. ~ ~.
The city is divided into nine fire districts,
Throughout these districts at convenient places
arc distributed sixty-tllrcc signal stations.
A signal station consists Of an iron box Mt
taclrd to the street wall of house. Directions
for the key and use of the apparatus arc found
below the station box. If a fire occurs in the.
neigllborhood, this signal station box is-opcned
and a crank within is rapidly turned. Wleth-.
er i be moved Lackwar.Iinr -fnruarll- Eoslr or
rapidly, with one revolution or fifty, it imme-
dltely gives the alarm in the central Office, by
ringing aud continuing to ring the number of
the station.
In possession Of the locality of the fire, the
engineer in chief Immediately by touching the
proper KEYS of lis office Instruments rings in
each engine house of the city the districts and
station where help is needed. The alarm is
given in each engine house by the ringing Of a
gong, which can hc heard at least square,
while the twelve bells in the different bell
towers ofthc city sound ont the district and the
station in danger. Not more than one minute
can clapsc from the first motion of the crankin
the signal station box before the alarm is COM
municatcd throughout the whole city, and every
citizen is informed ofthc locality of the fire.
In the bc-towers the machinery used is very
ingenious. On one side of the lower rim oftho
bell large hammer is stationed. This is held
in its position by the support o. a large weight
enclosed in a hollow Shaft The weight is held
firm until an electric. current, passing over the
armaturc of the instrument, releases it, when
it rapidly falls, and the hammer, putin motion,
strikes the bell, giving note of alarm. Every
rcw current of electricity sent over the wires
uttcrs new blow on the bell, SO that the strokes
are entirely under the control Of the opera
tor.
This machinery, and, indeed, every portion
Of the apparatus used in the fIc alarm telegraph
is remarkable for the durable manner in which
it is constructed and the fncness of its finish.
We arc assured, and We have reason to trust
the assertion, that this city will possess the
finest fire alarm apparatus in use in the United
States.
The lihcrality Of the contractors, Mcssrs.
Gamcwcll & Co., is also cyinccd in this, that
they have furnished seven signal ST. IN boxes
and two police instruments more than the con-
tract calls for.
The police instrument is circular brass box,
having glass face, somewhat like largo
partners compass, having the letters of tho
alphabet on its face Instead ai the points ofthc
compass and key in the side opposite each
letter, with needle freely moving within the
box. When u message is to be communicated,
the signal having beeugivcn and answered, tho
words are spelled oat by pressing alternately
the keys opposite the necessary letters. \
message of some length can thus be commune
Gated in few seconds.
The wire will all be "a situ the present week.
If they arrive, the instruments will be in posi-
ton and the entire apparatus in good working
order by the lst of April.
This important addition to the means of tho
safety Of the property of the city, reducing the
risks OF underwriters, andconscqucntly cnhanc.
ing their profits, calls for a liberal contribution
on their part towards the expense of its cree
ton. The work is one that must have been
done by the city, but the great benefit of the
new power given TO the fire department will l'o
rcaped by the insurance companies of Now
OrIeals. We much mistake their sense of JUS
ticc-their known libcrality -tllcirapprcciation
OF their own interests, if they do not relieve the
corporation of a large amount of the payment
for the contract by a munfccnt donation for
that purposc.-Ne,U Orleans PicGyune.
One MORE GoSE-John Ford, a revolutiona-
rv soldier, died in Bibb County, Georgia; on
the 2sth of February, in the lo5th year of his
acc. He was married five times his last wife
survives him, and his only child is eighty years