The Portland daily press., 1867-05-22
re., Of MIR. Prison Alarm.

By invitation of w. o. Hill, of Exeter, N.
H., the inventor, a company consisting of the
County Commissioners, County Attorney Webb
Marshall Head, Deputy Wentworth and 9TH
er Police officers, several of the city officials,
and a few other gentlemen, assembled at the
County Jail, last evening, for the purpose of
testing the new patent Air Alarm for Prisons,
Bank Vaults, and even private dwellings,
This invention, though simple in its construc-
ton, is ingenious and scientific and certainly
seems to be of great value for the purposes men
toned Upon the doors of the cells and the
windows of the Jail, a series of tubular upright
bars are bolted into the stone work inside those
already on, these bars being holden and con-
Meeting with cross bar at the top and bottom,
also hollow; these tubes connect with an
alarm, which is placed in the private room of
the Sheriff. The Jail is divided into twelve
sections which are indicated by numbers on
the spot, and answering to similar numbers on
the dialOf the indicator. The tubing is charg-
ed with compressed air by means of a superior
air pump, and connects by some kind of clock
work with the machinery of the alarm. When,
therefore, a prisoner attempts to break OF saw
off bar of his cell OR of window, the escape
of the air by the operation of saving into the
tubular grating, at once sets the alarm at
work, and ringing of the alarm bell is caused,
which is loud enough to awaken all the officers
of the Jail. Inside the tubing is an additional
security in q rod of the hardest kind of steel,
which Ievolves on a pivot, and therefore can
not be sawed, on accountof its circular motion.
The tubular grating possesses additional
Oh ,rtb Of fsa1f solid bor iron 10
known, while the inside additional bar of steel
is great and insurmountable hindrance to
saving. F--4-..trs E
Another point which should be mentioned is
the ingenious method of securing the heads of
the bolts as they enter the stone work and up
hold the grating. This is done by Gaping
Cireur IN such wuy tirst r-ise1>N. a...ash
tain means to remove them. A patent has
been secured by Mr. Hill for this part of the
invention of itself, and it can be adapted to
railroad or any other purposes for which secure
bolt heads are needed. -9,-r
The testing of the alarm apparatus was COM
plete and interesting in every respect, and
while it furnished satisfaction to the company
present, demonstrated the ingenuity Of the in
ventor.
We understand that as yet but two other
buildings have received the security of Mr..
Hills valuable invention, and these are bank
in Providence r. l., and the County Jail in
Exeter, N. H. p" 5sssFB-4st4'
Great credit is due to Sheriff Parker and to
our County Commissioners for the enterprise
and lberality displayed by them, in adopting
a system which promises so valuable results,
no less than making our County Jail the most
secure prison in the country, and which ex-
ample must be followed in some of the promi-
nent prisons in other States
After the testing of the alarm was concud-
ed, Sheriff Parker invited the company to par
take of a liberal repast, which was set out in
handsome style, and evidently enjoyed by all
present.