Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1872-03-21
Z u Il . i For the RErrsLrcAS.
COMMUNICATION,
b b ,t'tVvf CINCINNATI, ONO,
March 18th, - !

0 March 18th, ~
MEssRs. EDIroRs 9 Scattering house
5 hold cares to the wind, and drawing
I my desk and chair in front of the gratt
with its cheerful blaze of "cannel COAL
grasp my pen, and through its medi.
UNI will chat awhile to your readers.
fOnWednesday anorning last, shortly
after midnight, We were aroused from
our slumbers by the loud pealing OF
Fire Bells. Soon another and still an
other, until three times. three, the acme
of alarms, the deep voiced bells of the
. fire department. sounded, calling forth
the entire force. By the three times
three signal we knew that 4 terrible fire
was raging somewhere inthe City. Was
it near us: Were our homes to be de-
stroyed by the hlingry flames: Was
our city doomed Chicago, We're
tbonghts which presented themselves
as We fastened to gaze out upon our
surroundings. What did we behold !?
Nothing but Il calm dark night; save
away a mile or more to the southeast,- :
reaching far toward the heavens a
lurid light. GnU0HgFk iBaia
The danger being so farremoved from
our hearths we again retired to our
beds, and slumbered undisturbed, until
awakened by the strong. lunged news
boy beneath our, ,windoWcrying:
"Here's your morning papers-all
about the fire last night. Only five
cents"
Investing the requisite suniin Com
merctal we hastily open the damp and
ink-perfumed paper, and the first words
which met our vision were these, ''Dis-
astrous Steamboat Cenfagration-Six
Steamers in Flames at the Landing last
Night, and Five Totally Destroyed"
Donning out-of-door wrappings, in
company with others, we proceeded to
the scene of disaster. Down the leyee,
which was covered with ice, formed by
the water which escaped from the hose
a few hours before, we made our way to
the river, amid thousands, who had as
sembled to gaze upon the wreck be-
fore them. Black and ruined, i'm mass
before us, lay the hot and smoking
hulls-all that remained of five steam
ers-which, with their destroyed cargo
were one half day before valued at
quarter of q million dollars. ~
Truly did we realize how easy it is
for "riches TO take unto themselves
wings and fly away"
In connection / will mention the
Fire, Department of Cincinnati. The
entire force numbers as nearly as l can
tell, one hundred and fifty men, seven
ty-five horses, and eighteen steamers.
The officers and men are always
prompt in action and ever ready to
-.ilaste where danger calls aud by tlieir
constant watchfulness give to our citi-
zens a sense Of enjoyable security from
fire. ..5i.J ...-.5 5.s.....s,.. q ...
The ''iire alarm telegraph" is great
improvement over the old process of
tower watchmen, and the entire cost of
the ''alarm" is saved many times over
yearly, by the prompt manner that no.
tice is sent throughout the city, of the
exact location of fire.
In the central part of the city is a
Tower in which watchman is con-
stantly stationed. From this Tower
extend two hundred and forty two tele-
graph wires, connecting with small
signal box, attached to the outer wall
of as many houses in different parts of
the city. These boxes are numbered,
and by turning crank attached to the
box, the number of that box is carried
over its wire, to the central Tower, and
the person stationed there, by electric
arrangements Immediately sounds the
alarm of fire near that signal box on
every bell of every engine house in the
city. For example: To announce an
alarm from signal box No. "a, the bells
will be struck t,sice, and after pause
of five seconds, will be struck four times
thus, 2-4. II from No. l24, thus, /
24. This is repeated at intervals of
twenty seconds until three ALARMS have
beer. sounded. Il EHWI U1t l
When three ala ms are given, but one
third of the steamers are called to the
fire.. When six alarms sound, two thirds
of the steamers are called, and when
nine alarms, or three times three sound,
it is known that terrible fire is raging,
and the full force of the Fire Depart
mens is called: T@6 GFEFsI |
The number of signal boxes is two
hundred and forty-two. The number
of fire plugs for supplying the engines
with water, four hundred and twenty
four, Public cisterns, twohundred and
forty-nine. - - : -
During the past year property to the
amount of 3S2 900 has been destroyed
by fire i'll this city, which is about the
same as the year before and not much
in excess'of what it was twenty years
ago, Notwithstanding, the city has more
than doubled in wealth and population.
9 Last year when President Grant Wis
tied sourl city, the Fire department
turned out in full force and splendor to
do him honor. .,-a.t....l
In company with Millersburg lady
Iwent to- see the show, aInb Iinoticed
that u s. 6. was, far more interested in
the ,beautifub proud stepping horses,
with their glossy coats than in the
pagcantry OF men and steamers.
No eulogy needlbe written by me up
on the horses, whelrsuch eonnoisseur
asiles admired them. ,s1s5eulBB
. When spring turns shersfrowns into
smiles-when winter clothes and winter
styles are superseded by new ones,
will endeavor to give your lady readers
a few items on Fashion," which may
prove of more interest to them than
this (ilre-y) letter. -.
am respectfully,
h,.Hug ja . bssa MARY MAC.
.r. .