National Republican., 1873-05-30
TnE FIRR DEPARTMENT..
Proposition for New Alarm system-Com'
parison with the Psst-Rsyiew Of the
Bntirc Department - Compound Pipo
and Combination Ladders I'm use.

Bntire Department - Compound Pipe
and Ceuibipatieu Ladders In Use.
Among the more prominent topics which have |
'gitated the minds Of the residents Of this city |
me Of the most interesting is the future ere de-
,artment. As will be remembered, In their an |
,ual report the Board Of Fire Commissioners,
he chief engineer and the superintendent Of the
ire-alarm telegraph called attention TO the ne
,esslty for an Improvement IN the nrc-alarm tel
sgraph; and In response 10 their positive de
nands for some innovation, the Committee on
Fire Department Of the House Of Delegates In
Sted Messrs. Gameweil a Co., Of Boston, TO give
m exhibition Of the latest improvements In nre-
alarm telegraphy to the iaw-making branch Of
the District government. Arrangements were
made for the exhibition TO take place yesterday
afternoon, and at the appointed time large
number Of members Of the two houses and other
District ofiicers assembled In Legislative hall for
the purpose Of witnessing the exhibition.
Mr.. Stover, the general agent Of the Gamewel
company, was introduced, AMI proceeded TO ex-
plain the comparative results Of the old and the
new system, tsamples Of both being arranged in
the hall.)
In the course Of few highly entertaining re-
marks Mr.. Stover spoke OF the unreliable charac-
ter OF the old crank boxes, and explained why
used are arbitrary, consisting as they do Of an
aimlxturc oi dots and dashes similar 10 the
Morse alphabet and which are formed BY
hence, whether intelllgi6le or otherwise. depend
wholly upon the skill Of the person who manipu-
lAtes the crank. To Illustrate the difference be-
osss SoSsS The @ sSpsTn,endsnt @ q the rs telegraph
turned the crank Of one OF the old style OF boxes
steadily so that even poor operator could read
the number without hesitation. lie then turned
1t spasmodicaily and unsteady, just as the boxes
are often turned by persons under excitement
and proved that the most skillful operators could
not BY any possibility deslpher the charscten.
ing in two OF those crank-boxes (Ss and op) AZ
the same time, which demonstrated TO all pres
ent the impossibility Of getting an alarm BY
either box when attempt is made, as u often has
been, and will be again and again, 70 give an
alarm from two or more boxes At the same time.
Mr.. Stover then exhibited the latest improved
automatic signal box, which Ia put In motion by
the simple means Of pulling hook, after open:
ing the door Of the box; after which the WORK OF
giving the.nlarm cannot be interfered with BY any
alton. lis Characters, Instead OF being arbitrary,
are Indicated precisely a. the number OF the box
from which the alarm proceeds is now struck
from the central once upon the large bells, 50
that the mereAt novice may read IL without hesi-
tation or mistake; and as the break-wheel Is re-
yolyed by reliable clock-work, the panses between
the numbers struck are regulated to the preoi-
By the upe Of these boxes no time would be
lost at all in the central once by transmission
from one circuit 70 another; for ~ means Of an
automatic repeater, In which all the circuits,
however numerous, centre at the nre-alann
once, the alarm from any given box 10 instantly
transmitted ID every portion o. every other CIR
cult. For instance, an alarm be given from box
81, at the navy yard gate. the moment the hook
IL pulled the break-wheol of that box starts,
which strikes all the gongs and bells on that cir
motion by the breaking Of the current on that
wire, and by an ingenious revolution strikes the
gongs and bells on each OF the other clrcults.
instant the hook Is pulle,i at anJ given box. To
prevent the occurrence Of confusion, which
arises so often under the old system by attempt
device has been Introduces N the automatic
boxes, by which the box nrst pulleh takes pro.
oedence OF all others, and gives Its own number
wnOu. s i59 i any f n se
which, during the time the box - running which
lrst broke the current OF electrfrtty on the main
line, cuts the break-wheei OF eycp other BOZ on
that even though the clock-work Of every box IN
the city may be running at one and the same
time et only ,he box nrs' Put In INN motion ,E COZ
Ing to the repeater In the central once and tC
the gongs and bells on the line Of that pal tloulal
circuit. The same precaution is also taken IN
regard to confusion, which might otherwise
arise by boxes being set In operation In dlhercn
circuits at the same time, by the peculiar con
structiOn Of the automatic repeater Intended fol
| use at the central ofice. This repeater Will no
receive an alarm from any other source but IN,
box inst recognized, and hence no confusion
can ensue.
should simultaneous nres occur in different
| parts OF tho city the inst box put In motor
| would give Its own alarm to the entire depart
men,S sut while doing so the operator on dut,
at ti~central ONCE would receive the othe
alarm, and could, as soon As the nrst had ceased
Immediately send it out TO the engines In who's
district the nrc might be located The superin
tendent and several other electricians who wit
messed the exhibition, and critically examines
| tRafad thN tnAtrumelta. scanned united III
the opinion that both the signal boxes and tn
| once repeater would perform all that Messrs
Gameweli 90; claim ior .nemi In Inc contra ~
the one exhibited must satisfy all who wtnesse
the exhibition that change Is necessary.
GENERAL CITY NEWS
Alexandria Is to have Board Of Public Work,
wm. T. McCuln has been appointed q count
constable by the Supreme Court
A fountain viii be erected In the little par
formed by the intersection OF L street an
Massachusetts, avenue.
Ben. y. French, stationer, has been awarie
ihe contract for nne writing papers for th
House OF Representatives.
The IIlbernIan Benevolent Association Of 81
Aloyslus' parish entertained host Of friends q
their second annuel picnic At Leniers pleAsur
garden.
between l. street and Massachusetts avenue ar
having nne time so long as the trees stan
upon Il.
That wicked young man who raised such
rum mnss" In the Treasury DEPARTMENT Ia
''Let us have peace"
A committee Of about my from the yariou
lodges OF the Knights Of PythlaS Of this city lei
for baltimore yesterday morning 70 make q I'm
city, and Will return to-day.
Coroner Patterson viewed the body OF Ann
Mcbride, the woman who died At her residenc,
No, as Ninth street southwest, on Wednesda
night by taking an overdose OF laudanum, an
decided an inquest unnecessary.
Two belllcose citizens pummeled each othe
TO their hearts content yesterday evening at IN
Intersection Of L and Fourteenth streets. whl
other an None Of AZ %Upkmsn
terfered.
The following sales have been made by Tho
E.Waggaman, real estate broker and auctionee
Lot 81, in Allen a FAlconer's subdivision, squar
2TI, TO II. Burnsteln for $3.50; lots I, ., 4, an
- square 62i, containing about $4,000 feet, TO 4
Elchhom for a6A cents per foot.
The contractor for improving Tenth street ha
repair the sidewalk and area wall on that stree
between PennsylyaniA avenue and u street, an
the same on Louisiana avenue, between Mint
and Tenth streets. The superintendent Of street
has been directed TO put trap In alley in squar
No. l9s, two hundred feet from the south builC
ing line OF l. street, and that the trap a. th
mouth OF the nye-foot alley be replaced with
new one.
The following cases OF smallpox were r,
ported 10 the health once yesterday; one b,
tween Sixth and Seventh and q and II street
southwest; corner Fifth and A streets southeas
800 L street southwest; 96S q street southwes
3oI q street southwest; SpringmAn's alley, b,
tween Sixth and Seventh and and ii street
alley between Sixth and Seventh and q and
streets southwest, and two In alley between
and I ard Four-And-a-half and Sixth street
southwest.
Adjustment of the FranlSinE Privilege.
After July / the law for the Abollsl
ment Of the franking privilege goes I'M
eject and this viii neoessltate the vi
of postal scales for weighing mail matter.
, reference TO our advertising columns IL will
: seen that Warren, Choate A Co., Vernon Ro,
corner Tenth street and Pennsylvania Ayenu
! are the agents for the balances In this city, a.
i furnish them at manufacturers rates.
? The Rowland DENTAL ASSOCIATION No. 2
Fnur-and-half street. three doors north
+ Pennsylvania avenue, administer nitrous oxit
for the extraction OF teeth without pain and I,
surgical operations, and do all kinds Of dent
/ work. I
To HIS Creditors.
. | The undersIgne ed wonId intimafa IN thoae 90