Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-04-17
INTERESTING
The Fire Committee I'm Reply to Coup
Gilman Euck.

Gilman Luck.
To the public: AS several measures
have come before the City Council, during
the municipal year, for their approval on
~disapproTal, as the best interests of the city
seemed to demand, many of which passed
both Boards by .majoritieS, but sew
eral of said measures not merit
ing the approval of Mr.. Luck,
Councilman from the fifth ward, he
has taken occasion to rush into
the papers and impugn the motives Of menu
bers who were unfortunate enough to differ
with him, and on several occasions impugn
the motives of the entire Council and COM
mittee. Among the measures we allude to
IS the Fire Alarm Telegraph, which he has
been kind enough to himself to misrepre-
sent, and mis-state the facts in every partie-
ular. II will be observed that he does not
state any facts Of his own knowledge, ex-
cept that the Mayor did veto the bill, but
says that he deemed and believed that to be
so, and so was the case.
1t does seem to us that when a man
wishes to deal fair he ought to state facts
Of his own knowledge, and
NOT USE DOUBTFUL PHRASES,
so as to prejudice the public before the
a ID h4lOhlls lie MOulQ lcdu lut DuDllC
TO believe that this was an i~mmaturely con-
sidered measure, and hurried through for
improper motives, and without giving due
consideration to the interests of the city,
which we pronounce a gross falSehood.
The fire alarm telegraph was brought to
the attention of the present Council by his
Honor, the Mayor, in his first message in
October last, and again by Capt. Stockell
on his return from the convention Of the
chiefs Of the fire departments of all of the
principal. cities in the United States, held
at Baltimore last fall, when they all united
IN recommending it highly, and advised
that it be established in every city as
the best means of protection against
disastrous fires. 1t was at this stage
mously instructed the Chairman of
OF said committee, in connection with the
Chief OF the Fire Department, to open cor
respondenee with all the different compa-
mics in the Unised States engaged in put
ting up fire alarm ~telegraphs, to ascertain
the best and cheapest plan, and after four
months of corresponding with the different
companies in regard to the price and work
ing and keeping in repair their different
systems, the committee decided, after a
careful comparison of all the propositions, |
TO accept the one of MessrS. Gamewell &
Co., provided the payments could be made |
satisfactory, which was done. So it will
be seen the thing was maturely considered,
and that The proposition is a subsequent
one to that made TO Memphis. The diff
ference in price is found TO consist ia this:
NASHVILLE PROPOSITION.
II is 10 be built on the non-interference |
plan, which prevents two boxes pulled at
the same time from interfering with each
other. The m first pulled takes posses
sion Of the lines and keeps them until it
gets through its alarm, with thirty-nine
automatic, notwithstanding boxes, one, two
or three circuit combination non-interfer-
ing repeateTs, seven enginehouse sOngs,
three large church bell strikers 10 strike the
number of the box, twenty miles Of wire,
placed on poles thirty feet long, and set in
the ground four feet deep; one hundred
cups of battery, three galvanometers, one
switch board, and all other things necessa-
~ 10 make it perfect.
The one in Memphis was to be built on
the the old style box automatic, but liable
10 interfere with each other, so Chat if two
boxes were pulled at the same time it
would greatly confuse in the alarm, and to
have twenty-five boxes, six gauges, no gong
bell strikers, one old style three-circuit re-
three ~gGlyanOmeters with board.
It was estimated that 49, miles Of wire
would be sufficient, and was to be placed
On houses (Which is now being discarded
in all the principal c:ties) and ~eighty-five
Of battery.
The Nashville proposition is a new style,
since tie Memphis proposition
made.
Mr. Luck claims to be the representative
IF the taxpayers, and says that their petit
ion was ruled out Of order by the Chair
man, at the request of members. To please
him, the gentleman desired that all rules
and precedent should be set aside. We
hold, that By the use of the fire alarm tel
the city will save its cost in
four years by the saving in the
and tear Of machinery, which is
about by the unnecessary hauling
IF engines over our rough streets. This,
like other new enterprises, has to undergo
an ordeal Of tests, before its utility is APP
preciated, and believing that wehave faith
represented the true interests of the
in this matter, We wait for time TO
Justify our course. NJ A. CONsIDINE,
OLIVER TOwLEs,
JOHN BEmIEN,
HARRY D. MARTIN.
Fire Committee.