New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-11-14
American District telegraph.

This institution, novel to nearly all of the
New Orleans people, has been in active
operation about six weeks. Commencir q
October !, the company has steadily in-
creased its business and gained in popular
iavor until its success is beyond question,
and 1t can now be considered one of the
permanent institutions of the city. Certain
it is that none of those who have made use
OF the protection and facilities it affords
would be willing to part with the advantage
they gain by it, and new applications for
location are daily made at the central office.
The little instrument, entirely automatic,
Dy which the customer communicates lis
oeslre to the managers is already familiar
TO many, and only the briefest description
Is necessary. 1t is small box, not larger
tnan tumbler, with dial indicating four
dlherent ca!ls-messeDger police, fire, and
general response, which are arranged in
tne order OF their probable frequency. A
iie'le catch prevents the crank that COM
pletes the circuit from going beyond the
nrst point, unless one OF the other signals is
desired, that one may not unluckly call for
the whole tire department, as business
house on Common street did, when only a
solitary Metropolitan is desired. Such a
mistake can rarely be made, and never if
proper care is noted. 1t is easier TO give
any desired signal than to give an alarm of
hre through department box. None of
THESE little instruments is like any of its
fellows, and each strikes different num-
Der at the home office.
When the crank is turned bell sounds
the alarm at the central station, and the
number of the instrumen. is sounded and
registered on similar system of the Fire
Alarm Telegraph. The operator opens a
oox IN one OF four cases containing mum bers
from three to 732, numbered to correspond
with the number announced by telegraph,
messenger instantly appears from some
recess where he has been waiting for sum.
mons, slip is given him, bearing the name
OF the subscriber, the number of his box,
hre district and place of business, time of
reception, ETC., and he is off as fast as wind
and muscle will carry him. Three minutes
Is the average time required to obtain a
messenger in the First District. For call
ior ponce the arrangement is that there is
an officer on duty at the central police sta
ton at all times; the office is connected
with it, and all members of the force are
instructed to give particular attention to the
calls on them from the servants of the com.
pany. The proceedings of an alarm Of fire
are still more admirable. Wires connect the
nome Office with the City Hall, the patrol
wagon and the chief engineer. As the
majority OF alarms are for petty fires, the
patrel wagon is first summoned, and this
precaution prevents the summoning of the
department for false alarm, which, as is
well known, is a tneablc otfense. The frat
district consists of that portion of the city
between st. Peter, 81. Joseph and Bas in
streets and the river. This the company
has numbered entirely independent of the
numbers of the Fire Alarm Telegraph, and
giving one number to each four squares
have more than five times as mapy stations
as the fire department. The fourth call is
designed for private sgnals, and NAV be
arranged with infinite variety between the
holder OF the instrument and the company.
The advantages of this system are mum.
oerless. The messengers will go any dis.
tance from No. l round the corner to TWEEN.
ty miles from New Orleans, do the most
trivial or the most important errands, COZ,
lect or deposit money, the company being
responsible for fidelity to the extent of
slug; deliver notes, invitations, circulars
light packages; do escort duty and prove
indispensable in a hundred ways custom
will suggest and experience satisfactorily
perform. One summons on the fire or
police call will be attended. to with thrice
the speed, in ordinary cases, made by call
ing on the whistle or running to the corner
after an alarm key, and be of ten times the
value Of the expense of the instrument.
Among the hundred and fifty and odd
subscribers are fifty banks, banking houses
and other concerns requiring watchman.
AT certain hours of the night, previously
arranged, this watchman is to communicate
with the central office. The time when
these signals are made is noted, and a sealed
report made each morning. If these signals
fail at any time, an officer is Immediately
sent to ascertain the cause, and any watch
man needing assistance can have it sent to
him instantly. By this means the watch
man is or can be constantly in communica-
tion with the police and fire department
and his emplo. ers, and therefore in no case
is he required to leave his post. This ar
rangement will be particularly satisfactory
to ladies who are left alone at home, and
the consciousness of having at their fin
gers ends protection from fire, robbery, as
sault and annoyance, gives a feeling of per.
feot security.
In addition to this the office is connected
with both the Western Union and Southern
and Atlantic Telegraph lines, so that mes
sage can be sent by its agency as we'll as
by those offices themselves. The capacity
of the First District is equal to 2l0e boxes,
subscriptions are coming in so rapidly that
new district whl soon be opened. So soon
as people begin to understand the advan-
tages of the system, the simplicity of the
instrument, which a child can operate, and
the saving of time, protection and con-
venience it affords, combined with it's cheap
ness, the boxes will become as common in
offices, stores, banks and houses as a clock
or a thermometer.
Gresham's Book sale.
The great auction sale of Mr.. James A.