The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-12-09
LETTER FROM ALBANY.
Fire Alarm elegraph-Descriptio Of an In
stitution Needed in Rutland-How it works
Statistics, etc.

and property when they gain the ascenden-
cy and become his masters instead of his
slave. Typical symbols of antagonsm,
they have in common remorseless power
of destruction that is satated only by thou
sands of lives and millions of dollars worth
of property yearly, the wages they cxtort
from man for the services rendered him.
All the world knows that the history of the
sea is but the record of horrid monster in
viting to his tranquil bosom the traffic of
the world only to devour and destroy.
Even our own noble Hudson, though for
long years innocent of any such mis-
demeanors, has lately shown itself to be
as treacherous as Its father, ocean, in
the wrecking of the beautiful. river steamer
Sunnyside, with a loss of several lives,
the particulars of which your readers are
already familiar with through the press re-
ports. And the annals of the cities of this
earth, present no sadder or more calami-
tous page than the one containing record
of their fires. Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah
and Zeboim consumed by fire from heaven;
Athens the abode of science, art and
classical learning in an evil hour wrapped
in flames by Xerxes and the Persian army
twenty-five hundred years ago the burn
ing of the Alexandrian library, a loss that
the world can never make good the fear
full CONGREGATIONS of Rome, Moscow, Paris,
London and later of New York, Chicago
and Boston, are only a very few of the
many sacrifices that have been made to
this Moloch in years past. The manner of
subduing fires has been study for man.
kind in all ages and although in this as In
almost everything else, this generation
fancy they have reached perfection it is a
little singular that fireo should be as fire.
quent and losses from them as large in the
aggregate now as at any other period of
the worlds history. An institution of this
city, also in use in Boston, New York,
Chicago and all the large cities of this
continent, | propose to briefly des-
cribe, knowing that Rutland will need
one ere long if it does not already. ! al
lude to the "fre alarm telegraph Celer-
ity is the one great thing necessary TO sub
due fire and even with the assistance OF
electromagnetic the scene Of action is
reached none too soon. Situated in differ
ent parts of the city, generally on street
corner, are about one hundred iron boxes
These are connected by wires with a CEN
trail station and this station is connected
with each of the twelve engine houses in
the same way. In case of fire the opera
tions gone through with are these The
person discove ring the fire goes to the near
est street box and sees thereon, IN iron let
tiers, directions where to find the key, gen.
orally in the nearest place of business.
Getting this and opening the box, he finds
therein small hook or catch connected
| with the wire. This he lifts off from its
attachment. This operation breaks the
| electric circuit and causes the armaturt
connected with the wire to fall from its
helix in the central Office derectly over 6
number corresponding to the box from
which the alarm was given. Now the mar
at the central Office, who is constantly ir
attendance, knows exactly where the fire
is. He Immediately seizes the key con
nected with the engine houses. ant
with one movement of his hand
breaking the circuit as before
strikes on bell in each engine houst
the number of the box from which thu
alarm came, lights the gas on the engine j
it be night, sewers the connection between
the engine and the funnel through which {
draft keeps fire in the engine all the time
and unhitches the horses, who are 81
trained that at the sound of the bell they
leave their stalls and take their places il
front OF the engine or hose carriage. AL
that remains for the firemen to do is t.
hook the traces and start. In addition Il
what this action of the central attendan
does at the engine houses it strikes tn,
number of the box on bell in the towe
that can be heard all over the city. TIL,
manner OF doing it is as follows Suppos
ing the box from which the alarm came t.
be sixty-seven, the bell strikes six, wait
just seven seconds, strikes seven, wait
twenty seconds, and repeats this severa
times, making the number perfectly plain
The reason one knows it is sixty-seven ant
not seventy-six is longer interval between
seven and six than there Is between Six AM
seven, taken in the order of hearing them
The whole operation occupied less tim
than 1t takes to read it, for, except in ex
treme parts Of the city. one minute is tn
time allowed from the opening of the DO,
till the arrival of engines, and any person
on the streets when an alarm strikes mus
be.cxtremely cautious how he venture
outside the curbstone as the horses o
the department are no respecters of persons
These animals are the finest to be seen an,
where in the city, large, handsome an,
beautifully matched, and almost seem en-
dowed with reason as they are seen strain
ing every nerve to reach fire or standini
perfectly still amidst all the tumult an,
noise of the largest fire, with no one payin,
them any attention. 1t IS not to be doubted
that they enjoy the excitement of fir,
with all the intensity they are capable of
for their every action betokens it. TIL,
alarm of fire is Of daily occurrence here, bu
no one thinks of running to one unless i
be of unusual magnitude, as in nine case
out Of ten he would find the fire oui
and excitement over on reaching the spot
Most persons listen to the bells long enough
to find where the fire is, and unless it il
very near their dwelling, or place of bust
ness, pay no more attention, having per
feet faith In the system of the department,
and its trusty firemen. The number of en-
glnes in this city is twelve, number o.
horses, forty.six. There are about seven
| ~ ssSa,, ,,lnuoI nm H~o..o, ..u~..o. t<