The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-23
A NIGHT IN A BELL TOW Err.
nor RIM nIrEOPOLIS TSU GTCHED
OILK ~ VI LILLAN LlI.S.
ronacrsa- Men. ln ncellns rowcr. -1in.-.-

OTLE ~ SIl tIILSS EYES.
Pondrroa- Bells IN Feeling Tower. -7inr'-
Chuus in she Ou.opi : narrow Escapc
\ iicmuu'- Suggestions Alarms.
With scarce i uuto OF color in hcl,aden
western s,y, tho h1nt # dny fades slowly out;
the river .L1 the distant hay daikrh; shadows
become heavier. ana more aud more indls met
grow the Outlines ui thn spires aud taller roofs.
Soon light h 4in to ncAer 90 the wi.dows ntl
glow Ia ,l'c street lamps. Tai factory cuimuc,s
show a ru1dy tinee IN the volumes Of smoke
which they pour forth.
Don't think that 1t Is always like that" says
the CHEEKY m on the lookout In fire tower
:, on Thirty-third street, between N,nth and
Tenth avenues. "Iou should see 1t In the sum
mer time, when the sun goes down behind the
New Jersey hills. leaving food Of gold and
crimson In the skv."
Tho lookout chamber on Sie tower Is far from
being the abode of comfort. Octasonal In
shape, with an average diameter Of about eight
feet AMI "A height Of niue, II IA perched upon
iron pillars at height OF one hundred and ten
feet above the level ~ the street. Tho winds.
ohstructed only by the slender pillars, whistle
underneath T.. huge stove, taking IN almost
one-qnarter OF the space and kent Mt a red heat.
Ia powcrIess t. prevent coating uf lee settling
west windows. whore the wind strikes most
sharply. STRIP of mating. uuderlaid hy paper.
]
on each side ~ II the ho1rds are bare aud cold
as Tee to stand n on. Cpon the table lie pair
OF Held glasses; ram less raHHed-eused slate,
with stubhy pencil tea 70 u book, wherein
Il kept minute record OF all the occurrences
OF every hour worth notlng from the lookout's
stnndp point; and a capnciOus mecrschnum pipe,
| well colorcd during many long hours OF quiet
observ ton. o. every side are windows, taking
| In one-third Of the space between floor and
ceiling, and lie. Idle each window IA tackled on a
! reference card bearing the numbers and loca-
] section OF the CITY direct from that
| point over the tablc are three lockers. Oppo-
site, It tho Same height Is the little battery
| closet. on the west side are fixed the gong and
telegraph key by which communications are
sent - and received from the Cenual HALL
| The big, htiehtlN-pll ished lever by winch the
| bell Is rtng Is leaned up against the wall be-
tween the stove and the easternmo-t door. A
clock, a pail a long telescope, IA shaded gi- jet.
| and two very ri keiy chairs, nysteriouslS held
together Nv compile tied wires anu strings. com
| pletc the furniture.
While we have been making those obsorva-
tions, the city's lights have all come forth, and
the scene presented IL very impressive. From
the lOcatlnn of the tower. In the mode OF a
! block back Of he house Of Eueinc Company No.
81 no street line can be followed 10y the eve Ia
the maze Of luminous specks which seem to he
hene tn our feet. Looking down toward the
Battery, the most conspicuous light l. Of that IN
Al ,ost within our reach seem 10 he the lights
In the Colosseum and I'm the Gilsey and the
Wind.or hotel. Hither and 'hithor over the
network OF railroad tracks between the Tenth
avenue and the river. locomotives rumble
wheczily, sending up great volumes OF smoke
mcutarily their glaring headlights. a bright
light springs quickly up IN IN adjacent street.
." ONLY bonure-soue family burning NJ their
Old straw l. the verdict Of the watchlul look
out Another 81 W, more rudy and extensive
rises near the river size. "only drawing the re.
turts In the gas w1rAs,' he decides upon his nrsI
experienced Il nee.
I" Are many fires discovered from these tow.
orsf"
"Not many" he replies. l. ist year the av-
eraee was Only about one week or a fraction
over. from all the nine towers. NOu see 'he
city has cnnnled great deal from what II :, d
o. bo Wen these towers were most erNi"rahle
Now. to r. are So many hi-h buildings that, el
cut on our view Of an incipient hre. We see
nothing Of IL until II has GOT sufficient hcadwal
10 show ABOVE the roofs. BS tnat time some pc
liccman OF a citizen has sent an alarm 10 the
Genital once from the box nearest the tire, and
before We can locate It, the chances are twenty
to enc that II comes tumbling IN upon US. Bu
the towers are stil very useful. Il a ire 81 irts
In The top 81 building, we are liable to catch II
first, and II any accident happens to the wire,
communicating with the boxes and toe engine
houses, then tho towers, nav w al indcpenden nj
system Of connections wonl be Of inestitnabl.
service. Twice last winter tile other wires wer,
urukcn, aud until they could be repaired tn,
towers were all that could he dcponded upon
In case 81 riot. too, the militia cuul be calico
out by AN order from the Central Hail flashed I,
each Of the i9wers. iMel'e taps q ne oeil
. regulation, which. believe, has never teen lie
scInded."
:" Iiow many towers are thsrei"
j -" Nine. Essex Market; spring street, nea
/, Varick; Marion, below Prince; Union Market
!
Market; Mount Morris square, Ut lid stree
ana Ffth avenue; on the other side u TIT
| bridge, on mira avenue near l6ith street, be
heye; IA lookout On East Side Hall, at Elgh ty
sixth street and lhiru avenue, and this one
: | This has prohabl the largest field Of view, al
: though we cann't make cure ~ ANYTHING be
. You'd Fourth avenue, owinl to the land dippin!
I over there and you see IL. re IRE a good man
D big buildings u cut MS On here and there
lhere usen to he two more, ono on Twenty hitl
street, between Second and inird avenues
winch theV y He'd down about two years tgu
and one on Fry first street, between Third an,
Lexington avenues, Which blew down on III
l6tn Il july, ISL
" Blew dowu,"
"Yes, or was blown down II was an Oh.
wooden concern and used , rot X. aud pitch. n,
groau, and sqLta al Ia the wind. was over ther
thcn und tn men were act Tally afraid TO sitel
? IN the pulk room for fear e is coming down OF
them, hut no one ever reused - do duty tu II
Compliant was made alb Iui = conutton to Tn
Department of Ban iiugs. AMI two in-pcCtor
came over to look ~ it, Ihcy said it was all solid
bui we know 1t wasn't Al LAST Ia the nign wine
that DAY, She went. The III n ~ watch got on
only min Ite before lie stayed there uuiilh Pal
81 water was rhuched across me rom ana m
stove was upset, and then he thought IL wa
about time for ann L leave. Just ~ he tOuche'
tne ground sho sNuh- lllle further over th"l
ever before, gave q visit hslf round, and cam
piunging down on top Of a livery stable. " mel
tueN came to clear the ruin. away We .Ounu thn
the foundation sis were So rOtt that - coui'
grab h .nifulls out Of them with our fingers, an
We Only wondered that she stayed 50 LONG,"
LILLE sHAKEY.
"Inasmuch as the wind has sprung M. m
this old tower Is swinging about in a very sug
T cestiye manner 1t present. don't You think \ u
q conversation T. someWh hat lacking in cheerful
encOuragementr
ION. tins tower Is an right. 1t las been II
only twenty-five wears, nj Is in pretty gpot
: condition. Besides there + not much wind 20
l nght. You ought to be w here sometime
= when there Il a regular L. blowing or a rdp
series Of short hard squalls. Ihe latter Is tn
I worst, lsr while the = le only gives ne tower
I ! regulad Dcklug motion, the squalls cpmmun
e | Gaze twisting motion, winch i much NOR
y dangerous. Sometimes II losses about like
Q boat Ia "A chopping sea, and one can hardly stan
= up without holding on
: There used to DO "A man named Burke live
down there in that low building to the rign
u one night st winter, the tower swung about 5
that the bell kept up low monotonOus tollii
all the night long, and It groaned and ratified
I | II IL was liable 10 come down NJ any minute
X Well, about 2 o'clock In the morning might
= cola, too, aud deep snOw-Mr-. Burke though
= she had had enough and she wanted u move OF
; right then. Inc next Gay Burke rushed arOun
y getting w petition for the taking down Of III
- tower. lie offered to give thousand dollar
toward IL himself. But he couldn't fetoh II, an
o a. soon as he got chance, lie sold his house an
! moved out of reach"
" Do many persons venture up hcrel'
@ " Yes, Ia pleasant weather. especially In sun
r mer when the air here Is always delightful
= cool. we have IA good many visitors; but II
r. blow comes up they are Vrety ANXIOUS 10 q
q down, and not In hurry 70 come rack. Ihei
4 t,tIn M "a cpprf "a hill from n A