Daily Republican., 1880-12-13
LOOKING FVR A MODEL,
After whicb TO Pattern In the Nat
ser OF Eiro Alarm and Health
DepsrsnIsnt-v visit Of Wilmington
CounciI TO BaItimOre-FrienaIy


GonneiI 10 BaItimOre-FrienaIy
Reception.
The accommodation train OF the Phil.
adelphia, wilmington " and Baltimore
Railroad, leaving here at S.3s o'clock,
had y special car attached to II at the
Wilmington depot on Saturday morn
ing, which WAS boarded by nearly all
the members of the City Council, the
city officials and members OF the local
press. The party were bound for Bal
timore, which place they had been an
nounced as intending TO visit for the
purpose OF inspecting the workings Of
the fire alarm telegraph and the health
department.
Those composing the party we're
Members OF City Council-Harry Sharp
Hey, President; Msrr.s Taylor, James
McKenua, r. H. Taylor, B. +. Town
send, W. II. Blake, W. +. Robinson,
A. p. Bsecher, Joseph X. Adams, Chas.
W. Tallay. Abper r. Bailey, William
McMenamin, George T. Barnhill, David
R. Smith, Robert c. Shaw. City Off
cials-- John Guthrie, City Treasurer
X. b. Frazer, Clerk OF Council II. b.
Mclntirs, Chief Engineer Of the Wafer
Works Il. B. Underwood, City Audi
tor VIM. J. Maxwell, Chief Of Police
William Kyne, Tax Collector James
F. Daley, Bailiff of Council. Members
OF tho PTess-Morris Taylor, Gazette
George W. Humphrey, Every Bvening;
Arthur f. Francis, Morning News, and
the reporter of the REPUBLIcAs.
Mayor Almond, and Couneilmen
Rodney, Mention and Paynter, were
unable to accompany the party, owing
TO press of business. Baltimore was
reached about II o'clock, after q pleas
ant ride. At the President street de-
pot the visitors were met by the fol-
lowing gentlemen: s. W. Register,
President OF the Board OF Fire Commis-
sioner; George W. Campbell, Secretary;
Is. W. Hanna, James Trott, c. P.
Slingluf, Thomas W. Campbell, and
George y. Morrison, Of the Board OF
Commissioners; Charles J. McAleese,
Superintsndant of the Fire and Police
Telegraph, aud H. W. Msars, Foreman
OF Hook end Ladder Company No. /.
The Wilmingtonians we're conveyed iu
coaches to the Eutsw House, where
they refreshed themselves, and we're
driven to the City Hall, (the finest mu.
nicipal building in the worldD, where
Mayor Latrobe received them very cor
daily. George Savage, the Mayors
| Secretary, showed them through the
building:
In the council chamber OF the second
branch some unexpected speechifying
took place, when President Sharplsy
was called TO the chair by many VIII
miugton voices, and q session Of Ceun-
oil with a quorum. hastily improEised
from Wilmington and Baltimore mem,
bers, was held. In putting a vote Of
thanks to the Baltimorians Mr.. Sharp
ley said that Wilmington does not
abound IN such fine buildings, and the
walls Of her council chambers are moi
adorned with the portraits OF her great
men, but the same hospitality exists
aud will be shown to the people Of
Baltimore whenever they visit us in q
private or official capacity" Mayor
Latrobe said in response that he was
ri ad 10 see this mixture of Whining
tonians and Baltimorians, They mix
together well. He understood they had
co me TO look at some Of the improve.
ments, and II they saw anything after
which they chose to pattern Baltimore
would feel complimsnted. In the cham
Der OF the second branch an address
was made by Councilman Beecher.
The visitors examined the workings
of the FIRE alarm telegraph, Of which
more hereafter, and were then driven
around to engine houses Nos. l3, G, 10
and 2. Under direction Of John NJ.
HeAnick, Chief Engineer OF the Fire
Department, exhibitions Of the dis
patch In preparing for fire were CIV
en-. In the engine houses The men
sleep up stairs, and at the first stroke
of the alarm gong spring dressed from
bed. Tho same stroke detaches the
horses aud opsus the stable door by
electricity, and each horse is hitehed
by the fastening of three clasps. The
time occupied from the striking OF the
first blow until the horses were ready
to go, varied from seven to fourteen
seconds.
Dinner was taken at the Eutaw
House at 4 o'clock, and after the repast
the party adjourned to the parlOr where
some speech making took place. Mr..
Blake, TO whom credit is due for getting
up the trip, said that the desire OF the
City Council OF Wilmington was to have
the system explained, and to secure the
advice of experts as to the cost Of such
improvements. In reply, George r.
Morrison, Chief Engineer of the fire
alarm telegraph, of Baltimore, said 1t
would require about fifteen street sig
nal boxes with fifteen miles Of wire.
There would be- no necessity for the
heavy machinery in use in Baltimore,
aud all that would be necessary, would
be the caring for the batteries, and 1t
would ouly cost from "a 600 to 1000.
The system in Baltimore, he said, was
the best in the world, that its incep-
tion began in 1875, and it only cost
$50 600. Washington has system
which cost SIS 900. Phiadelphia, and
in fact oil the large cities in the ccun.
try are provided with them, but they
are inferior TO the system i'll use in Bal
timore.
| About 10 80 o'clock an alarm was
turned on to show the visitors the work
ing Of the department. Engine No !
responded in 2. 80 minutes, No. truck
In 5 minutes, No. A engine in 4 min
utss, No. 2 engine in 4 30 minutes, No.
5 truck in S minutes, No. engine in
s 80 minutes, the Salvage Corps in G
minutes, No. 8 engine in 6.l5 minutes,
lNo. IL in $50 minutes. The visitors
- lI.-l,ol 18th tho frial Altar