The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-04-13
FIRK ALARM
A complete DsseFiptioa Of What We

shall Have
We herewith give the tsymS upon which
the Gamewsll Fire Alarm system, repre-
sented by Mr.. Chester q. Pond, will be
TO this city, and which Council
will act upon tonight, together with q
full description oft:
To ls COMMITTEES Of Ffs Department, Council
Civ Of Wheeling:
GESrLENEN-In behalf Of the Gamewell
Fire Alarm Telegraph Company Of New
York. / hereby submit the following pro-
yosal, Wig: We will furnish forty automatic
ore alarm signal boxes, 1--WE electro-me-
coanical engine house gong strikers, one
electro.mechanicAll large tower bell striker,
one galyenometer seventy cells, OF the
most approved gravity battery, LOO feet
AZ double covered Kerite insulated copper
wire, 45 earth plates and connections, 400
feet Of iron tubing, sufficient patent office
wire ior all inside circuits, and all other
Incidental things requisite TO place the
above specified apparatus into perfect OPP
Grafton for practical Ore service, excepting
the main line, consisting OF the iron wire
and poles, for 1886. Each box 70 bepro-
yided with an automatic cutoff 10 econo-
mise battery, and FIVE outside door keys,
all keys being uniform throughout the
system. With the exception OF the poles,
iron wife and insulators for the line, the
city 10 be at no expense whatever beyond
the sum herein named. When We have
put the above fre Telegraph system into
working order and the same shall have
been tested by your committee and proved
satisfactory, the purchase price 10 be then
payable.
Respectfully submitted.
CHEsrER b. PoSD.
The Committee on Fire Department has
accepted the above proposition and will
report to Council tonight, recommending
contract to be made Immediately for
this system. In order that our citizens
may understand the character and opera.
ton Of the FIRE alarm we have procured
| from Mr.. Pond the following explanation:
The signal boxes are located at suitable
intervals along the streets and each one
has its own distinctive number. There are
five KEYS furnished with each box, three
Of which are left in places near by and
always accessible in case OF fire. The
other two keys for each box are placed In
the hands OF policemen and other city
officials. Each key ls numbered and be-
fore they are given out the name Of each
key.holder, with his number, Is registered
at headquarters. This Is done TO prevent
tampering with the boxes, or giving Of
false alarms, for the key once inserted In
the lock cannot be removed until the
chief marshall arrives with his master
key. He Is able TO see at once by the
number Of the key who turned the alarm
in.
The manner ef giving an alarm Is very
simple. Upon opening the box door q
small brass hook or lever is all that Il
seen. The directions In large plhin let
tiers, "Pull the hook down once and let II
90, /" Is all that is necessary to do. The act
OF pulling down this hook winds up the
clock work, which then commences t
run and by ratchet wheel breaks ant
lrloses the circuit sufficient number O
times to indicate the number which des
lignates that particular box. The firemer
knowing the location Of the numbers e
directly to the box from which the alarm
was turned in. Upon arriving at the fire
the chief marshal can step to the box and
by signal key inside, call out such add
tional force as the emergency may require
or notify the department In case oil false
alarm, In short, he Is able TO announce
any signal by the key referred TO from any
and ali boxes. The boxes are all proyi
ded with lightning arresters to protec
the mechanism from damage by lightning
and by the s.automatic cut of referred
to in the proposition. The boxes ar
never in circuit except when giving al
alarm. .a.
| BY this improvement-which Is Of re
cent introduction-the electro motive fore
required Is reduced to minimum and !
therefore great saving in battery e1
pense.
The clock works are made OF the bes
cast oreide metal and finished as CAREFUL.
as chronometer watch.
The gong striking apparatus, located ii
the engine houses, is OF marvellous sim
plicity considering the work done and tn
delicate controlling force.
The gong bells are 154 inches in diamet
!, err, and the motive power for striking then
Is heavy steel spring. Thesarangemen
Is such that each time any box breaks tn
circuit, when pulled for fire, the sprini
is released and permitsa lever to max
lone revolution, causing heavy blow L
be delivered against the gong bell. TIL
number OF blows determines the humble
OF the box from which the signal wa
turned in.
At headquarters where the main bat
terry Is located, there is placed an instru
ment which Is known technically by cleo
tricians as q galyenometer. This instru
ment has dial and needle which al
ways indicates thereon the true condition
OF the battery and line.
This enables an unskilled person b
know as certainly the condition Of hi
battery as the, most accomplished electri
clan. The striking apparatus, which
gives the general alarm upon the Capito
bell, is operated by an immense weight o
over two thousand pounds. The hamme
is made to move back about 40 inches and
then hurled against the bell under the ful
impetus OF the weight, each time the dis
tant signal box breaks the circuit anC
simultaneously with the signal in the var
ious houses. Anyone within hearing o
that bell will know as promptly as the
fremen in the engine house3 where the
fire Is.
The Gamewell company have nearly
three thousand OF these large tower bel
strikers now in actual service, every one
OF which Is guaranteed TO be giving the
best satisfaction.
The entire system Of this company has
been introduced over q quarter OF o cen
fury, and time with all It's progressive de-
velopments has failed to produce an alarm
system that can be compared with 1t.
The character Of the company, Its scores
OF patrons, and the reputation OF the sys.
tenn alone, is an ample guarantee that we
shall serve our own interests in procuring
the Gamewell fire alarm, as recommended
by the committe.
PERsoSAI.-Rev. DR.. A. .. George, for.
merly pastor OF the Fourth Street NJ. E.
Church, will arrive in the city this morn.
log, and be the guest Of Mr.. John Bailie.
The Doctor was appointed recently TO gil
the appointments Of the late DR.. Dashiell,
and IL rafnPnino homa altar add peaain O