Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-08-31
OFFICIAL.
Proceedings Of the Common Council.
Regular Meeting.

partmcnt, published on lSth lnst., rela-
tive to fire alarm boxes:
Of Prof Church
Mr.. Chas. Otis, Chairman Committee on Fire
Department:
Tn complying with your instructions in re-
gard to ascertaining the merits of fire alarm
boxes, your investigators have found it nee
essary to study systems as well as boxes, the
latter being only small portion OF the ap-
paratus necessary to transmit fire alarms At
the present time there appears to be in general
use three systems, known as the central
Office" the ''Gamewell Non-interference Au.
tomatic," and the .Gamewell Automatic.
Perhaps there are others, but as they were not
brought to our notice and have no extended
use, they were not regarded as factor in our
deliberations In all the systems, it is usual
to divide the wire connecting the boxes into
separate portions called "circuits," each one
of which converges at the central office, or at
the place where the automatic mechanism
which connects the different circuits is sta
toned In central ofice system,
each one of these circuits is en-
tirely detached from the others, and
therefore capable of conveying an alarm
to the Office, Irrespective of the condition of
the others. Such system, therefore, II dlyi-
ded into eight circuits, would be capable OF
conveying eight different alarms to the ONCE
at the same time. Under this system, alarms
received at the Office are re-transmitted through
wire called the "gong line" and which ex-
tends to the engine houses only. This, with
out doubt, is the best system of fire alarm in
use, but has been adopted by only few of the
larger cities, probably because of the expense.
1t involves keeping operatives on duty at the
office day and night, and the mechanism,
(whlle not SO complex in principle as that OF
the automatic system, owing to The fact that
the engine houses and boxes are on different
circuits and requires human agency between
them) is very much increased in quantity. In
the automatic system the boxes and engine
house gongs are on the same wires, and the
different wires or circuits connected by an au-
tomato machine, called a repeater, which
sends an alarm upon one circuit through all
the others, this being rendered necessary
by the fact that the different engine house
gongs are upon those circuita. This arrange
ment, while simple and effective under ordina-
~ circumstances, gives rise to trouble
known as interference, which occurs when
two or moe boxes are pulled at or near the
same time, and makes the alarm unintelligible.
The Game we'll automatic non-lnterference sys-
ten is offerei to remedy this = il. While The
m employed are impossible to describe
without more extended notice than Your
committee woull care 10 hear, yet after a
series of tests including widely varying con-
ditions, it appears to your Investigators that
they accom- plsh what is claimed under all
cpU'IIOuS I'D WHtcu u uTc dIdTtu Sfstciu, Win
intelligent supervision aud reasonable care,
should be subjected In regard TO the ques-
ton at Issue, namely, the boxes, their relative
merits depend largely upon the continuance
Of the present system, or upon what system
is to be adopted in the future, if
change is found necessary. The Birge, Will
liams & Co box will without doubt do what
is claimed for it, and with our present appar-
atus, send in an alarm promptly and efficient
ly, if not inlerfered with. The Gamewell box
will do the same, with the addition in its
favor that the box itself, without change OF
system, would be mountaineering about eight
times in ten, if pulled while some other box
was sending an alarm. With the introduce
ton of the non-interference system, the Birge,
Williams & Co. box, like the old Gamewell
box, would be practically useless, although
we are informed by Mr.. Chandler that their
old style box can be made mountaineering
with a moderate expense. Should the central
Office system be used, the only advantage
either has, is with the Gamewell on account
of its somewhat superior construction and
finish. In conclusion, your investigators de-
sire to return thanks to Messrs. Strong and
Birge, of the st. Paul Fire Department, and to
Mr.. Chandler, representing the Gamewell Co.,
for the facilities placed at their disposal while
in discharge of their duties, and for their uni
form courtesy and kindness. Respectfully,
D. II. CHURCH.
Of Prof. Weltbrecht-
Mr.. Charles E. Otis, Chairman:
/ made number of experiments with the
apparatus brought here by Mr.. Chandler ,and
must confess that the apparatus worked bet
ter than had any idea it would work from
it's complex structure; the details of these ex-
psriments are, however, Of no importance to
your committee.
No experiments were made with the Berge
box, for the reason that 1T is simply trans
mitter of signals, and has only to operate to
send an alarm across the lines; its simplicity
of construction rendering all tests unneces-
sary.
In regard to the electrical part, the ques-
ton as to which is the best box depends upon
what is to be the future of the Fire-alarm sys-
tenn of st. Paul.
As thessystem is at present there is very lit
tie choice between the rival boxes; our repeat
ers are old in style and have not the non
interfering attachment, consequently the nom
interfering boxes are not absolutely nOn-inter-
ing. The chances, however, are in favor of
there being no interference. With our pres
ent system, then, there is slight advantage
in favor of the Gsmewell box. This question
of interference has been greatly exaggerated.
In city like st. Paul, where the boxes are
far apart, we will not have case of interfer-
ence, probably, in many years. Furthermore,
let me say, that in Chicago the Fire alarm sys-
tenn use the Gamewell box with the interior
ing apparatus left out.
II our system is improved it will take one of
two forms: either what is known as the small
circuit system or the central-station system.
If the former, the city will be divided into
circuits, these circuits will converge to a CEN
trail Office; an alarm coming into the central
station on one of these circuits will be trans
mitted by repeaters through the other cir
cults to the entire fire department.. The OBJ
ject of this subdivision of the city into cir
cults is simply greater protection, for in case
one circuit breaks down that part of the city
only is temporarily without re-alarm protec-
ton II such system is adopted, with the
latest improvements in mountaineering repeat
ers, then the advantage is clearly in favor of
the Gameweil box.
If the other system, that of the central sta
ton, be adopted, the city will be, Us in the
other, divided into circuits; but In this sys-
tenn all alarms are transmitted RAPIDLY to this
station, and re-transmitted by human agency
from it to the different circuits. Chicago,
which has, perhaps, the best Flre-alarm sys-
Tern in the world, has the central office sys-
tenn; there the Gamewel box is used, but, ss
said, the mountaineering part is left out, and
the box is practically reduced to that made by
Mr.. Bsrge.
In this central station system, then, there is
no choice of boxes.
Let me say, here, that cannot understand
why Chicago should have boxes with the nom
interference part left out, for most assuredly,
notwithstanding the the rapid method of trans
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