Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1886-07-01
ALARM BOX, OPEN.

bySUeH mas IdpIuly spredu IuOuSu only
four years have elapsed since that first raid
patrol has been adopted in st.
Baltimore, Washington and dozen
Paris, France, was here to make an investi-
cation of the system. Boston has just taken
it in, and New York is thinking about it.
What is this police patrol and telegraph
system! 1t is fire department for the ex
tinguishment of crime. 1t is a device by
which the preservers of peace patrolling
their beats are placed within instant commu-
nication with their superiors, and by which
the commanding officers are able to send re-
endorsements quickly and with full know-
edge of the work to be done and the number
of men needed, to any part of the field. In
Chicago the system has reached its highest
development. There are upon the street
corners in this city 450 sentry or
signal boxes to which thousands of
citizens and all officers have access.
The citizens key cannot be removed until
an officer arrives to release it from the trap
lock, and as all keys given out are numbered
and registered at headquarters there is an
effective check upon trihing. Inside the
sentry box is an iron Iox containing tele-
phone and electric signal dial. Only officers
have keys to this inner box. but citizen
may send in an alarm by simply pulling the
projecting lever This done. he has but a
few moments to wait, when his ears will be
gladdened by the clsng, clang of the gong
with which the patrol wagon heralds its
swift approach. A pull of the hook sum-
mons a wagon and three officers, but by
using the telephone the patrolman may
summon all of the twenty wagons
belonging to the department., with
dozen men in each, should the
emergency require so many. The dial
saves much time and trouble, for by setting
the hand at the proper number the patrol
man may simultaneously with the trans
mission of the alarm itself send information
as to the character of the trouble For a
simple drunk the horses drawing the wagon
are not urged to breakneck speed, while in
case of riot officers are picked up on the way
and all possible haste made in reaching the
scene of disorder.
In each patrol wagon are handouts, come
alongs, clubs. blankets, stretchers, canvas,
ropes, etc. There is also medicine chest,
and the officers in charge of wagons have
been so often and SO carefully lectured by
the department surgeonthat they are now
excellent practitioners.i emergency cases.
These wagons are j9ttly famous for their
convenience and sped. They often travel
mile in five minutes, and in less than an
hour all the wagons in the city may be
massed at one point.
If the telegraph and wagon system has
been found as useful in all cities where en-
ployed as in Chicago, it has already been a
greater blessing to society than its fond in
ventors ever dreamed of. In Chicago last
year the officers in charge OF station houses
received over the department telephones
1000, 900 reports from patrolmen on duty.
The patrol wagons answered 500 alarms
week, and during tire year Travelled 5000
miles.
But the system, admirable though it be- is
not yet complete, even in Chicago. Had the
late Haymarket riot occurred in time OF
usual quiet when there were few reserve
officers at the station houses, many moments
must have passed before re-enforcements in
effective numbers could reach the scene.
Each officer patroling beat is required to
report by telephone every half hour, but in
the case of the Haymarket struggle this
would have been half hour too late. Ample
provision has been made for instantaneous
transmission of intelligence from officers on
beat to their superiors at the station houses.
but there is no way in which the generals Of
the city army may quickly dispatch instruo-
tions to their forces scattered far and wide
on picket duty. This is serious defect,
and, taking warning from the late turbu-
lence, Chicago will soon place large bells upon
her station houses, and on these bells signals
will be struck in great emergencies, call
ing patrolmen from their beats and
sending them in haste to head
quarters. These bells will have tone easily
from the fire bells, and neigh