Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1886-05-12
NIGHT WATCHNEN.
An Electric Clock Which Accurately Tell
Whether They DO Their Duty.

whether They DO Their Duty.
There has been n great demand of
late years for q clock that would record
the going and coming of night watch
men in factories, hotels, and other large
buildings" said manufacturer to a
reporter recently. ''You may provide
building literally with fire-escapes. but
they are of little use if the Waterman.
being asleep, neglccts to give the alarm
when the fire breaks out. Thus the best
of all precautions is the electric watch
mans clock and register Watchmen
are no better than other mortals; they
will grow weary and sleepy, and some
of them would rather doze all night in
an armchair in some snug corner than
march their appointed rounds. But the
electric clock and register is an inven-
ton that serves as the most potent stim-
illus to the Waterman to make him 60
his rounds. 1t is so arranged as to
serve for any desired number OF sta
tons, and controlling from one to ten
watchmen if necessary. At each station
the Waterman inserts key and gives
one full turn. This makes Its unfailing
record on blank which is locked in
side the clock in the Office, and which
| is so placed that no Waterman, however
| ingenious or sly, can tamper with II.
The record when taken out in the morn
| ing shows exactly what stations tho
Waterman visited in the night and the
time Of his visits"
"Are there not other contrivances,
portable and more simple, that answer
the purpose?"
There are other contrivances, GER
| tainly, but none so reliable as the cleo
| trio clock. For instance, there is a
| continuance which Waterman carries
about with him. This contains paper
| dial on which record is to be made dur
ing the night by the use of a key fast
| ened at each station to be visited. This
| is delivered to the Waterman when he
goes on duty. The blank paper dial is
| locked inside of it, But by supplying
himself with lot of false station keys,
the Waterman can punch all the holes
he pleases and deliver the detector to
the proper official in the morning cor
rectfy marked. / tell you it is good
! deal of trouble for Waterman to walk
| about all night. There are some peo-
pie, even night watchmen, who think
the night was made for sleep and rest.
One such, who had been employed in a
large hotel where the portable detector
had been in use, astonished his employ
ers by resigning shortly after they pro-
cured an electrical. He admitted that
the new clock kept him going all night
and disturbed his rest. Under the old
arrangement he had slumbered and
lounged to his hearts content. The
superintendent of large factory recent
ly rugged pedometer to night watch
man. The man faithfully went his
rounds, and in the morning the machine
registered nearly fifteen miles. In a
large factory in Connecticut where a
portable detector was in use, one of the
| officials took notion one night to walk
quietly through and see what was going
on. To his surprise he found the watch.
man lying in half-drunken condition
in the cngine-room. He thought Of
course, that in the morning the dial
would be presented in a very imperfect
condition. But he was very much as
tonished to find it brought to the office
with all the marking duly made. He
said nothing but took observations the
next night, and noted similar state OF
affairs, the markings being apparently
correct in the morning. The watch.
man was summoned to the Office and
ordered to give an account of himself
and his detector. The explanation was
so rambling and incoherent that the
man was at once dismissed. The fac.
tory folks were mystified and racked
their brains to discover how a drunken
man, who spent most of his nights in
an engine room, could produce such re
cords In the morning. After many days
they learned that the deeeitful fellow
| had procured a numbea Of blank paper
dials and also key to the lock which
shut them In. He would pick them IL
the evening before going on duty. then
open the concern, take out the blanl
which7had been supplied him, and sliI
the fraudulent one In its place."