Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-21
ABREAST OF THE TIMES.
Electricity Ms n DetectIve-COmpIete Re.
port Of Superintendent Morris Mead
Development of the Police and Public
Telephone System-SOme Interesting


port Of Superintendent Morris Mead
Developments of the Police and Public
Telephone System-SOme Interesting
Figures.
Superintendent Morris Mead, of the Bu-
reau of Electricity, submitted the annual
report of his bureau to the Chief of the
Department of Public Safety yesterday.
The document is very complete, and covers
every detail of the electric system of the
city. 1t begins with brief history of the
fire alarm telegraph, showing its develop
ment to the present, when it includes very
many miles of fire alarm wires and the po-
lice and public telephone system, and now
keeps pace with all demands upon it. ~
The growth of the service during
the past year is shown by the
erection of several new police
patrol booths, IL new fire alarm boxes
and the substitution of over hundred new
and improved style fire alarm boxes for old
ones. Nearly all the remaining boxes have
been improved. There are now 245 fire alarm
boxes and l5l police patrol booths in the city
besides eight complete sets of central Office
police telegraph instruments with cores
ponding patrol service The operation of this
whole system has been conducted with very few
y
Speaking OF the new fire alarm apparatus
and machinery which the city has purchased
to supersede that which has been in use for
the past % years. Mr.. Mead states that not
much has been accomplished as vet owing to
the small appropriation for his bureau but it is
expected that much will be done this year.
outgoing points of the city are highly recon-
mended as an adjunct to the police service.
Another improvement recommended by Mr..
Mead is an anti-induction system of wires for
faln Tian fruIcf tod 6o1,r
best kind known for resisting the influence of
the numerous high tension electric light and
power wires that telephone wires come in near
contact with.
The classification of the sergeants and others
in the police stations, whose duties include the
operating of the police telephone system to the
Bureau of Electricity is another change rec
omm ended the reason given being that they
are not policemen as now classified, but
operators. The purchase of a few more police
and fire alarm boxes is regarded as one Of the
asked that the complement Of tools and ma
chinery for repair work be supplemental as
while the employees of this bureau attend to ali
their own repair work, they need all the neces-
sary implements to do it quickly
Superintendent Mead also presented q sup
Elementary report on the wires owned by the
city in the district bounded by Grant street
and the rivers at the request Of Chief BigeloW,
Of the Department of Public Works. This
was made with view toward an underground
service, and many OF the lines now in use
COulO Do SHOTbcHou pldCeu UNDERGROUND:
when they were strung lines were frequently run
in an indirect route to avoid erecting new poles
or to avoid telephone wires. On Grant street
there are 4S-wires; Smithfield street, l36 wires
and ! cable; Wood street, IL wires; Market
street, wires; Market alley, 2 wires; Ferry
street, wires; Short street, 2 wires; Water
street, IL wires; First avenue, 8 wires: Second
avenue, Is wires; Third avenue, wires; Fourth
avenue, wires; Diamond street, wires; Fifth
avenue, 42 wires; Virgin alley, 4 wires; Sixth
avenue. wires; Seventh avenue, wires; Lib
erty street, "a wires; Penn avenue II wires;
DuQuesne way wires; Second street, 2 wires;
Third street, wire: Fourth street, wires;
Cecil alley, wire; Sixth street, wire: Seventh
street, 3 wires; Ninth street, wires; Garrison
alley, 2 wires; Tenth street, 6 wires; Eleventh
street. 3 wires. Many of these wires only run
for square on the street to which they are
credited, being parts of some one of the DOWN
town circuits.
Superintendent Mead is inclined to the belief
that the proper arrangement for carrying on
the business of the bureau, with the new fire
and police boxes will necessitate doubling the
number of wires in use within the near future.