Evening journal., 1890-01-28
THe FlRs ALARM SYSTEM.
Description of the New six Circuit Re
peater-Boxes on Each Circuit.

Of this city from two-circuit system to
r six circuit system has just been sue
cessfully accomplished, with proper
tionate increase in the efficiency of the
department. the safeguards against
trouble with the telegraph system and
the danger of a great conhagration.
Under the old system there were two
circuits, one east OF Market street, the
other west. Any trouble with the wire in
either circuit cut off every fire alarm box
on the circuit from communication with
the City Hall and engine houses. and
left either the eastern or western sections
of the city unprotected, so far as sending
out an alarm was concerned. With six
circuits, each covering smaller district,
the service is obviously made much more
efficient.
The contract for making the change
was given to the Gamewell Fire Alarm
Telegraph Company, and 1t has been done
under the supervision Of Superintendent
j. w. Aydon of the Fire Alarm Tele-
graph, and j NJ. Gardner of the Game
well Company
The new apparatus includes Game
well six circuit repeater, which is carefully
kept in glass case in the battery room
in the basement Of the City Hall
The instrument is beautiful
and delicate piece Of com
plicated telegraph machinery. II is
| composed mostly Of brass and on its good
working depends the success Of the ERE
alarm system of the city. The bat
terry room has been newly boarded inside
and the batteries are arranged in tiers In
rack The room also contains new
switch board, lightning arresters and
seven galvanometers.
When an alarm of fire. is sent in over
any Of the six circuits it is taken up by
the repeater and sent over all the cir
cults, thus announcing the box in every
engine house and at the homes OF the en-
gineers.
The boxes and engine houses included
in the different circuits are as follows:
Circuit No. / box -. City Hall; indi-
Gator and gong in Washington engine
house; box 81, p. w. & B. r. r. station
French street; box Al. Warmers wharf
box 49, Second and Shipley
streets; indicator gong and striker
at Fame hose house; box 80,
Harlan g. Hollingsworth Company yard
box "a, Front and Justison streets; box
32, Sixth and Tatnall.
Circuit No. Box "a, Fourth and
Madison Streets box 8, Fifth aud Adams
/
! Second and Hawley 81, Front and
Searles; Weccacoe engine house, indica.
tor, gong and striker; box 80, MARYLAND
avenue and Cedar streets; 90, Maryland
avenue and Linden; %, Second and Jack
son.
, Circuit No 3-Box z, front Opers
, House. Friendship Engine House. indi
Gator and striker; box 3, Tenth and Or
snge; 81, Thirteenth and Washington
81 Delaware avenue and DUPONT street
As Pennsylvania avenue and Van Burer
street; %. Ninth and Madison streets
Circuit No. 4-Box 81 Thirteenth and
Claymont; 16. Eleventh and Church
: streets; Q, Tenth and Walnut: Phoenix
Engine House, striker, indicator and gong
residence Chief Engineer McCracken, No
1897 Walnut street; a. Diamond Match
Factory, Fourteenth and Walnut; 2,
Twentieth and Market; is, Thirteenth
and King.
Circuit, No. 5-Box iS. Fifth ant
3 French; Delaware Hook and Ladder
: House, indicator and gong IA, From
and Poplar Reliance Engine House, in
0 dictator aud gong AZ, Heald and Lobdell
Z. IL, Third and Railroad residenc
r First Assistant Engineer Jane
t +. Kane, No. AIS Spruce street; 10, Sixtl
and Spruce streets; 81, Seventh and Rail
= road; residence OF Second Assistant En-
E gineer John E. HENDERSON, No. 500 Eas
$ Seventh street.
e Circuit No 6-Battery room in Cit,
e HALL private police box, in Mayor
4 office.
e The last box strikes twelve CONSECUTIVE
3 blows and summons the entire polio
o force to the City Haul
? Fusil strips connect all the circuit
: with the battery room, so that a curren
of tightening or one from an electri
3 light wire will fuse the strip an
D prevent the current injurlng the delicat
e repeater and switch board. This is tn
t first improvement of the system sine
S 1881, when it was established.