The Portland daily press., 1891-02-25
THE FIRE ALAR m.
An Explanation From the City Eiec-
trician.

newspapers of late above our fire alarm
system. Now will you please give me space
in your paper to correct some things so that
honest thinking citizens will not be led
astray.
First let me take the communication in the
Daily PRESS of February 18th signed "Fire
man." Fireman" says: 1.-THE other night
that box 4l2 was pulled and the bell gave
412, 5l2 and 81, and some of the indicators
showed 5l2 and others 4l2." Now let me try
and make this clear as Fireman" does not.
Iu the first place boxes 412 and 81 were both
pulled for the same fire. This Fireman"
does not mention. but says "The alarm
struck 412. 5l2 and 6l." Now so far as can
learn the truth is that all of the indicators,
bells, gongs and tappers, with one exception,
struck 5l2. The first round after that was
412. The 512 was wrong and of course mis-
leading to the department. As soon as 1
learned that this box registered the wrong
NUMBER, OH, l began to investigate and to
find, If possible, what caused The trouble.
AT first supposed that the brake-wheeI,
which contains the number had been burned
Dy the wire coming in contact with the
electric wires during the late ice storm, for
there had been an alarm from this same box
only short time before and it was all right.
Upon examining the wheel l found that it
had been burned a little but no material dam
age done. However it is possible that
small particle of something got upon the
wheel and broke the circuit, for anything as
thick as hair would be just as good as a
tenpenny nail; and be brushed away so as
round Of the box. Then Fireman" goes on
to say that Wednesday afternoon box "a was
pulled. and he says: "They say this box
has light spring and rapid movement and
II rolled OIL the number too fast for the in
dicators. and all of which piled up six blows
on the first dial" This is not true. In the
first place this box does not run by a spring
but by weight, and neither did all of the
indicators, as he says, pile up six blows ON
showed and part Of them show "a. " 'n'A
NOW let me try and make all under
stand why the indicators did SO.
This piece of electrical apparatus
Is very delicate, and requires to be adjusted
very line In order to correspond with the
numbers In the boxes, as our boxes are not
all OF the modern style. When an alarm of
ire Is given, the machinery in the indicator
begins to move, and does no; stop until one
tween the numbers of a round allowed is on
ly five seconds, and it is not safe to allow
them to vary two seconds either way, so you
Will see that If tie speed of box happens
to be little fast, the two numbers are liable
to register on the first dial of the indicator.
Also If the box happens to Iun little slow
the numbers will register on the first and
third dials. At the same time the church
bells, gongs and tappers will all strike cor
hardly be noticed.
Now for the church bell strikers. Sire
man" speaks Of two more particularly than
others, viz, the First Parish and st. Ste
phens. The ST. Stephens has given us much
is one of the first put into use in our city,
nearly % years ago. and there is only one
more just like 1t, the First Parish; and this
one has given US no trouble to my knowledge
the past year. These two strikers are old,
and have not the modern improvements that
all the later ones have to prevent them from
tripping too fast. This was known to me, of
course, but was In hopes not to be Obliged
TO have either of these strikers
modernized this year, because our
all we wish for in one year. have given a
great deal Of attention to this striker, but
have not been able to make 1t work sue
cessfully, Let me say that this has annoyed
me much more than any citizen living in
dered to be modernized several days ago by
the chairman of the committee and it will be
done as soon as possible.
We have had some trouble with other bell
strikers this winter, as we always do, but no
more than should expect to have. Springs
and pins will break, just as they do in all
machinery that is exposed to such changes
as we have had the past winter.
Then Fireman" goes on to say that the
electrician knows all about the condition of
the boxes and indicators. This is true, for l
did suppose knew as we'll as 1t is possible
for me to know just the condition of the in
dicators and boxes. He then goes on to say
that the electricians duties are to inspect all
wires, DC: This is true; but he always looks
1t Is well known that there are some who do
not believe in inspecting wires, but my ex-
perience has been that the inspection of all
wires Is very much needed, and l will also
say that the only delay to the fire department
known to myself during the past year, and
loss of property BY the delay, was caused by
the brake wheel In one of our boxes being
burned by one of the electric wires coming
In contact with the fire alarm wires.
Inc next day my attention was called to a
communication in the Evening Express
signed Insurance" This man was stand
Ing at the Preble house on the evening that
Box u struck and he says that he was sur
prlsed to see the apparatus go down Centre
6. am told, not 81, However, this was no
fault OF the fire alarm system or the cleo
trlclan. The box registered II at the engine
mouse that the apparatus went from. This
Insurance" can satisfy himself by calling
Now. Mr.. Editor. think these articles do
myself greatl injustice as well as mislead
honest thinking citizens. should like to
have any OF our citizens call at the City Elec.
tTiclan's Office and inspect any of the fire
for themselves. And further would like to
have any or all of the apparatus connected
with the system tested by striking all or as
many OF the boxes as any one wishes. There
are many things that can be shown to per-
sons in regard to the fire alalm system, that
they cannot understand by reading about
them in the newspapers.
LEVI L. CUMMINGS.