Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-07-23
THE POLICE SIGNAL SYSTEM.

Court, in which event it will probably
be two years or more before il ia reached.
THE Police SIGNAL SYSTEM.
Not Yet Working in a Satisfactory Manner
Mayor Wiley Writes to the Gaynor
Company,
The police signal system is sort of
municipal elephant. 1t is nearly eight
months since it was completed, but thus
far it has scarcely given an entire days
satisfactory operation. Policeman
Rittenhouse has been working at it for
the past week or ten days, and it is now
nearer in working order than it has yet
been, although it is by no means justify
ing its introduction Operator Ray
mond said on Tuesday that il worked
fairly well in daytime, but would not
work at all at night.
\ few weeks ago Mayor Wiley wrote
to the constructors of the system, the
Gaynor Electric Company of Louisville,
Ky, asking the company to send on, at
its own expense, an expert to put the
system in proper shape, as it was not
then working at all. On July 10th, he
receiyed.a reply by telegraph, stating
I'VE cannot send man before next
week; will send then, if at the expense
| of the city, Under the same date he
received, a few days later, a letter in
which the Gaynor Company sand
| The system will give you no trouble if it
| is properly cared for. We have done
everything that could reasonably be ex-
! pected towards keeping it in order, and
when il was wrecked by storms, lightning
| and excessive currents from street railway
/ lines had .1u4 and
| received any compensation.
We therefore feel that at this time, ii
| through some neglect or natural cause over
| which we have no control, the system is
out Of order, we should receive compensa-
| ton for the services of the man we send.
| THE GAYNon ELECTRIC Co.,
/ JOHN IL. SuTcLIFFE, President.
Mayor Wiley delayed writing AN an
swer to this letter for several days, rs
he was under impression that the com
pany, by the terms of its contract, was
required to Keep the system in good
working order for the space of three
years. Having learned that this was
true, he wrote Monday and after stat
ing the reason for his delay in answer.
ing, said:
have made an examination into mat
tiers connected with your system, and
learn;
!. That it has never worked properly oil
satisfactorily.
.. That the flash lights were never in
proper working order, or that the operator
was never instructed in their use.
i >. That the universal judgment is every
where expressed that the system ha,
failed to do what was claimed for il ant
what was promised by your company
find in your contract You promise tC
do certain things for period of thre,
years. also find that you haye--so far a.
can ascertain-gven no bonds OF
security for the faithful performance o
your part of the contract. Had il beer
otherwise the Police Commissioned bod,
independent of City Council--who hav,
entire control Of your system, would hav,
proceeded at once against the bond, il
order TO obtain that compliance with tn,
contract that the commission think /.
only fair and just.
AS II now stands we, of course, shall h
compelled to call in an expert nearer hom,
and who can enlighten us on a system
which now obtains no confidence in thi
community.
kcgretung the necessity of writing thus
and with no lnkind feelings IN the matte
remain Yours, very truly,
5. j. WILEY, Mayor,
The provision in the contract to which
mayor wiley hlluues is rs follows
And the said party Of the first par
further covenants and agrees with tn
said party Of the second part that for
period Of three (3J years following tn
date of the acceptance of and paymen
for the apparatus as hereinbefore speci
fled, it will make good, at its own ex
pense and charge, any and all defect
which may at any time appear in tn
original materials or construction o
said apparatus
II is said that at the time the contrac
was signed, july oath, 1890, the Gayno
Company gave a bond for the faithful
performance of the same, but the bon,
cannot now be found II is not anon
the records Of the clerk of Council, AM
doubts arc expressed that it ever wa
executed.
!, The contract price for the system wa
1868, with about $500 additional ia
$ the wire required. The money wa
2 promptly pad by Council, within
week after the system was finished.
,, II il probable that the Police Commits
sion will employ ali electrical expert t
come here and endcavor TO put the sly;
TEN on thorough working basis,
e such a rugult Is possible