Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-04-09

A Discussion About Bill for Fire Alarm
Supplies That Were Not Deiivereti--Air.
Jeryis' Report,

4 Supplies That Were Not Delivered MIR
Jervis' Report.
At Thursday nights regular session 81
City Council, the claims of Robert
Smith and James E. Eberhardt, fol
overpaid taxes to the amount of $19.5(
and $3.50, respectively, were allowed on
the recommendation of the finance com.
mittee.
Mr.. Lawson inquired if there were moi
bills in the hands of the committees on
police and fire companies for supplies
that had not been received.
Mr. White, chairman of the police
committee, said he had in hand bill Of
the Southern Electric Company fol
Sl2025, for battery supplies, but that
the materials charged therein had moi
been received The bill, he said, had
been approved by Superintendent
Aydon of the fire alarm.
MIR. Sharkey, chairman Of the com
mittee on fire companies, said that he
went to Baltimore to see the Southern
Electric Company about the matter, but
was treated very curtly by the company'S
officers, who gave him no satisfaction.
4 MIR. Baugh thought the Southern Elec-
| trio Company hadsnot treated the Goun-
/
Curren thought the superintendent was
not TO blame, but that the fault was
with the Southern Electric Company.
\ letter from the company was read,
showing that two barrels Of bluestone
charged in the bill had not been shipped.
The subject was then dropped without
action, but subsequently Mr.. Nandegrift
offered the following resolution, which
was adopted:
Heso'pcd, That the clerk of Council be in
strueted to notify the superintendent Of
| the fire alarm telegraph to appear before
| the joint committees on fire and police on
| Wednesday evening to explain his action
in approving bills for supplies that were
| never received.
! The city treasurer reported: Balance
in bank to the account of current ex-
penses, $50, 003.69; special fund, $4 Asa 90;
receipts Of the week; City Auditor
Mitchell, 1916; CLERK Hyland, $40f.15
| Building Inspector Dillon, 500; Chief
Engineer Boughman, $l25.70; Chief Of
Police swiggett, $l51; Plumbing In
! spector Kane, 80; Collector Mitchell,
| $500; Collector Mealey, $3.50.
Coal Oil Inspector Durney reported
having inspected 20,070 gallons Of oil
during March.
Building Inspector Dillon's report
showed that permits for 90 buildings
had been issued last month; value Of
| improvements, $3G,900.
The payroll of the president and
members Of Council for March, amount-
ing to $244.26, was allowed.
A petition from the Diamond Ice
Company and others, asking that file
alarm box be placed at Thirteenth and
Lombard streets, was read and referred
to the committee on fire companies.
Mr.. Sharkey presented the following
report from L. 3. Jervis, who was re-
Gently employed to make a thorough
inspection sof the fire alarm telegraph
system:
In accordance with the instructions Of
| your committee have to report the fol-
lowing as the result of my investigation,
| viz:
found the room in disorder, the current
| on Two circuits weak and the whole battery
requiring attention.
| found No. circuit in trouble and cut
ont the repeater, throwing out boxes "a, IS,
| 40 % 63, 81, 36, G2, 20, 25and the Weccacoe
engine house gong, indicator and striker
| Trouble on this circuit due to the crossing
Of wires with other lines. There is CON
! siderable trimming of trees that should be
done to prevent trouble in the future.
Tower striker on city hall not wound up
and cut out of circuit. Weccacoe engine
house striker needed some adjustment to
enable il to correctly repeat the alarms.
| Phoenix enginc-house striker in good CON
dltion and SO kept by Driver James Patter-
| son.
! OF the IS boxes ] found one with mag
nets burned out, one in battery room
awaiting repairs and ID needing adjust
ment.
Gongs very dusty and cobwebs in three
| of them.
In fair shape. One or two needed some
| adjustment
have made IS tests of boxes. otinclud-
/ ing regular tests, the three extra tests being
made OH boxes requiring repairs or adjust
ment, neeessltating further tests, viz
Hehgs, J failures; indicators, 90 failures;
| tower strikers, IL failures.
Put new outside shell on box No. IL, the
bottom having been broken out by the old
| one. have placed combination gong
| and indicator in Liberty engine house and
| i works correctly. | have placed buttons
IN Weccaenc and Phmnix engine houses to
enable drivers to strike their tower bell
| and call assistance without going M on
/ ihe root or sounding general alarm All
alarms and tests have come in correctly
| IN the last 10 days, ! would recommend
that on all poles, used Jointly with other
| companies, that the alarm wires be placed
| on the top arm in every case.
Respectfully submitted,
LEWIS b. lERyts
The report was accepted and filed.
MR.. AYDoN's EXPLANATION.
Fire Alarm Superintendent Aydon,
Who WIS confined to his home BY illness
on Thursday, was seen with reference to
the battery supplies for which the
southern Electric Company had rem
| dered ii bill, but which had not been
received Mr. Aydon said he ordered
the bills just previous to his recent i'll
ness, and on the presentation Of the bill.
1 marked them with his approval.
| surprising that the material had ar
rived. Subsequently Lineman Haley re.
/ ported 70 him that two barrels Of blue
/ stone, some coppers and some Zines
were not included in the goods shipped,
whcrcupan he informed Mr.. White,
i chairman Of the police committee, Of
tic shortage, and told him 70 hold back
the bills. The goods not arriving, he
/ wrote TO the Southern Electric Com
i pany, over a week ag0, ASKING them
about the missing material, bHi received
NJ answer. Yesterday he telegraphed
1 the company, asking if reply lad been
sent to his letter, and received an af-
4 irnative answer, although the letter
has not yet arrived Mr.. Aydon said
j he would continue the investigation and
4 see that the company either shipped the
material or cancelled its charges.
Mr.. Carpenter Elected President.
Az the special meeting of he new BOARD
/ Of Directors iii the Street and sewer M