Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-27

The annual report of Superintendent Fl. R.
Miles Of the District telegraph and telephone
service makes urgent appeal for . rebuild
ing and enlarging Of the present fire alarm
I system, which, he says, the city has outgrown.
/ The report says:
| This service covers q considerable area out
side the city limits of Washington and George
I town. with it's telephone reporting stations for
I police purposes. and would better serve in that
capacity were it extended to every portion of
the country patrolled by the police force Such
extension should be provided for in the near
| future.
! The fire alarm telegraph covers portions
! only of the cities of Washington and George
/ town. and was constructed with seven signal
and four alarm circuits (Au metallic). This lin
tied number Of circuits were ample for the
number and extent Of the instruments required
when this plant WAS erected seventeen years
ago. The system embraced within It's devices
all the best improvements then In use, but since
that time many very important improvements
have been made in fire alarm apparatus, which
it would be well to introduce here when this
plant shall be enlarged. Washington and
GsOTses f,s "a are but , :osntiy y, supplied as
ception Columbia road and 10th street ex.
tendedD no protection is afforded to life or prop
erty BY this telegraph beyond the limits Of the
two cities. 1t is true, however, that the tele-
phones Of the police patrol might be used
through the precinct station houses from few
places in the suburbs for calling out the fire de-
partment should their services be required, but
at best this would be roundabout method for
alarms.
DOES NOT AFFORD PROTECTION.
1.-The fire alarm telegraph fairly good, what
there is of iD does not afford that ample pro-
lection to life and property that Is desirable,
| and which it could easily be made TO do by .
judicious expenditure Of few thousand dol
lars for rebuilding and enlarging the system.
This plant WAS erected during the summer Of
1875 with seventy-fve signal boxes. at . cost Of
ST5.o00-paid for wholly from the revenues Of
the District of Columbia. These seventy-fve
boxes were distributed over the seven signal
circuits Since that date seventy-eight boxes
have been added. thus crowding l5S boxes into
the seven circuits them.
ION the four alarm circuits are distributed
the gongs and bells upon which are sounded the
alarms for fire and the time signals struck daily.
These circuits. like those Of the signals over
loaded with Instruments neither class OF cir
cults can be increased in number however,
without first obtaining new repeaters, switch
board and other central office instruments hav-
ing the necessary enlarged capacity.
his RECOMMENDATIONS.
Having treated somewhat e1haustively on
this subject in my annual report last year. and
definite action has been taken thereon
and as, in my judgment, this is very important
to the citizens of the entire District Of Columbia
and especially to those living and owning their
property in suburban villages near the city, 1
beg to repeat. in part what Was said in that re-
port as follows:
Increase the number Of fire alarm boxes
$50. making the total 400. Distribute these
400 boxes nearly equal as practical over
forty metallic signal circuits. Increase the
alarm circuits to ten for connecting with the
necessary number of fire companies. Provide
for four separate bell circuits which shall con-
meet only with such number of church bells %
may be requisite for giving the "time signals"
to every section of tho two cities these sig
mails TO be struck through the four-signal man
ual repeater now In use. Procure for the CEN
trsl Office four fifteen-circuit automatic re-
peaters and one ffteen-circuit manual repeater
together with the necessary switohboards and
other central Office outfits to meet the enlarged
capacity Of such plant. I feel justified in
urging the necessity Of this Improvement. The
growth Of the city demands 1t and unless some
such plan is adopted il will be literally impos-
sible to maintain an efficient fire alarm, and
without an efficient fire alarm there cannot be
any great degree of efficiency in the fire depart
ment.
whether the wires are to beput under ground
or not, the lines must be rebuilt very soon. 1t
| is absolutely hazardous to further postpone
their reconstruction. Nearly all the overhead
part OF the fire alarm wires we're put up sixteen
years ago and were supported In part on house
top fastenings and the remainder on small poles,
which are now in an advanced state of decay.
Of course, the lines are in a very bad condition.
and state the case mildly when inform you
that nearly all the wires In the department are
in Tn unsatisfactory condition. The superin-
tendent is and has been quite helpless In the
matter, but having frequently called attention
to the subject, he could only wait and hope for
relief.
IF the wires are to be put underground the
work should be commenced as soon as possible,
and even should that work be undertaken as
early as next spring 1t will become necessary to
put in many new poles along the old existing
lines. / called very earnest attention to this in
my last annual report and in q subsequent COM
Inunication On the same subject, but Congress
made no such provision for such repairs.
should ample provision be made for placing
all the wires underground and should the work
be commenced i'll the near future. even then
IT will be necessary to secure appropriation
for keeping the present lines in reasonably good
condition while the cables are being laid. This
in my Judgment cannot be done without an ex-
penditure of at least 81 500 for new poles OF
course the overhead system must be maintained
until the underground shall have been fully
completed.
MORE FoRLoRN CONDITION THAN EVER
Having failed in procuring the necessary
"fPANkAA~H IVA PossAAS LAC oNSHAoou WlEeS IN
repair as above recommended, l can only add
that the lines, notwithstanding the most siren
uOus efforts to keep them up, are in a more for
lorn condition than they were year ago.
During the year Just closed several Of these
decayed poles have fallen and many others are
liable TO fall at any time, and yet no adequate
sum has been provided for making these abso-
| lutely necessary repairs. You will not wonder
therefore, that am obliged once again to re-
port the wires in bad condition This
has become a very serious matter, and yet
as stated IN the quotation from last years re-
port, the superintendent is helpless in the prem
ises. respectfully and very earnestly renew
the entire recommendation in regard to Increase
of plant and sufficient appropriation for putting
the air lines in good repair pending an entire
reconstruction Of the system, either under
/ ground OF overhead, as may be wisely deter
mined by Congress.
ITO rebuild the lines overhead with best
| quality of poles tall enough to support the
wires above the tree tops and with best quality
Of hard drawn copper wire Of suitable gauge
would cost for construction Of the lines as per
estimate. 100000 and the necessary new in
struments about s45, 900, making the total cost
OF the proposed new plant s150 900 These
estimates consider fair and reasonable, and
{ yet far below the relative prices paid for the
I present system.
should an underground system OF wiring be
I n .-a1~h s.o 4 III