The herald., 1893-02-09
FIRE DEPARTMENT MATTERS,
The Chief Makes Some Trans
fers and Remarks.
Electrician Hogan Says the Alarm
System is Unreliable.
Chief Curran Makes Report-Reou,ss
tions for the Month More
Talk About the Alarm
System.

The board OF fire commissioners ma
yesterday morning at 10 O'Clock, tbs
mayor presiding. A full board was
present and Chief Curran was in at.
tendance.
THE ELECTRICIANS REPORT,
Mr.. Hogan, electrician of the depart
ment, presented report in which he
called attention to the wretched condi-
ton of the present fire alarm boxes, and
to the general unrelisbility of the entire
hre alarm apparatus used in the system
here. The boxes, gongs, pointers and
other apparatus are tested periodically
and kept in the best possible order, but
in spite OF all these precautions they
fail at critical times to do their work.
We have at present in the system at
least five different styles of boxes, and
from mechanical standpoint the work.
manship of majority of them is very
poor. The older boxes are nothing
more than clock work thrown to-
getber as cheaply as possible, and are
not as reliable nor as costly as the aver
age messenger call box.
The new non-interference boxes are
complicated and get out of order very
easily, and when they are rung in al
the same time as one of the old boxes
alarms are complicated more than ever,
as in such cases the non-interference
apparatus is of no avail and only
makes matters worse. Instances were
given of the bad working of the boxes,
In one of these cases 1t was the first
alarm for a fire, but it had been tested
several times before and had always
worked nicely. Before the box was
placed it was cleaned and repaired by an
expert on fire alarm boxes and thor
oughly tested, which goes to show that
the boxes cannot be made reliable.
The electrician further says: "I am the
advocate of no especial box, but I
strongly recommend that q first-class
box be adopted and that alone be used
in the system. A poor fire-alarm sys-
tenn Is worse than none at all, and
good one is worth 10 times its cost, as
the failure Of one box to properly do it's
work may cost thousands Of dollars loss,
as well as loss of lives.
'If it is found too costly to change
all the boxes and apparatus, then I
would recommend that telephones be
used instead OF boxes. I have come to
the conclusion, after nearly two years Of
experience with the system here, that
the fire-alarm apparatus ueed is an cleo
trical and mechanical failure"
THE CHIEF ENGINEERS REPORT.
Chief Curran reported on supplies
needed and condition of apparatus.
Also the following transfers and ap-
pointments: Fred Erdman, appointed
foreman No. 8; f. le Barre, transferred
from Chemical No. to Park Hose; Dye
Patterson from Park Hose to Chemical
No. Walter Bonner appinted call
man of Hook and Ladder No. /; j. s.
Sloan, appointed callman of No. 2, vice
LIE Count, promoted; Clarence Rogers,
appointed callman No. 6, vice Hoag.
promoted; John Strohm. appointed cali
man No. 8, vice Wachs, dropped from
the roll; Robert Reudolf, appointed
callman No. 8, vice s. A. Lennon,
dropped from the roll; Thomas Dorsey,
appointed callman No. 2, vice Gregory.
dropped; W. H. Hoag, promoted to
driver cart No. s.; M. Moriarty, trans-
terred from driver cart No. 3 to driver
cart No. 6; @. E. Gevest, transferred
from cart No. to driver engine No. 6 I;
James Brown, transferred from driver
engine No. 6 to driver engine No, 8,
Mr.. McLain inquired why these trans-
fers had been made by the chief.
Chief Curran answered that in taking
charge OF the department he found sew
eral instances in which employees of the
department, who were really worthy
men, were not getting along we'll to-
gether. lie therefore made these trans-
fers in the interest of harmony in the
department. This explanation satisfied
the board and the report was adopted.
REQUIsITIoNs FOR THE MONTH.
The following requisitions were filed
by the electrician:
10 fuseboxes. 30 90
barrels OF blue vitriol. ....., ...... SO 90
l barrel of carbonate of soda .....,., Is 90
rs gravity battery Golfers. ............. is 90
s11o 90
These were filed by the chief for gem
eral use OF the department.
2 new fire hydrants. .................... 120 90
Bits, sponges, Whips, ,etc.."........... SO 90
$3.50 so
Mr.. Kurtz asked what they wanted of
30 much bluestone at one time.
Mr.. Broderick replied that it cost 8
cents by the single barrel and cents if
two barrels were bought at once.
Mr.. McLain wanted to know what the
ten fuse boxes were needed for.
Chief Curran said he believed it was
to save the apparatus, but he would call
in the electrician.
The electrician being summoned, sta
ted that if the fire alarm wires got
crossed with the electricNrailway wires
or electric lighting wires, the result
would be that the apparatus would be
either be badly injured or totally de-
stroyed. The apparatus in house No.
had been burned out several days ago
and had to be replaced. That would
have paid for good many fuses.
Mr. Broderick inquired about the new
fire alarm boxes. He wanted to know
now the change of boxes was going to
be made.
The electrician said the new boxes
were being put into the most populous
portion OF the city and the old ones, af-
ter being taken out and being put in
thorough repair, were being put in the
more remote portions of the city. Mr.
Broderick said he hoped for improve
ment. We had an open circuit about
week ago which had lasted for several
hours and the big bell was cut off en-
tirely.
The electrician, on being asked the
meaning OF the proposed long dash
signal, replied that it went to the engine
horse only in which district the FIRE was
given. In all the other districts the
number is rung, of the box from which
: