Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-01-22
THE POLICE TELEGRAPH.
Test to BE Made Wednesday,
Wires and Stations Up.

Test to BE Made Wednesday,
Wires and Stations Up.
The police department of Richmond
will on next Wednesday afternoon mark
an era in its history. Upon that occa-
sion the newly-inaugurated police-patrol
telegraph system will be operated for
the first time. For some months the
work Of stringing the wires and ar
ranging preliminarIes TO the introduction
OF this method has been gong on,
though there were several Interruptions
in the progress from first one cause and
then another.
This feature of the department has
been instituted here almost entirely
through the efforts and interest Of
Messrs. G. q. Bcsher and l.. G. Figg, OF
the Board OF Police Commissioners, a
special committee appointed from that
body, with Mayor Eliyson as chairman
Cr-0dici0. to attend to the details Of the
work. Their acts, of course, were APP
proved by the board, all OF whose men,
bcrs have taken deep interest in the
undertaking.
WHERE THE STATIONS ARE LOCATED.
Superintendent Thompson. of the
Fire-Alarm Department, has directed
the stringing OF the wires and the cree
ton Of stations, and has taken great
deal of pride in this work. The system
to be employed here is the Gamewell,
which IS now in use in MANY Of the
largest cities in the country. Richmond
has ten stations, which are located as
follows: First and Main, First and
Baker, Pine and China, Reservoir and
Cary, Plum and Main, Ninth aud Cary,
Seventeenth above Washington, Twenty
eighth and Main, Nicholson and Fourth,
and Twenty-ffth and O streets.
The headquarters onto which all sig
nails will be sent are in the Office at the
Second Polce-Station. The switch
table, repeater, and other apparatus are
all in position and have been tested.
All the wires pass through the fire. alarm
Office to the station-house, and thence to
the central patrol station proper, which
is in rear Of Reeves drugstore, on Mar
shall street between Sixth and Seventh.
THE wAGON-HOysE.
This central station IS a two-story
brick structure where two men are con-
stanty on duty. The horse and wagon
have quarters below, and everything is
SO arranged that 1t is the work of but a
few seconds from the time an alarm IS
received until the wagon is rolling upon
its mission. In this building, rs in the
tire-aarm office, only the number of
the station IL recorded. In tie police
station. or headquarters, the character
OF the signal ~ given and the tele-
phone used if desired. The Gamewell
station IS about the size OF tire-alarm
box and very similar, being distinguished
by its difference IN color iire-alarm
boxes being red and the police blue.
Each station contains telephone, which
connects with the headquarters just as
other phones do. On the dial inside
the iron easing are seven points, as fol-
lows Fast wagon, slow wagon without
gong and practically noiseless), ambu-
lance, telephone, ;, >.
HOW THEY ARR OPERATED.
BY moving pendulum and pulling a
lever either OF these are recorded at the
Central station. In case of street
fight the fast wagon would 10 called,
but if Il bank-robbery were going on the
"slow and noiseless wagon would be
wanted. If man were badly hurt III
an accident or a row the ambulance "
would be summoned. To move the
hand to the word telephone and pull
the little steel knob down would call
Il man to tho phone at the other end,
and 50 on.
The figures on these dials also indi-
cate certain things. In order to illus
trate, if an officer at Eighth and Broad
streets desired 10 report on his beat at
II NJ. he would simply pull in Zone. "
but if a riot were going on on Church
Hill and ten or twenty men were needed
the policeman on duty at Twenty-eighth
and Main would ring three.
Keys 10 the boxes are given to the pa
trolmen of the district. Locks are uni
form throughout the city, and one key
will open any station. Keys are also
given to responsible citizens with which
they can operate the signal boxes inside
in calling for help without opening any
door.
FOR PRIVATE PROTECTION.
New stations will be added from time
70 time until the city is fully equipped
and it is probable that after awhile an
effort will be made to introduce in the
banks, buslness-houses, and residences
what Is called the "private-protectlon
box, which is not near so large as those
used in the police service, When one
OF these signalcases Is placed in an es-
Enlistment or dwelling the key
to tie house is left at the sta.
ton under seal. In case the occu-
pants have occasion to call for the AS
sistance of the police at any time they
can do so by simply pulling the lever
attached to the box, and they can
also indicate the nature of their
want by using any of the differ
ent signals-that Is, they may in
dictate burglars, drunken servant,
fire, etc. When call is made
the occupants Of house can. if de-
sirable, remain quietly in their bed
rooms, while the policeman answering
the call takes the key of their house
from its place, and, having reached the
dwelling, steps quietly in at the front
door 10 the utter surprise Of the thieves
or burglars, who find themselves abso-
lutaIv framed