Evening star., 1895-08-16
to the task of fighting fire during the year,
divided by the month as follows:


During the year four fire alarm boxes
Nos. 231 316. 617 and 61s, were purchased.
boxes. Nos. 36. 312. 321. 327. 731 and 7s2.
were so badly damaged by the wire on
which they were connected. coming in
contact with a live trolley wire in George
town that new boxes had to be bought
to replace them, involving an expense OF
$500. Ten keyless boxes were put up in
the places of as many of the old style
in March last, and have given very good
satisfaction.
Thirtythree new poles were set to re-
place that number of decayed ones during
the year at cost of $S44. The new poles
have greatly improved the old trunk lines,
especially along 14th street north of L
street northwest. Many additional new
poles are yet needed to take the place of
decayed and rapidly decaying poles put
in service years ago
alarms occurred during the year, and as
whole, the fire alarm apparatus has
done It's work well.
Police Patrol Service.
The patrol telegraph and telephone serv-
ices covering the city portions of the nine
police precincts have 126 street stations
from which reports are made hourly, or
cftener. by each officer on patrol duty to
his respective precinct station, day and
night, from which it will be seen that
these patrol boxes work almost constantly
year in and year out.
: The first precinct has thirteen stree. sta
tions.
The second precinct has sixteen street sta
tions.
The third precinct has sixteen street sta
tons.
The fourth precinct has sixteen street sta
tions.
The fifth precinct has fourteen street sta
tions.
The sixth precinct has thirteen street
,sta tions.
The seventh precinct has fourteen street
stations.
The eighth precinct has ten street sta
ticns.
The ninth precinct has fourteen street
stations.
Total number of city street stations in
the nine precincts, 126.
The substat!on at Anacostia has a tele-
phone connected with the fifth precinct sta
ton house, and Tenleytown substation has
telephone connection with the Georgetown
(seventh precincD station house.
In the eighth precinct there are five tele-
phone reporting stations in the county, all
connected with the station house on U
street between 9th and 10th streets north
vest These reporting stations are located
one each at Brooklard, Takoma Park,
Brightwood, 1th street and Rock Greek
Church road crossing and Mount Pleasant.
Additional patrol boxes and reporting sta
precincts. In the fifth, seventh, eighth and
ninth precincts the service should be great
ly enlarged so that the officers on patrol
duty outside of the city could make fire.
ouent and regular reports and call for as
sistance when needed.
New Furniture Required.
The furniture in connection with the
Patrol instruments in the first, fourth
sixth and ninth precincts ought to be re-
rewed as the old was never as good as ii
should have been; is out of harmony with
surroundings. and not of the kind to insure
the highest degree of service.
Several new and improved registers will
also be required. All Of which will be esti-
mated for.
When Constructed.
The patrol telegraph was erected and put
in operation in the several precincts, as fol-
lows: In the first, October l, 1884; in the
sixth, March 16, 1885; in the fourth, Novem-
ber 1, 1856; in the second, October &c, 1857
in the third. November l, 1883; in the ninth,
May l, 1880; in the seventh, October 1, 1890;
in the fifth, June "A, 1891; in the eighth,
June "a, 1891.
Telephone Messages.
During the yer covered by this report,
141 ,355 police official messages were sent
and received, which were duly recorded in
the official record books kept by this de-
partment, monthly, as follows: