Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-12
Fire Alarm System Still in a Terrible
Condition.
AT THE MERCY OF FIRES
Wires Should Go Under Ground
Says Superintendent Miles.
THE PR O B A B L E GO S T

Although two weeks has elapsed since
the violent wind storm visited here and
played havoc with the overhead wires, the
District is virtually without system or
transmitting fire alarms from any section
of the District to the headquarters of the
service in the District building. This in
formation was given Star reporter THIS
morning by Superintendent Miles. who is In
charge OF the District fire alarm and tele-
graph service. The damage. he said, is be-
ing repaired as fast as possible, and while
a great amount of work has already been
dcne there is still great amount more to
be accomplished before the District will be
properly protected In case of fire. At pres
ent, he says, thereds no absolute certainty
that single alarm box will do its work
properly, although in the business part OF
the city a number of connections have been
completed. But the w.reS of private com
panies were also damaged, and in repairing
them their wires sometimes get crossed
with those of the District, and then 1t Is
impossible fer an alarm to go through
properly.
Superintendent Miles estimates that about
five hundred miles of wire suffered from
the storm, and to replace this and put 1t in
working order is small task. The regu-
lar force of linemen has done good work.
the men remaining at work at night and on
Sundays Because of the great demand
for linemen, he says he was able to get
lines, and for this reason considerable time
Is required. Should weather conditions re-
main favorable, he hopes by the end of the
week to have the f1re-alarm boxes all in
good working order again.
1t was impossible to get an alarm over
the wires from the boxes when the fire in
South Washington was discovered yester-
day morning, for the reason that the cir
cult in that section was completely de-
moiished. Workmen are engaged on this
circuit today. Fortunately. he said. Mr..
James Simpson. the operator at headquar-
tcrs. saw the blaze before much Roadway
had been gained, and he turned in an
alarm, guessing at the location of the fire.
The damage done this time, Superin-
tendent Miles says, is the greatest Object
lesson the District has ever seen, and lie
| told the Commissioners Saturday that ii is
| the strongest possible argument for doing
away with overhead wires ard putting
| them In conduits. He thinks to put all tn.
| District wires underground will cost about
| ShUO0O, and 1t is his idea to ask for $685.
| 900 at the coming session of Congress. This
| amount, he says. will do the worl, ia the
| central part of the city, and with similar
| appropriation during the next two years
| the work can be accomplished. OF course
| he prefers that the entire work should
| be done at once, but thinking Congress
VIII not make so large an apr OPERATION fol
| the work in a lump, he thinks the three.
| year plan is the next best thing.
The Commissioners are heartily in sym.
| pathy with him in this matter, and Wi.
exert all their influence at the coming ses
| sion OF Congress to right the wrong.
| When the fire alarm wires are put tr
| working order the police call box ard tele
| phone wires will be repaired. At present
| there are several police precincts without
| telephone connection, and the patrol box =.
are all out of order. causing considerable
and In some cases dangerous delays in tn,
| matter of handling criminals
The putting of the wires under ground
| Superintendent Miles says will be NOR
expensive TO the District than ii would b.
to the big telegraph companies, for .il
| most instances the companies have hi;
| trunk lines extending directly through tn
| city. while the Districts wires have to con
meet almost every square in the city.