The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-04-19

In these days of globe trotting, of en-
ticing winter resorts. of country homes,
OF summer cottages and attractive ho-
/ tells at mountain and seashore, the
Lares and Penates of city houses are
| often left to console one another's lone
| illness for many months in the year
| Time was when these household gods
We're a perplexing burden to their own
! ers, anxiety for their safety costing
many an otherwise joyous, care-free
moment.
But who shall be able to estimate
the enormous load of anxiety that 81
lent, invisible but omnipotent force of
nature, electricity, has lifted from the
shoulders of even rich and great?
Now; by merely stepping into a
burglar alarm Office and paying a.
comparatively nominal sum, any
householder may leave his home for an
indefinite period with the absolute GER
tainty that his possessions, however
valuable, will be as safe from depre-
dalton as though he himself were
mounting guard
Not door or window can be opened
not partition or wire cut, in fact,
the slightest disturbance cannot take
place night or day without Immediate
ly transmitting message of warning
to the vigorous watchers at the central
office, that will bring two men with all
possible speed to the point molested.
During my recent interview at the
burglar alarm office, such a ring of
warning sounded. The two men who
were despatched post haste, soon re-
turned to report that a brichbat had
been thrown through one of the win
dows of beautiful house: perhaps
wantonly, bus-rlore probably to as
certain to whatSSS-tent the house was
protected; for crooks shun a house I'M
der the supervision of the Burglar
Alarm company, as the superstitious
shun ghosts.
AS soon as house, left in charge of
the company, is vacated, representa-
tires of the office are sent to rIake a
careful investigation of the premises
and report as to it's equipment and
general condition.
BY means of this investigation they
often obviate the evil results of the
carelessness of families who, perhaps,
have been obliged to leave home in
haste, and the still greater carelessness
of servants to whom the duty of leav-
ing the domestic outfit in proper con-
dition has been entrusted. Sometimes
these representatives have come upon
rare jewels in the most exposed condi-
ton on dressing table or bureau, a val
liable watch under a pillow, costly
bric-a-brac and silver on mantle and
sideboard; they have even found valu-
able furs wholly unprotected from the
depredations of moths, and upon one
occasion a roll of money loose on a
table.
It is the duty of the company to
look after every such detail with the
utmost care. In addition to their per-
feet electric service they also employ
a large patrol force of uniformed men,
who cover the best parts of the city
and keep an extra watchful eye upon
the special property committed to
their charge. In view of this perfect
equipment, perhaps it is not strange
that they should rejoice in the proud
record of never having had a mis-
chance han9en to any property under
their immediate supervision.
Women possessing valuable jewels
also owe a debt of gratitude to mod
ern enterprise for lifting from their
minds all anxiety as to their care and
absolute safety. For a merely nom
inal sum, safety deposit boxes may be
rented, in which family jewels are as
safe as they could possibly be under
armed guards. In fact few women
nowadays, who have large possessions
in the way of jewels, ever have them
out of the vaults, except when wearing
them If a lady wishes her diamonds
for any particular occasion, she has
merely to leave word at her jewelers.
and they are delivered at ner house,
and called for the next day Indeed, in
some instances, as was the case with
Langtry on her last visit to America,
the jewels are returned the same night.
These deposit boxes are an especial
convenience for the summer months,
for women of the smart set do not car
ry their jewels to their country homes.
Even at the smarteSt functions of ul-
ira fashionable summer homes, dia-
monds are conspicuous by their alb
Sence.
The best of the safety boxes are
to be found at the house of large jew
elers At one of the largest firms in
America, seven watchmen go on every
night at clock, and every nook and
corner of the building is gone over
every fifteen minutes. so that not even
The building is also in
close connection with the burglar
alarm office, SO that the slightest dis
turbance to the electrical current would
give immediate warning to the tire
less watchers there
The safes are each surrounded by a
cabinet which, when closed, resembles
a large wardrobe This cabinet is lined
throughout with metal sensitive to the
highest electric current, which con-
meets with a galvanometer in the CEN
trail office.
Thus it is that modern inventions
with their forces visible and invisible,
lift burdens of anxiety from the minds
of men, and defeat many d contem-
n nj