Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-01

locality. All Of the city lines were tempo
rarily disabled. Many OF them feil on
clcctric-light and other heavlly-chargeu
wires.
Immediately after the storm every
member OF the fire-alarm force, together
with such extra help as could be obtaineu'
started out on a tour OF temporary re-
pairs: and. although they could not GET
any of the circuits 10 work that nishl'
yet much good Was done. and every pre-
caution was taken 10 guard against ires'
such as promptly notifying the Chiet In
gineer OF the Fire Department and get
ting q detail from every company to pa
troll their district, ordering the current OF
both power and electric-light circuits cut
Off. and notice that under no crcuh-
stances must they turn on the current
until a thorough daylight inspection had
been made.
II would. perhaps, require volume 10
give I'm detail the damage the system mas
suffered from this storm. Suffice IL 70
report that the following instruments
not 10 mention the innumerable instances
I'm which poles and wires lay I'm q tangled
mass Of wreckage upon the streets were
burned out and rendered useless:
Fire-Alarm Boxes. 213. %, %, -. l3i, o.
r. 127 r. 81, s73, IS. q, a. So, 81, 125, SCI,
Nfacnetoes and extension bells located
NJ central Office Presidents ONCE fresl-
dents residence Commissioner sheppard
chief Engineer. Runners gongs, so far
as inspected-Franck. Umlauf, smith,
AIerrydew, Phillips, Talley, Luchenberg'
Lee, Bosher Dispatch Office Minor, Humid
ley. Easley.
All OF the above instruments were so
badly burned as 10 necessitate their De-
ing practically renewed.
within forty-eight hours n majority or
the fre-alarm boxes had been reWound
and replaced particularly those In the
centre of the city. Had this work beeh
sent to the factory. it would probably
have cost the city (based on former
factory repairs Of like nature) between
5000 and $500 for repairs, while, as
matter Of fact, the department did the
work I'm their own shop, at cost OF
but little more than 500.
Again. had this work been sent to the
factory. the city would have been WIN
out fre-alarm stations at these vital
points for a week or ten days, at least
whereas. as above stated, they were re-
placed within forty-eight hours-a mat
ter of greater consideration than cost
OF repair. -...-.
THE NEED FOR SUBWAYS.
The work Of transferring wires 10 the
new poles on Broad street. from Eleventh
IN Tail alley has been completed, and
the necessary wires for the new telephone
service run to this point. owing 10 the
roundabout way by which the depart
r1ent has reached the East End on the
NTorehall-strcet line Of the Ben Com
Danv's poles. It. was found necessary Ia
build n new line from Jail alley TO
Eiehtcenth street. on Broad, which Will
give q valuable trunk line on this street
from the Office 20 Eighteenth street. The
pole line recently built on Mosby and
Pleasant streets withstOoi the storm
which clearly demonstrates the impor-
lance of good outside construction. Too
much stress cannot be lail upon the re-
Communications made I'm the annual re-
ports Of the department for the last three
or four years that tho city Will never
be safe from such storms until the wires
arc placed in subways. This was clearly
shown on October 18th. when an attempt
was made 90 pull Station 40. l3, located
/ i'm the heart Of the city. for am impor-
tant fire The circuit ON which this box
! IS located was in trouble. caused by high
wind grounding same at one point anc
! a swinging cross with alternating current
at another completely cutting out Tho
business portion of the city. This trouble
/ rs liable to occur again WNllf we nav
! thousands OF foreign wires strung indis
! criminately around our own 10 deal with
/ Nh r.. W. BoWTy. at the time q line
man Of this department, fen from pole
| ON lower Main street. on August 1itf
and broke his leg. disabling him for SER
/ vice 70 the present time
As required by ordinance the depart
ment has inspected hundreds Of poles
and wires and cables I'm the city during
| the year; has also, at the request of
the Superintendent of Gas-Works. tested
an olectrlc-light circuits furnishing city
| lights.
All OF the hre-alarm boxes have beer
painted and new buggy and new wagon
! received by this department during the
year. the former i'm January and the
latter during December. The frc-alarm
stable. has been moved TO the rear OF
| LII. - l.lLfI linz