Birmingham state herald., 1897-02-19
T. WORKS LIKE 4 CHARM
GamewelI Police and Fire Alarm
 System Tested
AND FOUND EFFICIENT
Delegation of Citizens With the Mayor and Aldermen Witness the Test and Express
 Satisfaction Details of Modus 0perandi.

alarm system was made yesterday after noon and found 10 be entirely satisfac- tory
 The test was made at 3:S0 o'clock, and occupied nearly an hour. Those present were Mayor Evans and Aldermen Ward, Wheeler, Rainbow, Hentchel, McCartin, Graham and Hamilton, and Chief Mullin, of the fire department, representing the city, and Police Commissioners Garrett, Reynolds and Lowe. Among the citizens present were Maj. Mlner, D. J. Fox, T. F. Thornton and others, and representatives of the press The test and trials were conducted by MT. c. J. Jenne, of Louis vile, and MT. T. ". Hubbard, of the Chattanooga fire department. These two gentlemen were materially assisted by MT. Tom Miles, the competent electrician of the local fire department in the erec- tion of the system.
 The first examination made was of the large desk and other apparatus in the warden's office, in the city prison. The local system is divided into four circuits, so that the location of call will be al- most immediate. The mode of answering alarms sent in, of switching the connec- tion from circuit to circuit, of calling the patrol wagon or mounted policemen from the warden's office as well as the boxes, and for all other purposes for which the system is practicable, were 1ully, yet simply explained.
 MT. Hubbard was sent out to box 25, on Morris avenue and Twentieth street, from which place several alarms were received. Telephonic communication was held by Mir. Hubbard and several of the committee who were surprised at the clearness of tone reproduced by the phones.
 The manner of registering the calls Is very simple. A roll of narrow paper ex- tending through ticker and attached to second roller is made to travel slowly every time an alarm is sent Also at tached is an instrument governed by the larger clock above the desk, which stamps the year, month, day, hour and minute of the receipt of the call At the same time the number of the box is given and the return of the alarm.
 It is/possible to send in five different calls over the system, as follows: Wagon, ambulance, police officer police report and fire alarm. The alarms are regis tered on the narrow, ribbon-like paper by dashes and distinguished by the accom- panying number of dots. A long dash calls the wagon; dash and one dot calls the ambulance; a dash with two dots requests an officer be sent, and dash followed by six dots means that there is a fire. The police report is rep resented by dots only. After the nature of the call is sent in it is followed by the number of the box registered by dots and spaces Box 25 would be two dots, space and five dots.
 From the warden's office the gentlemen repaired to Eighth avenue and Nine teenth street, the location of box 12. On the interior of the box is the telephone crank to be turned to send the alarm and pointer to be moved to certain posi- tions for the different calls Each point has the printed call above It. In order to send in fire alarm all that would be necessary would be to move the pointer to the place marked fire alarm" and furn thu crank The other n a ra in in a similar manner.
 All boxes have two different keys-a citizens and an officers key. The latter key only will open the box. The other key is to be inserted firmly in the open ing in the center of the door and turned to the right. By thus doing a wagon call is sent in, and it is impossible to send any other kind of a call with only a citizens key When 1t is once-inserted and turned 1t Is impossible to remove until the arrival of an officer. who, with his key, unlocks the door and releases the other one.
 It is understood that three citizens keys will be left with reputable citizens in the vicinity of each box. All the keys are numbered and the holders names will be registered at Central station. Thus it will be known who sends in every alarm by the number of the key.
 The members of the committee ex- pressed themselves as well pleased with the working of the system. A meeting of the board of aldermen has been called for today at noon to accept the system and order the payment of the costs of erection and purchase.
 The work has been superintended by MT. c. J. Jenne, the Louisville agent for the Gamewell Police and Fire Alarm company. The main office is at 1k Barclay street, New York, and the fac- tory at Newton. Lower Falls, Mass MT Jenne was assisted by T. w. Hubbard of the Chattanooga fire department and Tom Miles, electrician of the local de- pertinent.
 Messrs. Jenne and Hubbard leave to- morrow for Selma, where they go to place an improved system of fire alarms
 There are twenty boxes in the city, To- cated as follows:
 LOCATION OF POLICE ALARM
 BOXES.
 Box 34-Twenty-thrd street and High land avenue.
 Box sS--Twentieth street and Five Points.
 Box 45-Fifteenth street and Eleventh avenue, south.
 Box 51-Twenty-seventh street and Avenue e."
 Box 32-Twentieth street and Avenue e."
 Box 44--Fifteenth street and Avenue az"
 Box s1-Twentieth street and Avenue "B."
 Box 5-Twenty-fourth street and Avenue e."
 Box 43-Twelfth street and Avenue "D."
 Box 24--Twenty-sixth street and Second avenue.
 Box 25-Twentieth street and Morris avenue.
 Box 4i--Fourteenth street and First avenue.
 Box 42-Tenth street and First avenue. Box 23-Twenty-seventh street and Fifth avenue.
 Box 15--Thirteenth street and county pike.
 Box 21--Eighth avenue and Fourteenth street.
 Box 12-Nineteenth street and Eighth avenue.
 Box 13---Nineteenth street and Hunts vile avenue.
 Box 14-Seventeenth street and Rush avenue, Bakers store.
 Box 22-Twenty-fourth street and Tenth avenue.
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