The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-21
BLY, BE MODERNIZED VERY
SOON.
SOMEWHAT ANCIENT PLANT
Now IN USE WILL BE REVAMPED
TO MEET METROPOLITAN
DEMANDS.
Will BE One of the Valuable I'M
-prCvements Made on the Present
Alarm System.

At a special meeting of the board of
fire commissioners yesterday afternoon
plans for the reconstruction of st.
PaulS fire alarm system upon a mod
ern basis were considered, with a view
to beginning on the Improvement i'm
mediately. Thomas Carey, superin-
tendent of telegraph, made a lengthy
report on the result of his tour of in
spection through Eastern cities where
the very best systems are in operation,
at the conclusion of which he was in
structed by the commissioners to pre-
pare specifications for the proposed
new system here and submit them at
the next regular meeting of the board,
which will be held next Tuesday.
Supt. Carey's trip included visits to
Milwaukee, Chicago, Grand Rapids,
Detroit and other cities which are pro-
vided with the very latest FIRE alarm
telegraph systems. He noted with care
every appliance in connection with
these plants that combines for good
service, and as a result OF the i2spec-
ton he thinks that he will be able to
put together in this city a system that
will eclipse any of the best plants he
saw during his tour. His idea is 10
combine all of the best features of the
systems in use in these cities into a
perfect plant for st. Paul. In this way,
as he explained to the commissioners,
the city will have the benefit of the
very best apparatus of all systems
without any of the defects. No par
ticular system will be adopted in the
reconstruction, and the plans for the
work will be original with the super
intendent.
The commissioners estimate that
$7,0 900 will be necessary to reconstruct
the fire alarm system. For more than
a year there has been more or less agi-
tation over the Improvement, hut not
until now has the board felt that the
department could spare the money that
the new system will cost. There stands
at present about $12, 900 to the depart
ment's credit on the annual appropria-
ton, over and above the ordinary run-
ming expenses. With his large sur
plus at it's command, and realizing the
positive need of the city for a more
serviceable and modern fire alarm sys-
tenn, the board has decided that the
time for the reconstruction is oppor-
tune. 1t will be carried on PROMPTLY
and economically, so that the eXDen
diture will in no wise cripple other
branches of the department.
The present system has only six cir
cults, attached to which are 172 boxes.
II is operated at headquarters with
apparatus of the Gamewell system,
which works automatically from a
gravity battery. The annual cost of
his battery alone is about $500. Under
this system the demand upon the long
Ell circuits is so heavy as to render
efficient work impossible. Supt. Carey
explained this defect to the commits
sioners clearly, and showed to them
that the city today demands at least
twelve circuits, which he recommends
should be supplied at headquarters
with apparatus for what is known as
the central Office system, which is
operated by storage batteries. This is
tine most popular and by far the most
serviceable and satisfactory system in
operation today. OF course, the first
expense of putting in a storage bat
terry will be much heavier than hat of
a gravity battery, but when it is estab-
lished the superintendent links it will
be d great saving over the present syS-
tenn. The operating room at ~headquar-
tiers will be removed from it's present
location to a room on the third floor
front. Much of the old apparatus will
be turned back to the manufacturers
in exchange for new machinery. This
will make a considerable saving.
In the business districts of the city
the keyless box will be supplied to the
system, but in the residence sections
and in the suburbs they will not be
used. From the Seven corners and
Kittson street to headquarters, and
from the river, all of the wires of the
system are in underground conduits,
which. carry them to the central office.
It will not be long before the wires
along Selby avenue to Dale will also
be under ground, and as rapidly as the
conduit system is extended over the
city the fire alarm wires will be buried.
The board of fire commissioners recog-
nizes the fact that however we'll st.
Paul may be protected against fire the
telegraph system is far behind the
times. With the proposed reconstruct
ed system the commissioners think
that the standard of the city's protec-
ton will be raised from the standpoint
of insurance companies so per cent. The
tendency then will be a reduction of fire
insurance rates from which all prop
erty owners and commercial enterprises
will benefit. Insurance companies faV-
or cities according to the efficiency OF
their fire departments. An instance Of
this was recently demonstrated in Mil
waukee. A great fire there, about four
years ago, swept away nearly S3,g0O,0tO
worth of property in the Third ward
from the river, which flows through the
center of the city to the lake. Several
insurance companies were forced to the
wall on account of the immense losses
they sustained by this fire, and others
Withdrew their agencies from the city
entirely on the ground that the 1neh1-
cheney Of the fire department and the
Door condition of the fire alarm system
rendered insurance too hazardous to
undertake. Nearly every British COM
pany withdrew from the field, and, as
a consequence a cry went up from
merchants that compelled the city
council to take immediate steps to i'm
prove the fire department. New APP
paratus was purchased, but more inn
Dcrtant than this, the fire alarm sys-
tenn was reconstructed. The result vas
that all of the insurance companies that
had withdrawn, returned to the field,
and today Milwaukee is said to be con-
sidered by underwriters n of the
safest and best-protected cities against
fire in the country. The improved sys-
tenn of telegraph, said to be, is what.
restored the city to favor with the IN
surance companies.