The Jersey City news., 1898-07-14
Respectfully submitted,
JOHN CONWAY,
Chief Engineer.

When the Clerk had finished reading
President Brennan vacated his chair, and
Commissioner Erickson acted in his
place Mr. Brennan said the fire auxil-
iary boxes were placed in service for the
benefit of the citizens for the purpose of
sending in prompt alarms. During the
past six months % false alarms have been
sent in by some persons who think it lots
of fun, but it is very serious matter,
and If it continues it will result In re-
turn to the old system, which means the
placing of the keys in stores, and caus-
ing lot of delay when fire breaks out
He said he hoped that every citizen would
do all he could to assist the police and the
Fire Department in bringing the rascals
to justice.
On June 81, at S:sS A NJ. box 81 was
pulled by one of these loafers, and as
consequence today Battalion Chief Ho-
gan is lying in bed at his home from the
results of an accident. 1t is question
today whether he will ever be able to do
duty again.
81 don't hesitate in saying" said the
Commissioner. "that if Chief Hogan dies
from his injuries, the man that gave that
false alarm will be a murderer. I also
believe that there is gang of these loaf
ers Systematically a work sending in
false alarms, and the sooner they are
brought to justice the better it will be for
the public.
Another instance to show how cleverly
the alarms are given without the detection
of the guilty party, can be seen by the
alarm that was sent in on Friday after
noon from box Is. at Newark avenue and
Grove street. This alarm was turned in
in broad daylight, and in one of the busi-
est sections of the city, but when the en-
gines arrived no one could be found who
knew anything about it. If the thing
continues much longer we will have to
god back to the old time system, and the
go back to the old time system. and the
in the arrival Of the apparatus in case of
fire.
Commissioner Erickson said he was not
in favor of going back to the old system,
but If this nuisance can't be stopped with
the assistance of the police and citizenss
then the only thing left to do is to go be-
fore the Board Of Finance and ask for
an appropriation to put in the alarm gong
system that is in use in New York City
today. This system, when an alarm is
turned in by citizen, can be heard for
| blocks away, and the person who pulls
it can certainly very easily be detected, as
it rings so loud that 1t draws the atten-
tion Of people in the houses, and some one
is sure to see who turns the handle in the
box. New York experienced the same
trouble, but after few arrests the
| practice was discontinued.
The members of the Board. Commits
sioner Mills being absent, then passed the
following resolution
Whereas, Since the beginning of the
present year numerous false alarms
of fire have been sent in. over the
fire alarm telegraph, by some mali
cious person or persons; and
Whereas, In responding to such
alarms injuries to members of the de-
partment as well as damage to the
apparatus is liable to happen and in
fact has happened, Battaios. Chief
Hogan having been seriously injured
while responding to false Sc alarm from
station 81, on June q. 1898. and
whereas The lives of our citizens
are also imperilled by the liability by
being run over by the apparatus of
this department especially In the more
thickly populated portions of our city;
therefore be it
Resolved That a reward of Si90 be
and Is hereby offered by this Board
for information leading to the arrest
and conviction of any person MALI
ciously sending in false alarm over
| the telegraph Of this department, or
who shall maliciously or wllfully In
terfere with the same or any part part
alarm