Evening star., 1898-08-08
TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE
Annual Report of the Superintendent {. Of
District Service.
Estimates Made of Needed Appro.
prfations-Improvem Already
Made and Others Suggested.


the Commissioners today. 1t is as follows;
In presenting the annual report of the
operations and transactions of the telegraph
and telephone service of the District Of
Columbia during the fiscal year ended juno
80. 1893, it affords me pleasure to announce
that many improvements were made in
cluding the renewal in part of the patrol
system in the first, second, third, fourth,
seventh and ninth precincts; new office in
struments and twenty-eight new signal
boxes were put in service, and vast i'm
provement effected in the wiring. The
service in these precincts has since been
very good.
"In the nine precincts there are only 152
boxes from which reports can be made.
OF these 60 are booth boxes; 70 wall boxes
of the Garnewell pattern; IA of the munich
pal style of wall box and 8 telephone call
boxes in the county
The limited extension of the fire alarm
telegraph under the insufficient appropria-
ton for that purpose is only beginning
of the work which should speedily cover
many unprotected localities within the city
limits, as well as vast areas of the suburbs,
where good water supply las been pro-
viGed, out no provision made for calling
the fire department when needed. At least
100 additional boxes will be required for
that purpose.
"On the twelve signal circuits now con-
structed there are distributed 235 fire alarm
boxes. These circuits ought to be increased
to 20 and the boxes to 335 as soon pos
sihie. There are now only alarm circuits
constructed and in use. These should be
increased to 10, so as to provide for the
additional 5 companies which will, no
doubt, be established very soon.
During the year 1895 upon the urgent
request OF many good citizens, ten keyless
doors were put in service on that number
of fire-alarm boxes in the central and busi-
ness part of the city, but upon long and
fair trial it was found that very many false
alarms were given through these DOORS
and, after proper deiiberation by the Com
mssioners, it was decided the 21st of jan
uary, 1888, to abandon the use of the key
less doors, going back to the plain doors.
These are fitted with lock and key, and a
key guard protector with glass face, so that
a trapped key may be left in each lock.
When fire occurs this glass may be broR-
en-, the box unlocked with the trapped key.
This plan has given such good results that
during the spring months of the present
season 100 additional key guards have been
procured and put on the old boxes-and all
new boxes purchased are fitted with key
guards. Thus far but few false alarms
have been given through the boxes which
have these key guards.
Renewal of Patrol Stations.
1.-THE sum of 5000 was appropriated for
the renewal of portions of the patrol sys-
TEN, and in view of the fact that owing to
the inefnciency of former appropriations to
keep the system in good repair. and hence
the necessity for beginning the good work.
This item was made available on and after
the 7th of April 1907. The work of renewal
was begun almost Immediately after that
date, and pressed forward as rapidly as
possible, and the following apparatus pur-
chased:
six desks for support of instruments,
seven improved registers for station houses,
twelve 100 Ohm relays for station house
registers, Ill new condensers for patrol
boxes, thirty-eight new latest improved pa
troll boxes; total cost, So 900.
THE sum of 81 500 was appropriated for
extension of the fire alarm telegraph, and
was expended as follows: Thtrty-five new
boxes, with latest improvements; poles for
support of wire extension, extra labor for
construction of lines. cross-arms ana In
sulators. wire for extension of hhes, two
eighteen-inch excelsior gongs for engine
houses; total cost, 81 500.
These extensions covered portions of the
Georgetown Heights. as far to the north
as Tenleytown, from Mt. Pleasant to
Brightwood and Brightwood Park, Tako-
ma Park and Brookland. Neither place,
however, Is sufficiently supplied with fire
alarm boxes. At least double that number
bounds mentioned. Several other sub
urban localities are In great need OF pro-
lection, as well as many places In the city,
so that at least 100 new boxes will be re
quired, and the purchase and erection of
those ought to be provided for in the next
Appropriation bill, and will be recommend
ed by me at the proper time and place.
About 100 miles of new No. u hard
drawn copper wire has been put up during
the year in the flre-alarm telegraph, in
lieu of that length of the old No. . iron
wire, which was put In service during
the year 1915. This greatly improved the
service. Some confusion was experienced
during the year by the frequent pulling
of two or more boxes On the same circuit
for the same fire, as sixty of the o.d style
of boxes which were put in service twenty
are not StrictlS nom
interfering. This defect will, in short
time, be entirely obviated by replacing
these old style boxes with new ones
The new central Office Improvements
which are soon to be made. together with
the new boxes just mentioned, will, trust,
rsure an excellent service in the matter of
receiving and transmitting all alarms for
fire.
Fire Alarm Telegraph.
There are now only twelve metallic
signal circuits on which are located 235
signal boxes. There are also six metallic
alarm circuits on which are distributed the
several fire companies and alarm bells-No.
circuit running to engine houses Nos. Z.
II and 13; No. circuit has truck company
A. Assistant Chief Belts residence. No.
engine company and No. 10 engine COM
pany No alarm circuit has on 1t chem
ical engine company, No. l, Evening Star
Office Riggs Insurance Company, Arling-
ton Insurance Company and engine COM
pany No. 0; No. 4 circuit has truck COM
pany c, No. 2 engine company, No. / en-
gine company, truck company B and No. 5
engine company; No. ) circuit has engine
company No. 6, residence of Chief Paris,
truck company d, engine company No II
and large gong at fire alarm office: No. @
circuit has engine companies Nos. 4, and
IA.
Our switch board and repeaters have
provision only for the limited number of
circuits mentioned, and hence 1T is pro-
POSED to put in new switch board with
capacity for thirty signal and ten alarm
circuits, and to increase the alarm circuits
of the present manual repeater to ten,
which will enable US to add from time to
time such improvements may become
necessary. 1t Is also proposed to substitute
storage batteries in lieu of the gravity
batteries now In use
In the patrol service of the police de-
partment there are 152 stations, from
whence reports and calls can be made.
Eight of the precincts urgently need more
boxes.
The first wants s. the second g. the third
6, the fourth 2, the fifth 2. the seventh
TO- the eighth and the ninth precinct 4.
Total 36 new boxes. which will be esti-
mated for IN my estimates for the fiscal
year ending 1900
superintendent Estimates.
II have the honor to submit the following