Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1898-03-05
MORE FIRE ALARM DISTRICTS.

MORE FIRE ALARM DISTRICTS.
Chicago is to I've split up into three
and possibly four flrc-alarm districts
for protection. In time of storm ar acct
dent. In ordinary times all the alarms
will he dispatched from the central
station and the coming month will see |
the abolition Of the EnglcwOod dis |
patching station. The disuse of the |
station will save the city S16.OOO a
year I'm salaries and maintenance. The
apparatus will he left as at present.
and In case of accident or storms and
the accompanying delays one-third of
the engine houses of Chicago can he
reached by alarms sent from that sta
ton.
City Electrician Ellicott has planned
the change. 1t has the approval of
Mayor Harrison. the finance commit
tee of the City Council and Chief Swe-
ME. lie has asked the finance COM
mittee for &15.WO to put In new cables
to connect all the engine houses of the
city with the central fire-alarm station
and the amount has been appropriated
In the new appropriation bill.
! Mr.. Elllcott Is now equipping fire.
alarm station In the engine house OF
fire engine company No. y. West WASH
ington and Clinton streets. In cases
where the West Side Is cut Off from
the central station by the destruction
of the wires. as was the case when the
wires In the Washington street tunnel
burned out some time ago. operators
can he sent from the central station
and all the alarms from the West Side
can be dispatched to engine companies
In that entire territory from the new
station.
Nine men with spurs strapped to
their legs and nippcrs In their belts
were busy climbing telegraph poles and
creeping along the walls of buildings
In the downtown district the other day.
Wherever they went they cut dowi,
wires that overhung the streets and
alleys and wound the severed parts
into little rolls. which they carried
away. Their actions were protest
of the city against the overhead wire.
They did not cut all the wires TIM,
stretched above the streets they pass
ed. however. for n representative Oi
each Of the telegraph and telephOn,
companies and of the companies Oper
atlng alarm systems went along will
them and each pointed out the lines
owned by his own company. These
were not interfcrcd with.
The men. who were sent out by City
Electrician Ellicott. under orders from
, Mayor Harrison. were after the pr
vate wires put up by individuals. an,
these wires are to bc kept out Of th'
streets hereafter.
. Whenever n new line II found In tn
a place Of one previously cut Il will Nv
!, removed and the user ut each end vii
. he arrested and prosecuted under tn
city ordinance requiring all lines to IN
!. placed underground.
so far 1000 wires have been cut. AM
It II estimated that 1000 still incumbe
the streets Of the business district. Til
territory to be cleared Is that east AM
south of the river and north Of 1?t
street.
Although the wires Of cOmpnnic
J, having provisional rights In the cit
I are not now mOlested. they will In +,
moved very soon. rs no overhead wire
e are to be allowed tn remain In the bus
ness center.
'. The telephone companies have ngret
to put all their lines underground. an
- many of them are already down. a
Of the telegraph wires are to " undo
also. except those ut important eros
ings. where they will be cabled.
Franklin Macvcagh 4 Co. hnd vii
between their retail and their who'll
sale houses that had been In use fi'
years. After the city's clippers In
passed. u representative Of the fir
was sent to the City Hall to get pc
mission TO replace the line. hut Il
privilege was refused. Another su
~ fcrer by the anti.w!re crusade WI
William Skakel. who lost u line h
ic tween two of his bucket shops.