Evening star., 1899-03-21
NEW FIRE ALARM SYSTEM
Arrangements Being Perfected for the Proper
Operation of the Joker
Provision for the Convenience of the
Men-Duty at Desk With
Ticker.

The new fire alarm system of the District
will not be placed wholly in operation until
April 1, although it will be ready much be-
fore then. The delay will be due to de-
sire on the part of Commissioner Wight,
who has immediate charge of the depart
ment, to have the members of the fire de-
partment first thoroughly instructed in the
operation of what is known as the Joker
division of the system, and between now
and the first of the month the electricians
will visit each house of the department for
the purpose Of giving the men of the cari-
Gus companies the necessary instruction.
The Joker system. as has been hereto
fore explained in The Star, consists of the
instruments through which the number of
the fire alarm box is first received at the
houses of the fire department, the number
of the box being sounded on a small gong
placed on the watchman's desk and punch
ed at the same moment on a slip of paper
running from ticker also placed on
the desk. 1t is through the Joker that
the big house gong is prevented from
sounding and the men and horses from
being aroused when the box pulled is one
to which the company does not respond.
Always al Man on Duty.
When the whole system is placed in op-
Grafton there will always be a man at the
desk on which the Joker is placed. This
matter has given Mr.. Wight and Chief
Paris not a little trouble, as they desired
to so regulate the watch throughout the
twenty-four hours as to make 1t as easy
and convenient to the men as possible
Every man in the various companies of the
department will, with the exception of the
hoStlers and assistant hoStlers. be required
to stand watch over the desk certain
number of hours day and night the year
round AS the membership of the compan-
les of the District fire department is small
er than in other large cities, it will not
only be necessary for the foremen of the
companies to share with their men in doing
watch duty, but the hours will also prob
ably be longer than elsewhere.
Foremen to Be Responsible.
After hearing number of suggestions,
which he carefully considered, Mr. Wight
this afternoon decided that the best solu-
ton of the question would be to place the
responsibility of maintaining the watch
upon the respective foremen of the COM
panies. Therefore. upon them will rest the
task OF SC arranging the watches as to
meet the requirements of the situation.
one of the suggestions most favorably
considered by Mr.. Wight was one which
divides the twelve hours from 6 a. m to
pm. equally between the foreman and the
assistant foreman Of a company each
man doing an alternate trick of two hours
the remaining twelve hours, from pm. to
am, being divided between the available
men of the companies. While under this
arrangement the foreman and the assist
ant foreman will stand watch an hour or
Two more each twenty-fOur hours than the
other members of the company il will
enable the foreman and his assistant to be
available any hour of the day, and also en-
able them to easily maintain the work and
discipline of the company. Another argu-
ment in support of this arrangement is
that the meal hours of the members of
the companies are not interferred with 1t
is believed this system of watch, or some
thing closely approaching it, will be adopt
ed by all the foremen.