New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-11
SC4NNELL MAKES 4 DEFENCE.
HOW HE EXPLAINS THE MONOPOLY IN
FURNISHING SPECIAL FIRE ALARM
APPLIANCES

Fire Commissioner scanneu last evening. at his
hisht headquarters. Forty-seventh-st and Broad
way, issued a statement in which he said:
The occasional illusions IN some of the rewspa-
rant the following statement The charter OF the
city adopted in 1897. under which the Fire Commits
sioner is acting, requires that theatres factories,
n no5eis institutions etc where large number Of
y, WITH the Fire Department. headquartersa and this
The enforcement OF the law in cases where the
risk clearly requires additional protection such as
heartily commended No one questions the wisdom
OF the enforcement of the law buf the fact thef
only two companies appear to be able to supply the
requirements needed for complying with the law
is responsible for this So far as the Fire Com
eecfrcs c9neer9ed any one who can furnish
buildings to Fire Headquarters under satisfactory
The Special Fire Alarm Telegraph Company has
oeen IN operation Tor many years, and has no COM
one else has thus lit to incur the very large
nent necessary to go into competition with IT.
Investment outside Of those In business Of that
The Manhattan Fire Alarm Company furnishes
ctneTe h Torn OF service making its connections
street boxes The company received its license to
sioners in 1895. under the administration of Mayor
fb Fse LnS e0Rany operates what is known as
At the present time there only four compa-
This Department has heretofore held that only two
OF these companies gave a service which was IN
Of communicating alarms OF IRE direct from the
interiors OF premises TO the Fire Department.
While II is the duty Of the Fire Commissioner to
enforce the law he finds II, IL is equally his duty
TO throw around such enforcement all the safe
guards which the experience OF the Department has
shown TO be essential. The service OF the two
panies whose service has not been approved for
the above purpose does not constitute means Of
communicating alarms OF fire direct headquar-
ters for the reason that the nature of the service
IS such that the companies maintain their own CEN
tral office and receive all alarms of fire at this
central office before transmitting them to the head
quarters Of the Fire Department.
To certain extent, therefore, accuracy in re-
ceivfng the alarm and transmitting It the head
quarters OF the Fire Department is dependent upon
set Of employees wholly without the control OF
this Department and not IN any sense responsible
TO II. The loss OF life and property which might be
occastoned by any mistake on the part OF such op-
orators, who above stated are without the
Jurisdiction OF the Fire Department makes the
question OF approval Of such service by this De-
partrent very serious one, though the con-
struction OF the charter law requiring a communi-
cation with headquarters did make II necessary
that such connection should be direct
With the service OF the companies which
have been approved, however, the mere operation
OF any interior system sends the alarm direct to
the headquarters Of the Department without the
dangers OF delay and mistake which would always
be present there intermediate station
which would have TO receive the alarm set
OF instruments and send It out another set.
AS the business exists two companies only
have e service which for many reasons, and more
particularly for those stated this Department COM
sders direct service, and one in which the factor
Of personal error is wholly eliminated.