The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-05-30
THE DAILY TEST OF
FIRE ALARM SYSTEM
Councils Are Urged to Make Pro-
visions for Maintaining the Eff
ticiency Of the Gamewell System
in This City,

HCleHCy oI tHe uaneWeli oSStchi
in This City.
An item with reference to the city
fire alarm system appeared in this de-
partment n few days ago which was
not quite clear and which might have
made it appear that the system was
not now under the supervision or care
of any person. This was not the fact,
nor was II the intention of the article.
The fire alarm system has always and
is yet under the watchful care of Man
ager p. H. Gilleran. of the Central
Pennsylvania Telephone company, whose
efficiency and capability have been well
attcsted.
The reference to tho system was to
call attention to a provision that has
been neglected for over year. and
which was quite u factor in maintain
ing the efficiency Of the system. After
the system was installed by the Game
well company. tests were made regu-
larly of the twenty-one boxes through
out the city. Each day at a regular
hour. say Il few minutes past noon, an
alarm was rung in from ono of the
boxes. The next day at the same hour
another alarm followed from a differ
ent box. and so on until each box in
the city was tested when the pro-
grammc was repeated. In this way the
system was kept IN To it's highest ef-
ticiency. The fire department officials
were always secure in the knowledge
that the boxes and the system Eener-
ally were in good condition. 1t was the
most practical test that could he made,
and there was always the greatest sat
isfacton felt while it was continued.
Mr.. Gilloran in his visits to the box
that was to be pulled occa sionaly found
| ohstrrctions in the keyhole of the box.
on one occasion the keyholc was
crammed tight with pieces of wood. the
work of some mischievous lad. 1t re-
quired several minutes of Mr.. Gilleran's s
time to remove the bits of wood and
not without digging them out with the
blade of his pocketknife. What a dan
cerous delay would have been encoun-
tered in this case. in the event of fire,
can be readily appreciated. This Incl
dent alonc'is adequate to illustrate the
Imperative necessity of the continual
tion of these tests. But they are not
carried on now. nor have not been for
over a year. A year ago last April.
councils for no good reason, so far as
is apparent ceased to make provision
| for the test and the city has since been
without this safeguard The cost for
| these tests is truly a small item, one
| that would yield the most satisfactory
| returns. Five dollars per month was
all that Mr.. Gilleran received but with
| commendahle public spirit he is will
| ing to make the sacrifices which it
would entail and will continue these
! tests, provided councils show this small
| mark Of appreciation.
| chief McNulty y fow days ago called
| the attention of several Of the council
| men to this neglect in maintaining tho
| efficiency of the fire alarm SyStenl--fOr
| he regarded it as ncglcct-and those
| with whom he talked agreed with him
| that it was Il prccaution that should
| he continuously employed. and they
| also expressed surprise that the tests
| had been abandoned.
| Another instance that might he re-
| called tn illustrate how easily the fire
! alarm systems delicate mechanism can
| he dsarraneed is TO be found in the
case of the borough of Dunmorc, where
| the boxes were almost put out of ser
| vice for several days by a good sized
insect crawling through the keyhole
and becoming lodged in the most sen
sitivc part Of the clock-like arrange
| ment Of tho box.
chief McNuIty is hopeful that the
matter will be taken up by councils
| and the provision for Mr., Gilleran re-
ueWing his tests will he taken care Of
| The matter will he urged on the coun-
| clmen in the hope of speedy action
and until then chief McNulty Will he
| more OF less apprehenSivc.