West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1903-01-29
DOWSEgS LATEST FAD.
This Time IL Is Household Fire
Alarm, and IL Alarms Accordingly.

Mr.. Bowser got into the house
the other evening without the box
under his arm being seen or any
questions asked, and It was not until
after dinner that he suddenly turned
upon Mrs. Bowser and asked:
edo you ever stop to think what
a miracle it is that we have not been
burned alive in our own housep"
81 don't see anything miraculous
about it," she answered. "Why
should we be burned alive any more
than anybody elsea"
"There are so different reasons.
In the first place, you always have
"A cook who is just as apt to leave
the range open as shut. In the next,
there are always matches scattered
about. Thirdly. you are extremely
careless when you light or turn off
the gas, and, fourthly, the house is
full of rats, and rats love to nibble
at matches. could give plenty of
other reasons, but these are enough
to make one shiver. Providence
must surely have been with us since
we began housekeeping"
al don't think there is any cause
to be worried" replied Mrs. Bowser
as she wondered IL 1t was something
new in FIRE escapes.
ono, probably not. That's "a
woman's way. / am worried, how
ever. There is never a night in the
year that do not start up three or
four times and wonder il the flames
are making furnace of the house.
Have you any idea of the number
Of people who have been burned
alive in their homes in the last
year,"
Eight or ten, perhaps"
'frhe number is over GOO, madam,
and all owing to just such careless
ness as is observable on every hand
in this house. You may be satisfied
to keep on running these awful risks,
but am not. To-day, when / read
of family of eight persons in
Missouri perishing in their beds
amid flames and smoke, / determin-
ed not to pass another night without
some safeguard"
"And so you got another fire
escape to let you down with a
crash2"
''No FIRE escape ever let me down
with crash, and / have not been
investing. / have a better thing.
You will find fault with it, of course
as you do with everything bring
home, but that will make no
difference to me. You can be
burned in your bed OF kill yourself
jumping out of the window any time
you feel like it."
Mr.. Bowser went into the hall
and returned with a "Parson's
Household Fire Announcer. II was
a small affair, made like a pocket
electrical battery, and had a bell
attached TO it.
"The material of this" he ex-
planned, els aluminium, treated by
chemical process until IT is super
sensitive to changes of temperature,
especially to heat. You set it at 90
degrees, say. II the temperature of
the room rises two degrees the bell
rings. That means FIRE, of course,
and ! shall probably have time TO
rush down and extinguish the flames.
If not, we can at least save our lives.
The temperature Of this room is 10
degrees by the thermometer over
there. set the announcer at 10
and should FIRE burst FORTH
The bell on the box began ringing
It's loudest, although no fire had
barst forth, and Mrs. Bowser could
not repress a laugh as Mr.. Bowser
stood and stared with a dazed look
on his face.
What part Of the house is being
burned down just now7" she queried
81 he grabbed the bell to stop its
noise.
That's you, woman" he shouted
in reply. 81 have hardly begun to
explain yet, and you are ready to
beiittle an invention which has
saved tens Of thousands Of lives
II il was something to kill off the
germs Of cholera or yellow fever
you'd try to be sarcastic over it,"
'1f it is reliable il ought 70 be a
good thing" she said, hoping TO
mollify him,
Reliable2 OF course It's reliable.
There are over 400, 600 in use, and
not one Of them has ever failed to-"
The bell began ringing again, and
1t was fully two minutes before Mr..
Bowser could get the better Of IL.