New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-08
ELECTRIC AUTOMATIC FIRE ALARMS

There IS still another powerful ally OF safety.
Granted that fires will occur. IN spite OF every
human precaution. the great desideratum then IS
TO have a means Of nipping the danger IN the bud.
before it has reached the spark stage IL possible;
IN short, to devise q system that will cause a nre
to announce ITSELF and indicate its exact location
so that such a simple agency as a bucket or water
promptly administered IN tho right spot may sup
press foe that an entire fire department would
have found It difficult 10 cope with II II had been
left undisturbed for few minutes Without en-
tering into discussion OF the respective merits OF
the various so-caled electric fire alarm devices IL
Is timely and 20 the point quote from The New
York Tribune OF May IT.. 1903: Joseph Wilson
Frost, an electrician. and recognized in his pro-
fession a genius. spent nearly twenty-five years
OF his IN the exhaustive study and IN the prao
teal experiments which have recently eliminated
IN the perfected invention. the automatic fire
alarm system. now known the National Auto
matte Fire Alarm and which IS operated by the
New-England National Automatic Fire Alarm Com
pany. the offices OF which IN the Wool Exchange
Building corner OF Beach-st and West Broadway,
New-York City. This corporation was organized
last November. with that well known citizen, Mr..
John 2. Faure president. and Mr.. Edwin A
Watson. OF the law Arm OF Truax. Watson 81
Roberts, secretary and treasurer these two,
with Mr.. Frost on its board OF directors." And
public records prove that the National Auto
matio Fire Alarm System accomplshes all that IS
claimed for It, y joint resolution introduced into
the L. s. Senate February 20, 1891. sets forth the
pressing necessity for the proper safeguarding from
fire Of the United States Treasury Department
buildings. and the appointment OF a special COM
mittee to examine into tho question of fire alarm
systems. After stating specifically the govern
ment requirements. 1t proceeds: The above pro-
vides for system leaving little nothing addf-
tional to be desired, and your committee name as
the giving the best assurance OF complying
with said requisites the National Automatic Fire
Alarm Company OF Washington D. c. This find
ing was the result OF exhaustive examination
into the merits OF more than forty competing
systems.
By virtue OF this report and recommendation the
company installed their system. which required the
use OF forty miles of wire and the placing Of
thlrty-nine hundred Instruments. an undertaking
requiring the greatest technical care. skill and
exactitude.
The report OF the committee on the tests, made
after the installation. reads in part:
In instance did thermostat fail to operate
and the proper signal be automatically given
though hfty-four different alarms were sent in
This committee is fully satisfied of the practical
utility OF the system, and regard IL q valuable
and reliable means for the automatic discovery OF
fire IN buildings"
In December, 1902 Congress took up and exhauS-
lively discussed the question of properly fire safe
guarding the forty buildings and their inmates OF
the Government Hospital for the Insane at ST
Elizabeth. near Washington. ID. c.. the result being
DILL that was enacted into law, providing for
the accomplishment of this purpose a COMMITTEES
Of Government experts thoroughly examined into
ings in New-York. Boston and st. Louis. The re-
suit was that the National Automatic Fire Alarm
company again was awarded the contract, and
installing their system.
Little need be added in support of the merits OF
the New England National Automatic Fire Alarm
COmpanys system. Having come triumphantly
through the most rigid tests imposed by the gov
velllance for II dozen years. and then legislated
specifically into government institution by
OF Its efficiency may fairly claim TO be the ideal
electric fire alarm system.