New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-20
GOSSIP OF THE BOROUGH.
Troubles of Police Telegraph Bureau
Old Landmarks Goes.

Stories have been told about meanderfng
tdrunks" staggering up to the bar IN police sta
lions and calling for a beer, but never until the
bthe- evening Police Headquarters taken for
b telegraph Office. The young woman who made
the mistake must have been native OF some OF
the European countries where the government OPP
srates the telegraph lines as well as the postal
eervics. for. being IN need Of q postage stamp,
she started 10 look for q telegraph office. Now, it
happens that the room where the corps Of police
Eergeants receive and send information of all
binds 70 and from and between the various sta
lions is still known the Telegraph ROOM al
Though the work is all done now by means OF an
elaborate and intricate telephone system But the
tane telegraph has been handed down from the
time when the telegraph really used for that
purpose, and it is the only term used IN the de-
SaTtment. II entirely by chance that the
soung spoken Of walking through State
st. in search OF q stamp. halted a policeman in
front of headquarters TO ask where the telegraph
pfioe was. Quite naturally he jumped 10 the con-
clusion that she wanted the telegraph room, which
IS on he main floor. near the entrance, and a.
sected her there.
rs this the telegraph Officer" asked the young
woman. timidy, somewhat awed by the uniforms
at the switchboards.
This Is the telegraph bureau OF Police Head
quarters responded Sergeant Barney" Conklin
Well. 1 would Ike to buy two stamps" said
abe visitor, looking a little puzzled
The sergeant then explained her that they did
sp Bcar ae she Tee wanted ae e efers e F. dis
but could not walk way 10 the pcstofice, Barney
Ealanfly offered 10 see that the letters prop
srly stamped and mailed, which he did after going
of duty
Since public telephones have come into such
general use and the company publishes prominently
IL its directory that charge will be made for
calls TO Police Headquarters the sergeants on the
switchboards there have had their own troubles.
All sorts OF rumors and complaints and requests
come IN the wires Most Of them have 10 be
investigated. for ii would not DO TO take any
chances, although many Of the are trivial,
some frivolous. II is such cases as the following
typical one that make the operators at headquar-
ters wish the telephone not handy. Some
body calls up. and IN voice trembling with emo
such house and es st a S ambGa an su S sep
St once Before any questions can be asked the ex-
the humber given 10 and tbat e sen aIie1y 10
Sls hnger, on bottle or fallen downstairs and
BE wife T and ehrdn I'm f Wtea P has
lance and reserves reach the spot, they find per
haps, much intoxicated individual peacefully
Sleeping IN corner They learn that before he
and uttered sundry and divers threats That was
ali; Scores of requests come IN substantially as
chase him away" All of which means that so,1o
man on reserve loses his sleep 10 down a
phantom
q woman. giving a well known on Brooklyn
Heights called up Police Headquarters from her
home and. in pathetic tones, said in substance:
Won't you please send &, policeman down here
right away to shovel US out? The snow IS so
banked up against the house that my servant can't
get out and II she dent get out cant have
anything TO eat for breakfast"
This woman evidently thought the police ran the
Street Cleaning Department Other persons think
the police conduct a general information bureau
end cali up headquarters to ask about the
OF boxing matches football games and to pro
pound various foolish questions.
Another Of the old landmarks OF Brooklyn
Heights is TO be turned 10 the wreckers It
IS the mansion the old Prentice estate over
looking the Bay at the end OF Grace Court Al
though the immediate occasion Of tearing down
the structure comes from the that It IS in a
dangerous condition. II is not all improbable
that ultimately the site VIII be occupied bv a
handsome apartment hotel 1t has been suggested
ulat elevator shafts could be sunk through the
Heights eubankment directly TO Fur-nau-st 50
that the patrons Of such would baya o,,l,y
short walk either TO South or Wall ST fsrr1;
The PTeDtce mansion is a large. SQUARE frame
etructuFe, surrounded by trees shrubs and vines
seFeLty years ago II built ia Reinserl-st iIst
below Eiic1s-st.. by Charles Hoyt a N@U,y'orL
merchant Ter years later was purchased f,T,
Ionn H Prentice. who in 1870 had il moved to ~
present site Then he added a third story. Mr.
Prentice was prominent IN the municipal affairs
Of Brooklyn as wei as IN the bushes world Affer
his death his widow occupied the house Tor some
years. Among tncse who have been tenants Of the
property since is Dudley Buck, tia well known
prganist and composer. Another large old "a sh-
toned hocse. the Packer mansion stands sf the
end Of Grace Court II is substantially built ~
brick. however, and Will probably remain for some
years 20 ceusA