The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-14
Fire Marshal WiImarth to Re-
construct System.
Taller Poles will Be Erected at
Once.
UNDERGROUNDSERVICE
Time to Think About 1t SAYS
the Chief.
will Not Be Crippled While
Work Is in Progress.

Extensive renewal ana repair work on
the Topeka fire alarm system is being
conducted by Fire Marshal Wilmarth.
Out of 600 poles now in use, 165 will be
replaced with new poles of larger size.
From five to seven miles of new wire
will be strung, and where necessary,
changes will be made in the present To-
cation of the lines, to avoid tall trees
which interfere with the wires.
One carload of poles has already been
received from the cedar swamps of
the yard at the North Topeka fire sta
ton. Only a few of the poles have
been distributed.
The most extensive repairs will be
made on circuit No. 2, which covers all
of east Topeka. The ground here is low
and this has caused the poles to rot
out more rapidly there than in other
parts of town. Some of the poles which
the ground since 1882. They are nearly
all of the small 25-foot size, while the
new poles are from 80 to so feet.
This extensive reconstruction of the
fire alarm system follows a careful per-
sonal inspection of all the lines made
some time ago by Fire Marshal Will
marth. Every pole was examined, and
every foot of wire which showed signs
of going to pieces was marked for the
scrap heap. In his estimate made in
June, 1904, Chief Wilmarth estimated
that the cost of the repairs to the lines
would be $3.50. but now says that he
expects to keep within this sum.
The fire department headquarters to-
day received a large consignment of
cross arms for poles and other equip
ment for constructing the line. The
work of rebuilding is being done large
ly by the regular linemen employed by
the department. This makes the prog
reSs of the work necessarily somewhat
slow.
pleted before cold weather. said Fire
Marshal Wilmarth today. Our work
is considerably interrupted all the time
because we do not have many men
available for the work. But we are
making as good progress as could be
expected.
Il don't want to have people think
that our present fire alarm service is
it stands today is doing good work, but
the time had come when some of it must
be renewed. Some of the poles have
been in the ground twenty years or
more, and have rotted out. In some
places the wire is in bad shape, espe-
cially where the wires cross the railroad
tracks, and are EXPOSED to the action of
the smoke and sulphur.
I'VE are not making any changes in
the present location of2the lines except
when by taking a new route we can
avoid trees which may have grown up
since the line was established 20 years |
ago.
Incidentally Chief Wilmarth suggest
ed that Topeka ought to begin to think |
about underground fire alarm service. |
1T is coming in all the bigger cities, |
and some cities no larger than Topeka |
have adopted it. OF course Topeka |
can't undertake it yet on account of
the expense, but it is a great saving
in repairs when once in, besides being
free from defects and less susceptible
10 injuries
The trouble with the overhead ser
vice is that it is liable to grounds, the
effects of crossed wires and lightning.
night three boxes down in
oarkdale were burned out, supposedly
~ electric current from crossed wire.
Every time there is a storm, the wire
S likely to ground somewhere, and
,ause a lot of trouble to the linemen of
he department, besides rendering the
ire alarm service uncertain until the
ground is discovered and rectified.
These are the first extensive repairs
which have been necessary on the fire
Harm service for some years. Small
epairs are being made continually, of
curse, but the system has not been
,iven a general overhauling such as it
5 getting at present. The carload of
lew poles which has been received are
IL 3O-foot lengths. The department
lad on hand about so longer poles, and
he longer poles are being used in
rossing car tracks, getting over other
wires and in similar cases where high
york is necessary.