The morning journal-courier., 1908-04-13
CITY IS THREATENED
Kegelmeyer Again Puts Pres
ent Fire Conditions Up
TO Citizens.
MUST HAVE NEW SYSTEM
Portland tNIc,) Fire Held Up as EN-
ample Of What Is Liable 10 Oc-
eur In This City.

----------------
Joseph kcgelmeyer, president Of the
board Of fire commissioners, last night
granted an interview with the Jour
nal-CourIer regarding the fire alarm
telegraph system, OF which he has al
ready spoken Mr. Kegelmcyer said
that New Haven Is liable to fire
such as played havoc with Portland,
Me-, short time ago, this being due
partly to a nimsy building in which
the system was located, In brief, the
commissioner warns the people OF
New Haven that a more up-to-date
system should be put in at once.
Under the present system of fire
alarms" he said when box Is pull
ed for a FIRE the alarm goes through
an automatic repeater at the central
Office IN the fire commissioners room
at the city hall and is automatically
repeated at all the engine houses.
The number Is also recorded on
tape register IN the battery room,
where there Is an operator at all
hours, day or night. The operator then
repeats the number one round at
time To the tower bells by means of
small repeater that was really a make
shift and not suitable for that class
Of work.
There are several serious objcc-
tions to this system. First: The cen
tral Office OF the fire alarm on which
the safety Of the whole city depends
should be located in IRE proof
building, or AT least In building that
is not subjected to the fire hazard now
existing at tho city hall Even
small fire IN this part Of the building
would cripple the entire fire alarm OF
the city.
Second; While an alarm is being
sounded from a box every other box
In the city Is cut out Of service and
It Is impossible to sound an alarm. no
matter how important It may be, to
get the apparatus to second fire. In
all large cities often as the number
of boxes has reached 100 II is usual to
install what Is known as a combined
manual and automatic office. This Of
flee Is so arranged and the circuits so
divided that ten alarms. IL necessary,
could be received at the same time.
and the operator can then use his
judgment as to which alarm to send
out first If an alarm is coming In,
say from box AZ, and two rounds have
been recorded and the same sent to
the engine and hose companies, and
an alarm should be given rom box
M. 40 NTipphGctop or tho
operator can hold back the last two
rounds Of box AZ and Immediately
send out 500. which Is a private box
of the Winchester Arms company"
Mr. Kegelmeyer said there Is no way
of making a practical test of fire
alarm box. THE electrician" he said.
"can inspect the hox. can run tho
movement, hut cannot let tho box per-
form It's function Of sending an
alarm without first notifying the com
panies that such n test IS to he made.
Under tho new system with bell tap
pers and registers removed from the
box circuits the electrician can step
to box. send In signal that means
test, and on receiving a return signal
IIblll lltduludlNtlS ne pullS lllt DON
the same as would he done in case of
a fire. This signal Is received at head
quarters an a tape. and this tape can
be kept for future reference"
In speaking of tests the commits
soner said I'm cities having central
Offices all boxes are tested about once
O month. With a central Office fai
1,at 60 g. a. 4
Ing troubles on the circuits such as
breaks or grounds on the various un.
derground and overhead lines. Ir
case of still alarms portion Of the
apparatus can he sent to the fire with
out using the telephone or disturbing
the rest of the engine houses in thu
city,
New Haven now has ITO boxes II
service and 1t doesn't seem that Is!
OF these should be disabled for sew
eral minutes on account of small
fire In somebody's back yard thu!
leaving millions OF manufacturing
property unprotected when a centra
Office can be secured for the amour
of money that might be lost in
single fire through the failure of
single box,
II havo learned from the best o
authority that central offices hav
been established in New York, Phil
adelphia, Washington, ID. c., New Or
leans, Plttsburg, st. Paul Cincinnati
Providence, Worcester, Boston, Port
land. Me. (since the large fire in 100
at city hall). Brockton, Mass, an,
many other places and why not Ney
Haven" The commissioner conclud
ed his remarks by saying that tn
Portland fire gave the city an oppor
tunity Of doing what they have talke,
OF for years, that Is building centra
Office and fire proof building