davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-05-17
NERVOUS SYSTEM OF sKYscRAPER.

The modern freprcof structure whether office
building, apartment house hotel, will usually
contain great values in or less combustble
furnishings and decorations, and will be as before
said. occupied by vast number people. In
truth, many of the larger office buildings in New
York shelter more human beings than can be found
in good sized towns, and many of the largest Of
them contain greater values than the entire wealth
of said towns.
Making a building absolutely 'freproof by no
means insures entire protection from fire, for
the life and property of True,
lngs can be so constructed that fire spread
beyond the room, or suite of rooms, In which IL
originates; but the smoke from a small fire will
usually find its way very quickly throughout even
the largest building and will spread panic and fear
almost instantly among the occupants Disasters of
this character have, perhaps, caused more loss of
life than have fires themselves. While the prompt
and intelligent of local fire extinguishins ia
cities will prevent serious property loss the con
tents of no building be regarded as safe as it
can be made unless the latter is fully provided
with an adequate fire alarm service Electricity is
the only agency that will instantaneously bring to
bear all the buildings fire fighting forces
Such service provides for instant communicat ton
from any one of numerous interior fire alarm sta
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-05-17

-r,. town that is housed under one roof has tne
advantage over the community unoer many =,
that It's hre-fghtng forces are always 80
wait as II were for the enemy ana 90 no' o.
90 10 bou,ed mr. driven to, assembled az, the
fire. after the latter has gotten under he 1900,
and OFTEN from Under s s is smpli-
fedEthere is no marshalling of forces ,9iv driven
quarters no rushing h9o warning steam whistles
no thunderous rumblings OF ponoetlu,u,o nets with
ant no rs pnp e heart
system, it's sandplpes and add l's its water
in It's mammoth tanks in place place comes an finds it
ready IT 9 o SsneTgise it's system rise in its re-
sistiess might, and repel the INVADER
THE HEAVY PRESSURE PUMP
II is measure of false economy 10 uia -.
.os,rirgs tight when selecting fire pump io'
a building in which scores upon scores OF Nv q"
~ stake in which millions OF dollars WORT u
nroperty are stored An engineer Oh on7 VI -,
skvscrapers that hive the largest numbers % 49,
,orkars asked to express opinion on the re-
tive merits of the various pumps. said' Ine y" -.
davidson Co.'S pump is tho highest PIE riJbeu wore
made but it is worth Just t"lG Id the Competitor
bch ranks next in cost one feature alone "oe1
make 1t worm and Economy, and that is Its cup
leather packing When this wears; an .b noI Imp as
and nve t 6ei day it Was installed 1t cost two
56undred and firty to put another pump ho' -
eqmhPpf1 ID pump Is of single cylinder type
and Gas viii be seen BY glance at the Isd.
a. anjte simple il: construction The claims 1t
.. IL Is economical II. ~
LOT nf stream il will start from any point OF oIe
fTole. it viii make its full stroke under an CON
Sit;nns and it will pump any fluid maintaining d
steady and uniform delivery under llsht or neasI
pressure high speed IL Iol , 1 , n1np-
he used for or applied TO- any service "hele pump
ing machinery Is required -, aa~af,,1l,,
All Davidson pumps are separately anu a. bs
tested under approximate working coh'ltlolS -
fore shipment All parts. being made 20 gduse, az
perfectly interchangeable. and dupiica'e Pie'e' ~
he furnished from stock ,-.v, MT
Tic davidson heavy pressure pump-piSton pat
torn such "A is used in operating hydraullc tie-
vators presses etc.-is the one generally insta.Iea
fnr fire service This pump has an ordinary piston
sneed of from 90 to 125 feet per minute accoFuihs
TO length of stroke For fire and other emergency
serIct II can be run TO about twice ordinary speed
n has hose connections with A, or MOBILES as
Marshall T B. Davidson. NJ. Am. Soc. NJ T. and
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-05-17
THE INSULATION OF WIRES.

The frequency Of electric fires is however. not
eolely, nor the largest extent 10 be at
tributed TO either careless work on the part of
contractors. 10 the overloading Of circuits by
be severely reprehended. Deteriol alton of insua-
wire. and. IN a degree Of the various
electrical appliances. fertile Of disaster
II Is within the knowledge Of all occupants of the
modern apartment house, hotel office building and
indeed, most structures tenauted by human beings
eitner Ter hTlng business or amusement purposes
thai and different installations OF lighting
telephone. apnunclatins and other wires have from
l1Le 70 urfle 70 ne aooen 10 le original plan ana
that these later wires may have the protection
sforded by conduts and by the walls in which the
latter are placed In these later installations the
wires strung, partly for convenience. but
10 HIDE them as much as possible from view, along
chair rails. easements of doors and windows, base
boards and other combUstibe features of buildings:
and not infrequehtly such lrhamnable materials
are 10 be found in the furnishings Of the
10 be noted resting damned against them. Given
inferior Insulation and disaster, though II may be
There is no difference TO be found In the wire Of
one manufacturer and that OF another; all OF
copper The Insulation. the Vital point OF the whole
snd vast between the good and the inferior
though slight as between the various makes of the
sulated wires is that known commercially code
wire: and in the various wires Of this class the
Der. being made OF reclaimed rubber-that from old
shoes. betting, etc-oT snoddy and various mineral
reclaimed rubber is very limited for IL cannot long
withstand the ininical agencies against the attacks
Of which the really Irst class insulation Is made
inVunerable Tor all ifne-hliillag speaking lilese
attacks DO not, Of course. include the mechanical
physical. This inferior wires chief failing is
that Il gradually drles our, ana, Decoflhs porous
ceases to confine the fuid The highest grade Of
crude rubber is that known TO the trade Up
river Fine Para" but this costs money ana, there
81 is employed in the making of code wire. In
construction there is perhaps not so much differ
Tor they generally exercise the caro- required 70
0rRskx esoeFs The ware IN The ngzletAln - sep@
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-05-17
Constant Reader Tells What tie
Missed in Last Weeks Papers.

What is the most striking feature OF the ~
news?' inquired the Busy Man Vi MS
counsellor the Constant Reader
Nothing OF greater present interest," VI u -,
vv,da reaching future results was the ieP4S' -,
occurred than the conference Oh HoFeiHot -
rho President at the White House. Inc euD5 sa
tho conference was OF the highest 4iHPo :.
beine nothing less than the conseF'a
+ba resources Of the nation. upon WHICH
oil orr future prosperity depends. inc Assem-
b,ooa ras q most notable one, nearly nan d nun
drod chief executives Of states and territories o
.ccomnanied by two representative men rronl hIS
own mart Of the Union, forming the oooy oL e
,arraas The President and the Vfce-FreSlueHA
and few especially representative men -
drew Carnegie, William ]. Bryan ana '0i
Hill, met with them IN the East ffooLh VI ~
White House and delivered addresses ol lii'A
value and interest The keynote or tne sa'no
,,as sounded by President Roosevelt III olio VI 10
striking speeches. and one OF the no'aolo eFei
his administration will be TINS nrst ineet'iie u -
.eIJousa of Governors Whether 1t VIII Oecoino
reruanent annual institution Is not yet oel
M ~ will he by no means surprising IL that OUT
coma should follow the first assenloiaSe- AHoiO
annie room for conjoint action on topics Oi
tn all nv the several states and TINS, IL IL lIoNs
would he far preferable TO turning over to 'l0 h'
ara1 government what should remain IN state CON-
troll On the same train tourneylng 10 the cohiei
ance were three Presidential aspirants Flce-Fresi
dent Fairbanks. Governor John A Johnson ana eA-
REPRESENTATIVE W. J. Bryan Plenty OF o'!ei
presidential tall timber also 70 De seen III tne
White House but Secretary Tart was not WithlAA
NJ gathering.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-05-17

approved by the New York autnor'HHe ssbsnse al
New york Board of Fire Insurance E4cnarse TIE
lows a reduction in insurance rates wn ,hs under
service is Installed In accordance with tne s ~ :.
r,iters. rules for the location ana nufhoei VI '
stations .,.ousa fres there
Since the recent disastrous sra nrofec
has been special interest aroused In All hre
tion service for schools and the great I''p a. ~,
~ ADEQUATE fire alarm service In these Is ho"
generally recognized .,.,v brought out
a new combination box, especially aoap ,r oil
schooihouse use, but equally avaliap!e loi u, ~.
classes of buildings in which the protecton oi i,1
is the first consideration The box, When 49,
transmits the alarm to the public fire departniei.
besides sounding the local alarm II can p .stera
without sending to the public alarm LOT ~ Sr
of signals for the fire drills in schoois, anu 'o
drills of local fire hrigades in large Dullulhss -
How fully the value of this fire alarm 6 most
annrecia ted bv the of the largest anu uo.
perfectIv freproofed buildings in New York is sio~ II
bv the following partial list of properties o. III.
class which have the Manhattan ameWTrll 49, 49,
iary Fire Alarm Service: The New ork Ieepi1o if
Company twenty buildngs). the New 1 oLh i the
Insurance Company, the Broad t.xchansec fr' e
Commercial Gable Company. the Guy I uIo the
COMPANY and the Hudson Terminal bulldlnsss, e
Aston Plaza. Grand Union. Manhattan M ~ 70
booker and st. Regis hotels; the r. AI.lias Smnson
BIoomngdale Brothers, Greenhut & Co.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-05-17
THE IMPORTANT HOSE REEL.

With the best possible tanks and the largest -.
serve Of water with the most perfect plumbing sv,
tenn. and with the most powerful pumps the stv
scrapers fre-fghtng force may fail at the crucs,,
moment II ammunition cannot be Immediately had.
in building after building has been found hos.
which has been carefully selected. and for which
good price has been paid. that. IN ernsr-
gency. will certainly fail to deliver the stream.
where they are most needed. and simply be-
cause for months II had lain folded. Instead
OF reeled. Such hose fs sure to burst at TIE
critical moment. IL would really seem that CON-
mon would lead owners TO guard against tTi.
anything Is vitality necessary than call at
tenton to the fact that the folding practice IL BAD
But there reels and reels. and the only one -
these which IL worth considering Is the automatic
for a reason which be easily understood. WITH
direction opeus the valve gradually. after twenty
feet of hose has been unwOund. and turns ths
water can be thrown Immediately the hose IL con-
veyed to it. may readily have got beyond control
If the party carrying the hose is compelled 70 rua
back to the standpipe to let on the stream.
THIS REEF. IS AUTOMATIC
The onIv automatic hose reel Is the shown
IN the picture: It IS manufactured by Cliff q Gut
bert Company. the president OF which is z. Vail
Cliff and its treasurer. J. Cliff. The founder Of
this business Mr. Edward Cliff. started IL In 1854
and his SON the present president. has had every
opportunity to perfect hmSeII IN 20, since ne has
DTactfCaIly grown up with the industry
TThs cliff Safety Automatic Reel can be handled
with ease. even by child, as u never sets with
a 5G-fOot length Of hose attached 20 lt. one can
nr0mptlv reach any fire likely TO occur IN tbs sky
scraper AS it's cost is practically the same as
Arst class OutfS Of the swinging reel and valve,
- ia no reason why IL should not n9 even
generally adopted This eXceie5hI 0eslcs can %
seen in the Hall Of Records the AiiierlSdn *
street; in the metropolitan Bu!dng % and
Madison avenue; IN q oro.d o 1IllJ
seventh avenue. and in many otneT OF tne lr,pos
ing structures Of this city. and at EIIs sand
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-05-17

lions direct to the superintendent of1ce. and to
the engine Of the building, and for indicating
the exact location of the fire.
The Gamewe Fire Alarm Company furnishes
complete installation covering this IL does that
of communication with the citys Fire Department.
The latter, the auxiliary fire alarm service OF this
company, consists OF a station every floor Of a
building each Of which is, in effect duplicate
of the public street box with which connected.
In many of the largest buildings in New York there
two more OF these stations every floor.
This is the only form OF instantaneous and direct
connection with public FIRE department which is
practicable in every city where there is public
fire alarm telegraph.
Wherever there has been Z serious loss Of life or
property In any city having organized fire de-
parmsnt there has been serious delay In getting In
the alarm. The great loss of life at the Windsor
Hotel and At the IroQuois Theatre nrss d.
rectly due to great delay IN sending IN tho alarm.
At the recent schoolhouse fires in Montreal and at
Collinwood Ohio where the loss OF life SO
great there not interior facilities for sending
alarms to the fire department; in each case. the
fire department force would probably have saved
all OF these lives. The fire alarm system herein
described has been for more than ten years in ex-
tensive use. and is installed In leading cities
The company has been in the business OF supply
ing municipal fire and police signal systems for
over fifty years. and has always been the leading
concern in this iine-so the lead in fact that
has supplied about 30 per cent of all such equip
ments in the United States.
In New York this form OF interior fire alarm ser
vice is installed and maintained by the Manhattan
Fire Alarm Company This company's equipments
installed in more than a thousand buildings In
greater New York, and their efficiency has been
found In many hundreds OF cases Of use for actual
Ore EuE4n1 de Dase twssvs ysasA TAs sssvios =
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-05-17
THE PATR0LLING OF SKYsCRAPERS

The fire that in its incpiercy may be put out
with a thimbeful Of water may take all the re-
sources of. building to eXttnguish IT, III permit
ted to gain headway. That one fact alone would
seem to establish the need for watchmans service;
fer in the modern skyscraper, whether II De oiAce
building or apartment house, the opportunity Tor
discovery the said ncipient fire occurs all 10"
frequently and If the hIe departments belief Is
founded ii does not always result from tie
l!ptoter % W daneprous equipment o.,
furnishing. these great structures John Foster
Carr gives ii the firm belief OF the IRE laduieS
that 6ne-tLrd of All fires are OF incendiary origin.
But only watchmen who watch safeguard.
and the question arises w no IS gong 10 ~atoI.
more relied upon than he; but there is a me-
chanical one. the vigilance of which he simply
cannot escape
TIE WATCHMAN'S CLOCK.
If the Cleveland Magnetic American Waterman
Time Deector is installed in the building it will be
safe to rely on it that the Waterman will be at
entive to his duties of looking for leaking gas
water for thieves, fer accidents and for fire, of
safe trying, and of seeing that the protection ap-
paratus is in order He may not tamper with this
clock for at each station is a generator which
generates a current when he turns his key. If he
opens the clock TO make record he registers ms
ecnrd shoine h lime wires are run from
this clock to such points on the premises as II IS
station is placed a magnetic generator into which
the Waterman must insert small crank at every
visit. One turn of this crank makes record on
paper dial in the clGck in the office showing the
time OF his visit.
These clocks are guaranteed for ten years use
and in New York City 2I2 TO per cent in
surance: outside of the city high % per cent
The high esteem in which they are held by the
fire underwriters is shown III the fact that, while
they allow 22 per cent reduction when fire alarm
service is installed. they will make rebate of ~
per cent II this clock is combined with 1t.
There other clocks on The market. but, II
should be added it costs just much for cheap
as for a good cock-perhaps more. because Of the
continuous repairs demanded by the former This
clock. which was patented i'll 1872 and has been
constantly improved, is shipped by Pettes &
Randall. senior partner of which has had
eighteen years experience in the business. Mr..
Petes says that there clocks Of this make
which We're installed a quarter of q century ago
and are just as reliable to-day.
Among the office buildings and hotels in which
this faithful monitor be found the Trinity
Ruildine. the Flatron Building the United States
Realty Building the American Tract Society Build
ne and the New Plaza. the Waldorf. the Holland
and the Grand hotels. and other buildings too
merous to mention here.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-05-17

eens IN cars designed for hfty1 reached limit at
&c persons Per hour. 300 persons one way pei
elevator fSuspeI.ded elevators are there IN,
stalled The Of the travellers were conlpeieu
TO take the stairway. which is about ninety ieea i
height-onlv eaus. 20 about eight floors OF an once
or hotel building The stairway reached tne ca
pacity Of about 2no persons an hour, after whicn
The throne compelled to await the graoua re-
dpctjon Of its numbers Think OF DONG ina
IN q IRE is he noted, continued tns
writer THAT the rate Of stair travel wouid IA
INSTANTLY ceased upon the falling and stu,oiis =.
fe,c persons such would be expected 20 49, y.
~ che travel were taking place under conotlons S
I,rre-r,, or manic II would follow therefore, ~
concludes that the final measure OF ne III
frie-Cv OF any elevator system wouid De lns
~ 70 extract tenants under emergency
THE chief difference in elevators lies IN w
NJ their being suspended supported IA 20 Ao ~
sres- 1liahili-x in of fire is corcefel,, S,
Tighter cables the suspended car HNoL ~
viii never withstand fierce fire drsugnl' ~
r-,ul5 require only iittle heat to QUICKLY ~.
the Insulation Of the electric elevator WIZ Src,i.
wa-er from most streams would shor' N
fits motive power
THE Pl.UNGER ELEVATOR TYPE.
There remains then. only the plunser ele-
vetor In this the cables sustaining the counter
balance are very much larger and heavier than
those Of anv Of the suspended car types. and con
seoueutiv they would not only resist the attacks
Of FIRE but even their parting would cause no
very serious interruption 10 the service since me
elevator would run just as well as heIore' oe
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-05-17

it you'd 60 pP s 2 ' and 'f Of t Course
lis descent would be accelerated
Tic hollow plunger contains cushion OF air;
= The r11inder. the water. with which that por-
ton i CONSTANTS in contact would prevent II
;.T,llJnre- which appeared article printed
N lS fo Th faS+ Thai the human equation
be allowed for. and the comment mace tilal II y
sftion that al sorts of disasters may oFertake
the ether fellow and his be!ongnss oi pg' po+
80 Vile TesdiiF admitting that buildings of
fire. they seldom stop 10 thihh lia t+acIted
Therefore 1t is necessary that other arguments
be presented to secure their adoption of a par
ticular type Of elevator TO meet hre an9 PAM
emergencies AS the end to be attained Is nov.
IN lofty buildings of type or eleNatoI 'lao
insure rhe speedy escape OF occupanIs' anu a.
viii Re well "a enmmersfe The qualities an ele-
,-stor stould nossess and 10 saw that the stand
ard p1reer Elevator is now generally thought 10
nsdeea from tfe eWp6nf Of the owner
expensive power consumption small cost OF opera
non and infrequent necessity for reEair-stopplng
for same is alike costly to owner and tenant from
ar least one Of the risks TO which life IN the me
rL9p9iiS 49, ma sss4 Of control which enables
hin, TO escape the criticism which always follows
stop at designated floors. and that of the conlpa
MES that guarantee elevators: the 1aGlIl'y ana
which means them saving of expense in the
salaried employees. the desldeTata
The substitution of the STANDARD for other
makes Of elevators in the last few years in many
Of the notable structures in the land, and the fact
that Of the magnificent buildings erected
here recently have installed it. would seem to show
that z large proportion Of architects, engineers.
contractors and owners have consider II
without 2 peer. Among the important strucJ-
ures be mentioned the city Investing Build
ing, with y elevators each Of which has 36 feet to
20 10 reach the end Of its journey, the Trinity and
United States Realty buildings. which together
have . elevators that travel 2s9 feet; the United
States Express Building. with 70 elevators that
ascend 3l4 feet the West street Improvement Co s
building with eleven elevators. running S1s feet:
the Lawyers Title Guarantee and Trust Company 8
building with elevators that cover its 2s4 feet
Of interior height. the Tribune Building, with
elevators travelling "a feet upward; the Plaza
Hotels Z elevators that have climb pa feet;
the Title Guarantee and Trust Conpanvs elevators
with OF 10 feet. the Wanamaker stores
g. Philadelphia with their 10 elevators, the single
runs Of which 2SS feet and the Knicker-
booker Hotels 10 elevators, the Marbridge Build
tnE's IA and the T1fanys nine
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-05-17
THE ACTION OF GOVERNOR HUGHES

What are the Governor and the Legislature
dong?''
Governor Hughes showed himself man of re-
source and skill in the management of public af-
fairs when he disappointed all expectation in his
message to the Legislature when he had the law
making body OF the state convened in extraor-
binary session Albany. Instead OF sending In
the ringing message which it expected would
be forthcoming the anti-racetrack gambling
question for consideration of which the extra
sion was supposed be called. he deferred that
topic until after the Senator could be elected
In the 18th District Of the state and could qualify
to take his seat and also until the result Of q
serious operation one Of the supporters Of the
legislation desired by the Governor Is known
Meanwhile he gave the assembled lawmakers scme-
thing to do by directing their attention TO a num-
Der OF topics which they had failed to act at
the regular session. These include the extension OF
the scope OF the public service commissions 10 in
clude the telegraph and telephone companies. a
direct nominations law, stricter regulations in
gard to the action of political parties a on
cial primary ballot labor law amendments. and
commissions inquire into the methods OF Wall
Street and ascertain the number and condition
OF the unemployed persons I'm the state. Measures
have already been introduced covering OF these
points. but speedy action at Albany is anticl-
pateG. The members OF the Legislature will play
a waiting game until after the thirty days IN
which the 0ovsznor has to act on the bills passed