The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-02-28
EACH TELEPHONE
AN ALARM Boz
Chief Miller and VIM. M. Bail
ely of the Home Company
Devise a Scheme.
MEANS GOOD PROTECTION.
FIRE ALARMS CAN BE TURNED
IN FROM ANY POINT IN TIKI
CITY-THE SCHEME is MOS
UNIQUE.

ONiaoE.
| VIM. NJ Bailey, manager OF the Rich
mond Home Telephone company. and
have been working on a plan by which
each automatic telephone could BE-
made fire alarm box and after goinS
into the matter very thoroughly, they
have happily struck most unique
scheme. which is now installed and
working very satisfactorily. The plan
is that number 1884. which is printed
on each telephone dial is to be used
for no other purpose except to report
fire Whenever subscriber pulls this
numbers it rings the telephone and
gives an alarm at No. engine house,
which is located in the city building.
This phone is not to be used for any
other purpose than to receive an alarm
of fire. Therefore, whenever it rings,
the chief or assistant Immediately an
swers same, taking the exact location
of the fire as reported.
This phone is so arranged that imme-
diately on receiving this call by throw
! ing a switch he can ring all of the 9th
er engine houses simultaneously and
| communicate with all at the same
time. All of the other engine houses
at the same time receive this order and
are posted as to where the fire is and
| which has been sent out. All of the
engines remaining in, know who will
next be called. The chief can also
use this device at any time for giving
general orders or for any other pur-
| pose that he sees fit.
Number engine house is also sup
piled with another phone. 210S. that
will be used for general purposes and
the public is hereby notified that none
of the members of the fire department
will receive any calls except for fire
over telephone 1884.
AIarmers in Danger.
The system is also so arranged that
as soon as a fire call is turned in it
gives an alarm in the automatic room
of the Home Telephone company and
the switchman on duty Immediately
plugs up the two phones, that is the
phone calling and the fire department.
so they cannot release. He then traces
| the connection and makes a record of
the phone calling and the time that
| the call was made. This is to detect
anyone giving a false alarm. In case
| false alarm is given, all that is nee
| essary is for the chief of the depart
ment to inquire Of the telephone COM
pany from what phone this alarm
came, and he Immediately receives the
| information and then can locate the
offending party. The alarm is also
registered at the information desk,
who receives all information that has
, been given to the fire department and
is Immediately in position to answer
all inquiries as to location of fire, etc.
Both the city and Home Tele phone
company are very much pleased at
this arrangement and fell that they
have accomplished a tremendous pro-
lection to property, as with the use of
this system every telephone is an ac-
tual fire alarm box and an alarm can
be turned in to headquarters even
with more dispatch than is required
TO reach fire alarm box and make
the report by operating same The
telephone fire alarm system adopted
in Richmond has been discussed by
the automatic electric company and
many other automatic companies and
is considered the very best that has
Yet been installed. 1t really sives the
ely in addition to the number OF
boxes it now has about 2000 addition
al fire alarm boxes. Il also enables
the watChmen al factories and stores
10 set immediate and prompt response
to calls turned in from these places
an automatic telephone, direct com
municatiOn to the fire department
The reason that both the city and the
telephone company object to this
phone being used for any other pur
pose is, that if the phone is in use fOI
some private conversation and some
one desired TO report a fire, it WOULD
be impossible for them to reach the
fire department as they would receive
the busy test" every time they called
this number. but If the phone is not
allowed TO be used for any other pur
pose then it is always open for in-com
ing calls.
The city and the Home Telephone
IA N - a a n 4 n