Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-08-04
FIRE ALARM SYSTEM INsrALLE0
New Outfit is Ofths Bell and Bell Striker
Variety

After several weeks waiting for inn
portant MP inery. fearing every dav
that some iIre would start without ade-
quate means of informing the fire de-
partment, the plant has reached its
final stage. that of being tried out by
the city fathers and if found sufficient
for the city's needs accepted When
first planned, a whistle to be run by
compressed air was suggested, but it
soon became evident that to provide
the proper tanks to hold the air would
cost more than the city could afford,
moreover, should wire break or light
ming happen to strike the wires any
where lt would use all the air in the
tanks and constitute a false alarm.
This plan failing. the fire alarm sys-
tern that IS used n Chicago, st. Paul
and in fact all large cities was sug-
gestod. This would entail ana lded ex-
penge for bell and bell striker A
good bell costs anywhere from $500 up,
while the striker would cost one-half
Of this To simplify matters the Met
h0dlst church bell ;@Tas offered bv the
trustees and the dre department agreed
to pay one-half lhe added expense for
a striker and me order was sent in.
The installation was made and found to
WORK perfectly. Some day this week
It il hoped to get the council together
and completely try out every box. For
the benefit of the people a description
of what should be done in case of a fire
will be given.
There are located ait various points in
the city red fire boxes. If fire occurs
in your vicinity, run to the nearest fire
box, break the glass and pull down the
crank IN front as far as it will go--let
the crank 90 and pay no further at
tention to it. You will hear the ma
ehinery in the box commence working
and in a second the Methodist church
bell will commence ringing the number
of the box you have just pulled Sup
pose you pulled the box in front of the
tortney Hotel It's number is IA, then
the fire bell will toll as follows:
toliing IA four distinct times. Or if
you have a telephone IN your house and
locate fire in your neighborhood, all
you have TO do is 70 ring up central and
call fire, telling if you know, the
number of your nearest fire box, when
central will Immediately turn in an
alarm from the central station.
Plans are on fc st to have central toll
this new system all false alarms are
done away with, for in case Of broken
wire or lightning striking some portion
of the system the fire bell will give
bu. oae stroke and win thus warn the
authorities that something is out of
der A little care and Judgment
will have to be exercised by the citi-
zens not to conflict the ringing of the
church he'll with the striking of the
fire alarm. The fire alarm is toll,
while tne Fihging Of the church bell
is in the old manner by swinging the
bell. A little attention given will show
that there are two distinct sounds en-
itted and you win soon come to recog-
| nize the fire alarm from the regular
ringing of the bell for church pur-
poses. You are asked to help the fire
department of this city by two preven-
| titive measures. Find out the num-
| Der cf your nearest fire box and write
| the number on your telephone book, so
IN case you call up central you can give
| them the number of your nearest fire
box. Second:keep copy Of the fire
boxes, given below, pasted IN some
conspicuous place IN your home. You
will notice that all boxes in the First
ward commence with /, all in the Sec
cond ward with 2, and all in the Third
ward with 8. The boxes and locations
are as follows.
No. H. Court house.
No. 10. North end Of Main, street at
the bottom Of the hill going toward the
fair grounds.
No. H. Fortney Hotel.
No II. Main street Mrs. Hanson's
corner.
No. ~. Nuzum's lumber yard, Main
street.
No. "a. L. c. Boyle's house.
No %. Capt Connor's house.
No. 81. BekkedaPs warehouse.
No. 3d. Judge Maaoney's house.
No. 3D.. Pretzfeld's warehouse.