The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1918-05-03
AcEoa Of Apparatus Is Uncanny Tells
Exact Location Of Fire; Complete
Plant Installed Here
THERMOSTAT KEY
TO BIG SUCCESS
Chickasha Demonstration Headquarters;
Bring Many Committees Here; To
Reduce Insurance

Chickasha is the demonstration
headquarters of an enterprise that,
if performance counts for anything,
is destined to rank side by side with
the telephone and telegraph in the
matter of success as applied to a
public service institution. That en-
terprise is the United States Auto
matte Fire Alarm system, with cen
tral office in the building west of
the city hall
Several months ago, Mr.. Fessen-
den, representative of the compa.
ny, came to Chickasha and started
operations quietly. The idea was
new and 1t proved to be a mammoth
job to interest the merchants and
business men to the extent OF put
ting in the service, but Mr.. Fessen-
den and his company are patient
people. The result is that they now
have the entire business district of
Chickasha wired, many business
houses listed as subscribers and a
complete central office established.
A trip to that central office is
worth the time of anyone. To see
the system in operation, is like read
ing a fiiry story, and one might
well imagine the surprise Of the
first party who heard the voice of
Mr. Bell over the telephone. Who
ever that party was, he was expe-
riencing a new sensation, just as
you will witness the performance of
new and wonderful mechanism in
field of its own if you watch the
operation through which the system
gives the alarm of fire.
Thermostat Is at"
The secret of the whole system
seems to hinge around little ther-
mometer-lilie contraption called a
''thermostat" Said thermostat is
very sensitive When it gets just
so hot, it tells the central office
abount it, the central office tells
the fire department and the fire de.
partment hastens to see what caus.
ed the thermostat to be in a super.
heated condition In commercial
use, tho system is as follows: Ev-
cry room of every building served
by the fire alarm system is equipped
with number of thermOstats. These
are placed on the Ceiling, ten feet
apart and colnected by wires, much
after the fashion of a set of electric
light wires and bulbs. In case a
fire breaks out the heated air rises
to the ceiling, as any shark on such
matters will tell you Every thermo-
stat is connected with a set of wires
the terminal Of which is the central
office of the company. When a
thermostat is heated to 100 degrees,
an electric current is formed. This
current starts things to happening In
| the central office.
How Alarm is Given.
| First, a bell that would drown the
sound of a dozen telephones, starts
ringing On the switchboard in
front of the operator two leyer-like
/ devices drow down. At the same
time an automatic telegraph instrd
ment starts operations, printing, OIL
rather punching a set az numbers
on a tape. When the operator reads
the tape, she Immediately glance;
at a directory made up especially
and which shows the street, number
floor and room of every building
served by the system. She thel
has the exact location, even to thu
room in which the fire originated
Two telephones connect the centra
office OF the company direct wit
the fire station. The operator pick
up the receiver of one of thes
phones and is in direct connection
with the fire department. givin
them detailed information as TO tn
location of the fire. When the fir
department leaves the station the
know on what street, in what builC
ing and in what room they will fin
the fire.
As soon as the alarm is receive
a---