POLICE AND FIRE ALARM SYS TEMS. The usual police alarm system con sists of a bell signal and telephone arranged in boxes at desired locations. Keys to these boxes are held by the policemen on duty, who must report at certain times from these boxes to headquarters by telephone. On the other hand, if headquarters desires to get in touch with the policeman on a certain post, a bell is rung, at tracting the party called. This system is, however, not satisfactory, inasmuch as in most cases the sound of the bell, confused with so many other noises of the city, is not heard. Due to the need for something better, within the past few years a combination involving also a visible signal has been installed in various cities, particularly those of Germany, where an elaborate system is to be found. Under this system, which is worked out in detail, the prin cipal feature is a green signal lamp that flashes when the policeman on post is wanted.
Closely analogous with the German police alarm system is the fire-alarm system in general use throughout continental Europe, the chief difference being that the signal lamps are red instead of green. The advantage of the alarm box and telephone to fire headquarters is apparent, in that it permits the department to know immediately and exactly the location of the fire. It is of advantage, however, as is the practice in many places, to dispense with the use of the key to open the box and using a push-button or other handy device instead, for the sake of saving time.
The fire-alarm lamps are, as a rule, about 15 feet above the sidewalk, while the alarm boxes are attached to the fire-alarm posts within easy reach, some four feet, of pedestrians. These boxes are generally provided with a han dle or crank, which must be pulled or turned according to directions.
Under the ordinary system it is not unusual for the individual fire alarm to be sent into the central fire headquarters, and from there trans mitted to the branch headquarters, with a con sequent loss of time. Under the system under description this is avoided, notice of each fire being sent to the nearest fire house and simul taneously to the main or central headquarters.
A fire-alarm system based on the above prin ciples has been installed in the city of Berlin, where the fire apparatus is also operated by electricity. According to the United States Consular Reports of 9 Aug. 1911, it takes but 12 seconds from the time an alarm is sounded until the department is fully under way on the street.' The great extent of the fire losses through out the country is rarely understood by the public. Yet, in the failure to take ordinary precautions against fire, and in carelessness and faulty construction, losses amounting to $750, 000 per day are incurred throughout the United States. On the other hand, the fire losses abroad for six principal cities for a period of five years averaged 33 cents per person, as com pared with losses of $3.02 per capita in the United States. It will, therefore, be seen that American cities are in need of adopting the most urgent measures and of installing up-to date and efficient methods of fire and police alarm. The necessity is most apparent and will be recognized by all when s remem bered that the cost of adequate Protection is but a small percentage of the y rly damage done by fire in each city.