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Show STSPffllLED Greatest of Many Improvements Made in Department by Chief Vail. SAVES TIillB AND WORKS LIKE A CHARM Salt Lake Now lias Fire Fighting Fight-ing "Equipment Second to None. Tho Installation of tho now fire alarm Bysteni at tho central station ou First South street 1b ono of tho most Important Import-ant of the many Improvements made by Chief Charlos T. Vail since he look charge of tho department In January last. Now, slnco tho establishment of this system, which, with tho single exception ex-ception of that In operation In New York City, Is tho very finest and most complete com-plete In the United Slates, Salt Lake can Justly boast of an equipment for defending defend-ing herself against flre3 which Is absolutely abso-lutely unsurpassed anywhere In tho world. Eight Man in Eight Placo. m That the present head of the Salt Lake fire department has shown himself to be tho right man in the right place is conceded con-ceded on every, hand. His record has been a record of improvement, coupled with tho greatest possible economy, and he may well bo proud of the work he has done. Added to his entorpriso along all lines of improvement the old fire-fighter brought to the discharge of his duties as chief " of tho department a thorough knowledge of electricity and electrical appllaur.es. To this facf is duo tho cheapness with which it has boon found possible to place in -position tho splendid splen-did alarm system which Is now In actual use. The copt of tho machinery has been utterly insignificant when compared with tho great benefit derived by the city by reason of Its establishment. It's All Simplo Enough. Tho new apparatus Is simple, consisting consist-ing of a switchboard and two registers, with tholr operating appliances. Tho switchboard, for Instance, has thirty keys and can be so manipulated by the man In charge as to establish thirty separato and distinct connections In different parts of the city. No. 1!), for example, 1b tho key used to form the connection between the main olllco and any person sending In nn alarm over either 'phone. This should be borne in mind. If you wish to send In a fire alarm over either tho Bell or Independent 'phono .call No. 10 and tho connection will bo Immediately Immedi-ately made. The switchboard has a key each for tho two 'phones, to be used oxclusivelv in forming connections between fire headquarters and tho central telephone offices. Key 59 is used, at either end, to form this direct connection with the Independent, In-dependent, and key 2G0 with the Boll office. of-fice. Can Take in Any or All. The system also has a combination key, so that headquarters is able to talk to any one or all of the branch fire-houses fire-houses at the same time. Adjoining the switchboard Is a table surmounted by two pen registers, closely resembling stock board tickers. Thoso machines register, tho instant an alarm Is turned In. the box nearest tho reported fire, and this Information Is at once conveyed con-veyed to the drivers, as thev mount to their seats on engine and truck, by moans of house telephones which hang within their reach. Under this system SJS fc-NA- HI v ' ' the time of getting away from the firo-house firo-house Is shortened by at least flftoon seconds. This Is a fact tho Importance o which Is not to be despised, as time Is always precious at the moment of getting under way. How They Used to Do It. Under tho old system which Chief Vail found In operation when he was placod In charge nil tho branch houses received tho alarm at tho same tlrao, tho horses and men sprang to their places and waited there until Informed whether their services were required. Thore 1b no running out of horses now unless It Is known that they aro going to a fire. An auxiliary system of speaking tubes has been' put in to tako the place of tho house 'phones, before referred to, In case of the failure of the latter from any cause. To Prevent Accidents. At the intersection of First South and Main and Second South and Main fire gongs have been put In place to ring for a period of live minutes when tho course of the englno and trucks going to a fire lies by way of those corners. Theso alarm gongs are for tho purpose of warning teams and pedestrians out of tho way and preventing accidents. Tho now police alarm system will bo sot up In connection with that hero described de-scribed as soon as the ueccssary cable Is placod In the conduit which will shortly short-ly bo constructed for Its reception. The contract has already boon let for the placing of all the city's wires underground un-derground and for fixing Irou pedestals at the principal street corners for lire alarm boxes. When theso things aro done most of the unsightly poles which now disfigure the principal streets of tho city will be removed. Surely, tho American party "do move." |