OCR Text |
Show RANG OUT ALARM OF FIRE Aa Late at Civil War Days New York Employed Dells to Warn Cltlsens of Danger. Not longer ago than Civil war daya Are alarms wero rung In the city on great bells hnng In towers erected for the purpose about tho town. The bells Indlcnted the district In which tbo Are was and pmetlmca a good deal of ground was covered In looking for a lire. The First district, for Instance, In Civil war days extended from Twenty-second street north to Yorkvlllo and from the Cast river to the North. The bell ringers wero constantly on duty In tho towers watching for signs Of a fire. An Inventory of tho coutents ' 1 of tho old Marlon street bell tower In ' 1805 shows the equipment then In use. It Is as follows: "One bell, weight 11,-000 11,-000 pounds; ono striking apparatus, ono stove, table, clock, ono spyglass, pno field glass, one slate and book." The fire be.Ua of the old city coul be heard nil over tho town unless gale of wind wns blowing. Tholargea bell wns In the City hnll tower. It weight waa23.000 pounds. NowrXork , Times. , |