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Show RANG OUT ALARM OF FIRE As Late as Civil War Days New York Employed Bells to Warn Citizens of Danger. Not longer ago than Civil war days Are alarms were, rung in the city on great bells hung in towers erected for the purpose about the town. The bells Indicated the district in which the fire was and sometimes a good deal of ground was covered In looking for a fire. The First district, for Instance,' In Civil war days extended from Twenty-second street north to Yorkville and from the East river to the North. The bell ringers were constantly on duty in the towers watching for signs of a fire. An inventory of the contents of the old Marion street bell tower in 1SG5 shows the equipment then in use. It Is as follows : "One bell, weight 11,-000 11,-000 pounds; one striking apparatus, one stove, table, clock, one spyglass, one field glass, one slate and book." The fire bells of the old city coul be heard all over the town unless -gale of wind was blowing. The larges bell was In the City hall tower. Its weight was 23,000 pounds. New York Times. |