Show RANG OUT ALARM OF FIRE As late as civil war days day new york employed bells balls to warn citizens of danger not longer ago than civil war fire alarms were rung in the city on 12 great bells hung bung in towers erected for the purpose about the town the bells indicated nil bated the district in which the fire was and sometimes a good deal of 0 ground was covered in looking fora fire the first district for instance in civil war flays days extended from awen ty second street north to yorkville and from the E east ast river to the north orth the bell ringers were constantly on duty in the towers watch watching ln for signs signa of a fire an inventory of the contents of tho the old marion street bell tower in 1865 shows the equipment then in ule nse it Is as follows one bell weight 11 rounds pounds one striking apparatus one stove table clock one spy gla one field glass one slate and book the tire fire bells of the old city could be heard all over the town unless a gale of wind wits was blowing the largest bell was in the city hall to tower IT er its weight was potin pounds ds new york times |