TRIAL OF MAT'S FIRE ANNUNCIATOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11797, 28 July 1900, Page 8

TRIAL OF MAT'S FIRE ANNUNCIATOR.

The proprietors of May's automatic fire annunciator having just completed the installation of their patent in the Otago Daily Times and Witness Company's building, yesterday afternoon gave a practical demonstration of its value in the presence of a considerable number of spectators. The patent is a very ingenious and Effective contrivance for the piu-pojc of detecting the exact locality of a firt; and calling out the brigade in the quickest possible time. The principle of the alarm is somewhat as follows: —The building is " wired " throughout with a copper wire, just as is done for an electric bell installation. The wire is ko set that at a certain temperature it will close an electric circuit. Tn. connection witli the wire and circuit closer is a Morse telegraphic transmitter, communicating with the fire brigade station. When a fire takes place in a building the remit is that the whole apparatus is put in motion, bells begin to ring- in the building, and almost simultaneously a telegraphic signal is transmitted to the fire brigade station. On the arrival of the brigade at the building- any member (hereof ran readily ascertain, by looking at an indicator, the particular room in which the fire is located. At the exhibition yesterday the alarm bells in the building began '.o' ring in 13 seconds after a lighted match was thrown into a receptacle' containing wool saturated with spirits of wine: and a menage wa« brought from tho fire brigade station in two ami a-half minutes from the time the fire was started. Mr George Fenwick, managing- director of th? Daily Times, expressed himself as being completely satisfied with the . result of the pxpf-rimont. It showed, lie said, That a firo could be promptly announced, and he felt

quite sure that the directors of the company would think they had done very wisely in installing the annunciator. These remarks were received with, applause, indicating that all those present were quite satisfied with the effectiveness of the patent.