USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Attleboro > Reports of town officers of the town of Attleborough 1940 > Part 6
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Fire Prevention is more important to-day than Fire Fighting because suc- cessful Fire Prevention means No Loss of Life, No Loss of Buildings and No Loss of Time.
This Board would consider itself negligent if it did not go on record in this report as being disturbed by the policy used in construction of our City School Buildings.
Buildings other than first-class construction will burn inside with the same speed as an all-wood building.
It is true buildings of first class construction cost most but SPRINKLERS could be installed in our school buildings, resulting in cheaper insurance rates that eventually would save the cost of SPRINKLER installation.
The installation of SPRINKLERS in the minds of some of our esteemed citizens is considered an expense when as a matter of fact, and hard headed business, it is a sound investment, let alone the important part of PROTECTING OUR SCHOOL CHILDREN.
We are not trying to criticize any department as each department has to use what money the City gives to them but we do consider such a policy of our City as dangerous and want to go on record and hope the time will never come when we are obliged to say we warned the voters to play safe.
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ANNUAL REPORT
APPRECIATION
We wish at this time to thank His Honor, the Mayor, the Municipal Council, the Committee on Fire Department, and the Police Department for their assist- ance, and to the officers and men for the able manner in which they performed their duties.
We wish to thank Dr. R. P. Kent for his attendance and services rendered to our men injured at fires.
We thank the special Fire Police of Box (9) Club for the efficient manner in which they have handled traffic conditions at fires.
Respectfully submitted,
BOARD OF FIRE ENGINEERS, Hayward H. Sweet, Chairman Alfred J. Laliberte, Clerk William E. Sweeney Chief Fred A. Clark
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ANNUAL REPORT
Report of Superintendent of Fire Alarm
William S. King Supt. of Fire Alarm
To the Board of Fire Engineers, Attleboro Fire Department, Central Fire Station, Attleboro, Mass.,
Sirs:
I herewith submit my annual report of the activities of the Electrical Branch of the Fire Department for the year ending December 31st, 1940.
During a severe storm occurring on February 14th, boxes No. 73, 75, 78 were destroyed by coming in contact with high voltage. Part of a large tree was blown down across the high voltage wires on Lindsey Street and the resulting cross up between the high voltage wires and our lines caused the damage. This was also the cause of burning up two six inch gongs and two direct acting tappers. The Non-Interferring magnets on box No. 352 were also destroyed at this time. Three new boxes were purchased and immediately placed in operation.
Several times in past years some trouble has been experienced in receiving a proper alarm from old box No. 23. This was one of the oldest boxes in the system and one would never know as to when an alarm could be properly received from the box. To overcome this source of trouble, we had a new wheel No. 23 cut to fit our tramp box No. 333 and this modern type box was installed in this location.
A box numbered 131 was installed April first at the junction of Newport Avenue and Orr Street. This box was made up of a number of parts from old damaged boxes that we had on hand. New boxes were installed in place of the old type at Nos. 42, 65 and 73.
The School Department closed the City School at the beginning of the year and with their permission, box No. 151 was removed from the building. the number changed to 353 and installed on the Farmers School House on West Street.
On June 5th, a new box, No. 713, was installed on Lindsey Street opposite the old Parmenter Farm. This installation followed up the extension of the water main on this street and gave this section of the city added protection.
Three sets of lightning arresters and accessories were installed on Lindsey Street, Clifton Street and West Street on our main lines and this work has given the system a good deal of protection from lightning and cross-ups with foreign current. The old open wire fire alarm service to the South Attleboro Station was revamped and replaced with a new ten conductor cable in ring work.
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ANNUAL REPORT
We have extensively revamped the fire alarm service entering the Fire Alarm office in the Union Street Station. The service now enters the building via a double set of 3 1-2 inch creosoted wood ducts from a manhole in the street to one in the rear of the station and thence direct into the switch board room. The old unsightly and unreliable wires have been removed, a multitude of cross arms taken down and the cabled ring work done away with.
On June 20th box No. 612 was struck evidently by a truck and the outside case of the box was demolished. No restitution being made to the City because the party doing the damage was not secn.
A pedestal mounting, furnished by the school contractor was installed by us at the location of the new school house on Watson Avenue and approximately two hundred feet of three inch creosoted wood duet laid in the ground to ac- commodate the fire alarm service from the street to the school house.
During the year all of the boxes mounted on pedestals have been painted and with the exception of the South Attleboro boxes, the remainder of them have been painted. The traffic signal pole and lamp house in front of the Central Station has also been painted.
A double line of three and one-half inch wood duct has been installed under- ground on Capron Street from Union Street to South Main Street making a total of approximately six hundred feet of wood duct in this street. We were aided greatly by the Public Works Department who furnished men and a com- pressor for the excavating.
The tower striker in the South Attleboro Station was not operating properly and upon examination it was found that all the bearings in the machine were completely worn out. The machine was sent to the Gamewell Company and repaired by them and we re-installed it and is now operating properly.
During the past year, the utilities have re-located and re-set many poles throughout the city, and we have been kept busy changing over our plant in these locations. Miles of wire has been overhauled and the slack taken out. Boxes have been checked, tested, oiled and cleaned.
RECOMMENDATIONS
At this time I would recommend that much consideration be given toward the purchase and installation of a two-way radio system by the City for depart- mental use. This matter is one of the foremost recommendations extended by the National Defense Committee of the International Association of Municipal Signal Engincers in one of their very recent publications.
An additional number of boxes are needed in this city to give proper coverage in the different sections that have recently been built up and at present have no box protection. We have a large number of boxes which are at least sixty years old. They are unreliable and some plan should be formulated in the near future to start their elimination and have new modern type boxes installed in their place. These old type boxes are obsolete because they are much too complicated in operation, the glass guard over the key must first be broken, the outside door opened and the hook pulled way down and released. In different instances, people being excited, have not paused to read the instructions on the outside of the box and the result has been improper reception of alarms and in some in- stances no reception at all. These boxes are not of the successive type and, therefore, will not transmit a proper signal if another box of the same type is transmitting its signal when the first box is pulled. These boxes are also erndered inoperable in cases where children and even adults open the doors to look inside and then go away leaving the doors open. In the meantime, the circuit upon which this box is connected may become open and the box cannot transmit a
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ANNUAL REPORT
signal until such time as the outside box door is closed and reopened again. In comparison with these old boxes, a modern box is operated in two movements, merely opening the guard and pulling the hook down. They are positive, non- interfering and successive in operation and are as foolproof as is possible to construct them. All of our box locations should be equipped with red markers in the dark so that a box may be located in the night in quick time. The few of these markers that we have installed in past years have proved their worth several times.
For sometime the Fire Department has been greatly hampered by the rush of private cars following apparatus to fires at the time of the sounding of an alarm of fire, the alarm being heard by the operators from the whistle on the Central Station and the bells in the center. To overcome this trouble, an ar- rangement should be made to silence the whistle on first alarms. There are two forms of doing this work, the first plan being the installation of an electrical device in the whistle circuit to hold the machine-inoperable until such time as it would be necessary to sound it. With this arrangement the whistle would be normally silenced and immediately after the reception of a box alarm the desk operator would switch the whistle back in operating condition, thereby causing the whistle to operate if a second box should sound. The sounding of the whistle would then indicate to all concerned that a second alarm was coming in. To accomplish this plan a circuit must be built from the Fire Alarm Office to the Central Station, a reverse current relay, an operating relay from the repeater- head and several switches must be purchased. The present cables between the two stations are completely filled and there is no room for added circuits. The entrance duct into the Central Station is blocked and it will be necessary to install a new service at this point if another circuit is to be built.
The second plan is one that we have recommended in the past years which calls for the speeding up of our system and a delayed action sounding of the whistle be made through the installation of a slow speed transformer to control the outside sounding of the whistle. This transformer is constructed in a manner that it may be set to allow the full four rounds of the box to register and then automatically the whistle will repeat the alarm on the outside, thereby giving the apparatus sufficient time to get away before the public can hear the alarm. This method is approved and recommended by the underwriters and is a step in the proper direction toward modernizing and bringing our system up to par. A rough estimate of this plan is in the vicinity of $1,200.00.
Along with the recommendations of the National Defense Committee, I would suggest that plans be made to install our wires which run to South Attleboro underground from County Square to the Fire Station on Newport Avenue. At the present time we have accommodations for only two circuits to South Attleboro with no facilities for added lines of communication. As more boxes are added to the system in the South End it will become necessary for us to build added circuits in this direction because we are limited to the number of boxes which may be operated on a circuit. Also, along these lines a fire alarm box should be purchased and installed in the Pumping Station on West Street. The station is in a very isolated location and communication depends entirely upon telephone. Attleboro is one of the very few cities in this area that does not have a fire alarm box in their station.
In looking ahead in future years, as the city and the system grow, particular attention should be drawn toward a plan to extend the fire alarm system. This is accomplished by the construction of a separate fire alarm headquarters building entirely isolated from other structures. More box circuits and alarm circuits must be built and larger cables installed to accommodate the additional circuits. A manual transmittor installed and a sufficient number of operators employed to handle fire department communications. The efficiency of this plan was very well demonstrated during the great fire in the city of Fall River. All the
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ANNUAL REPORT
time during the course of the conflagration, communications to and from the Fire Headquarters were carried on normally without any interruption to them being experienced. Under our present set-up our boxes and sounding devices are all on the same circuits and do not meet the requirements of good fire alarm operation.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Salary and Wages
Salary of Supt. of Fire Alarm
(1)
$2,000.00
Salary of Asst. Electrician.
(1)
1,916.25
$3,916.25
Maintenance of Equipment
Maint. of Fire Alarm.
(2)
$2,450.00
Maint. of Motor Equipment.
(2)
300.00
New Fire Alarm Boxes
(2)
250.00
$3,000.00
Other Expenses
Light and Power.
(3)
$ 198.00
Phone
(3)
90.00
Incidental
(3)
25.00
$ 313.00
Under the above listing we have not set up any figures for the purchase of the radio installation or to take care of the contemplated changes in the operation of the whistle because of the fact that it will have to be determined as to what installation in either case will be used. Under this heading, I would respectfully request that the salary of the Superintendent be established at the old rate of $2,190.00 per year.
In concluding this report, we wish to extend our thanks to the Board of Fire Engineers, the officers and men of the Fire Department, the members of the Police and Public Works Departments and to all who in the past year of 1940, have cooperated in the operation of this department.
Respectfully submitted,
William S. King, Superintendent of Fire Alarm, Attleboro Fire Department,
January 18th, 1941.
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ANNUAL REPORT
Report of the Electrical Inspector
December 31, 1940
To His Honor, the Mayor, and the Municipal Council of the City of Attleboro, Massachusetts,
I herewith submit my annual report of the activities of the Wire Inspection Department for the year ending December 31, 1940.
During the past year permits issued and numbers of inspections are as follows:
(To Electricians)
Applications
Permits
(To A. S. & E. Co.) Inspections Reinspections Total
January
75
75
101
103
204
February
86
86
115
82
197
March.
86
86
115
113
113
April
88
88
117
134
251
May
95
95
127
147
274
June
46
46
61
172
233
July
107
107
143
119
262
August.
89
89
119
182
301
September
67
67
89
124
124
October.
116
116
155
153
308
November
139
139
185
158
343
December.
145
145
193
150
343
Total
1139
1139
1520
1637
3157
Throughout the past year there has been an extremely high rate of increase in the local installation of oil burners, both residential and industrial thereby increasing the number of inspections regarding the electrical controls of the burn- ers. This type of work has changed considerably during the latter part of the year due to new regulations being enforced by the State Department of Public Safety.
Numerous apprehensions have been made on persons doing improper and illegal wiring throughout the city and we have been greatly assisted by the Field Agent of the State Board of Examiners of Electricians in this work. Many of the offenders, if holding licenses have had their licenses suspended or revoked indefinitey due to their failure to comply with City, State and Code requirements.
Along with our line of work, we would like at this time to explain to the property owners of the city, the necessity for the changing of old, obsolete ser- vices at the time additional outlets or equipment may be added to the system in the property.
As of the rules of the Ordinances of the City of Attleboro, this department is governed by the rules and regulations of the current edition of the National Electric Code regarding the proper and adequate installation of electrical wiring. The Code is the basis of electrical ordinances in many cities and towns in the country and where such ordinances are enforced the public is safeguarded against improper wiring, and installation practices. The ordinances usually require that a wiring installation be inspected and passed by an electrical Inspector before a certificate is issued and the current turned on. Whenever it is necessary to make additions, alterations or repairs to the wiring, dependence should be not placed upon an inexperienced handyman to do the work, for it is in this way the whole installation may be impaired. It is best to have the work done by a capable authorized contractor and it should be understood beforehand that he must arrange for an inspection and produce a certificate of approval issued from the local Inspection Department, covering the completed job.
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ANNUAL REPORT
In the early days of house wiring, it was but necessary to have a service installed with just capacity enough to carry a small lighting load only. In the days following, the introduction of modern appliances and accessories has placed a very heavy load on these small services. At the present time there are numerous oil burners, washing machines, refrigerators and other heavy current consuming machines in daily use in the average home that under the requirements of the Code it has become absolutely necessary to have the small services changed and brought up to date with ones of sufficient size and capacity to safely carry the added load. Many of these devices operate entirely automatically and is pos- sible for them to start at any time regardless of whether other devices are in operation or not thereby imposing an extra heavy demand on the service.
Since the year 1921, it has been necessary for any property owner who desired to make any changes or alterations in their electrical systems which were un-grounded, to have the services grounded and brought up to date to meet Code requirements. Because of the gradual increase in the use of extra current consuming devices, it has since become necessary to install heavier services where the additional equipment may be installed. At the present time the matter is settled as follows, when an electrician applies for a permit to install additional equipment in a building, the service and general wiring is first checked through our files. If the building is of single occupancy, the service safety- switched and grounded, does not exceed a total of not more than twenty-four outlets divided into not more than two circuits, permission may then be granted for a small addition. But, if the above conditions are not found and the service is overloaded, it becomes absolutely necessary for the owner to have a service of proper capacity installed to meet the requirements of the present Code which by past experience has shown to be capable of properly taking care of present and ordinary future demands.
These regulations are in effect in all parts of the country and do not only apply to Attleboro. In some cases these rules are a real hardship on the property owner but when one stops to figure the matter out he is way ahead because of the fact that with the installation of a new service, it is possible to obtain the re- quired amount of current supplied, thereby insuring continuity of supply and the proper operation of all connected devices. Many times we have found re- frigerators, radios and burners damaged because of the low voltage feeding through small and obsolete services. All approved devices and appliances are marked on the name plates as to the proper voltage for satisfactory operation.
The matter of the use of extension cords in the homes should be discouraged. Temporary extensions consisting of separate wires or cords should not take the place of permanent wiring. A competent and authorized electrician can readily put in additional outlets and wires concealed in the wall or can install approved types of surface wiring. Such additions should be inspected and approved by this department. The improper use of extension cords has been responsible for the loss of life and property in many cases throughout the nation.
FUSES
The fuse is the safety valve of the electrical system. It consists of a small link of soft metal which melts when too much current passes through it. If a short circuit occurs anywhere in the wiring system, an excessive current flows through the wires and through the fuse, and if the fuse operates properly, it will melt, cutting off the current before any harm can be done. If the fuse fails to operate, the wires may become hot enough to ignite the insulation, possible causing a fire. Because of the very important function that fuses have to serve, they should never be tampered with or their purpose will be defeated. Tamper- ing with fuses is like putting a clamp on the safety valve of a steam boiler. Never permit the use of makeshift fuses or fuses of improper ratings.
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ANNUAL REPORT
Fuses have a second function. Besides protecting in the case of short circuit, they protect in the case of overload. If too many appliances are con- nected to one circuit, more current will be drawn through the supply wires than the wires were meant to carry. Overloaded wires become hot, sometimes to the point of injuring the insulation. When circuits are overloaded, the fuse, if properly selected, will melt or "blow", thus protecting the wires. When a fuse "blows" something is wrong. Either a cord or an appliance is defective or there are too many appliances connected at the same time on one circuit. Find the trouble and remedy it, otherwise when the blown fuse is replaced the new one will also blow out immediately. If the new fuses continue to blow, it is very advisable to engage the services of a competent electrician to locate the trouble. For those who prefer to keep a supply and change their own fuses, a word of advise is appropriate. It is very important, for the safety of the wiring system, to use reliable fuses which will blow whenever the safe current values are ex- ceeded. Here again it is wise to take advantage of the safeguards provided by the Underwriters' Laboratories and buy only fuses which comply with safety standards and which carry the Laboratories' inspection label as evidence of approval.
During the past year a new typewriter was purchased for this office and because of a sudden emergency it was loaned to the Draft Board and to date it is still used by them. The work of this office is badly crippled thru the loss of this machine and we trust that something can be done in the near future to elimin- ate the above condition. We have to borrow a machine for our work and it does not work out to the best advantage.
The most of our inside work such as making out permits, keeping records and filing is being done by a clerk working under the National Youth Administra- tion and he is doing very excellent work. His being employed here makes it, possible to keep the office open to the electricians and the public during the day. This cannot be done while we are out working on Fire Alarm maintenance.
This office needs extra filing room and we respectfully request that in the coming year of 1941 that some consideration be given to the purchase of additional filing equipment.
RECOMMENDATIONS
EXPENSES Maintenance of Auto (1) $200.00
Other Expenses. (1) 250.00 75.00 $525.00
New Filing Equipment.
At this time, I wish to extend my sincere thanks to His Honor the Mayor the Municipal Council, members of the Fire and Police Departments and all who in any way contributed their aid and assistance toward the operation of this department during the past year of 1940.
Respectfully submitted, William S. King, Electrical Inspector, City of Attleboro, Mass.
ยท
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ANNUAL REPORT
TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY
Mrs. Margaret Conro
John Stevenson
Edwin F. Leach President
Miss Edith L. Claflin
Raymond M. Horton Treasurer
Mrs. Ethel H. Barden Secretary
Hayward HI. Sweet
Frederick V. Murphy, M.D.
Mrs. Caroline S. Holden
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ANNUAL REPORT
January 10, 1941.
To Hon. John W. McIntyre, Mayor and the City Council of Attleboro,
Gentlemen:
Your board of Trustees for the Attleboro Library, Joseph L. Sweet Memorial have held their regular meetings thru the year on Tuesday evenings with a fine attendance of all members present.
The major repair which we undertook this year was a complete redecoration of the Hall together with re-seating and repairing the chairs. We were also able thru the generous cooperation and interest of the Washington School Mother's club to redecorate that branch and make some added improvements to the light- ing and ventilation. At the main library we were compelled by lack of stack space to install some steel shelving down stairs to take care of some of our over flow material.
A complete inventory of the books at the library was taken this year the details of which are amplified in the report of the Librarian.
We feel that our book collection is in better shape at this time than at any previous time, both from a physical standpoint as well as to its diversification. As our technical book list was very low and also much out moded it became nec- essary to give that much attention this year and while we have by no means built it up to the position it should attain we have nevertheless improved it greatly and hope to continue with it as far as possible without putting too great a strain on the other lists. Great care and thought are being given to the selection of books in order that in these critical times we may be able to supply to the reading public such reading matter as may best serve their needs and at the same time prepare and inform on the vital current problems and activities.
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