Municipal fire alarm systemIn 1852, the first municipal electric fire alarm system using call boxes with automatic signaling indicating a fire's location was placed into operation in Boston. It proved very effective in saving lives and avoiding great loss of property resulting from fire. (As recently as 16 Dec 1835, a great fire in New York City had resulted in the demolition of 600 buildings, at a loss of $20 million.) The success of Boston's fire alarm system was soon apparent, and the system spread across the United States and Canada. The inventors, William Channing and Moses Farmer, received a U.S. patent on their system on 19 May 1857 (No. 17,355). Their original 28-page proposal was given to the mayor of Boston on 27 Mar 1851 and construction began 7 Sep 1851.« |
