Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 January 1899 — A Fireless Fire Alarm. [ARTICLE]

A Fireless Fire Alarm.

The d«w steam fire whisile, or rather the old whistle with some 0 new attachments to it, was tried at 10 o’clock this morning, as was previously stated in The Republican it would be. But when it began to whistle and shriek, some zealous person who had not read the notice, thought there was a fire some place and began to jangle the fire bell, at the town hall. With both alarms going, about everybody concluded there was a fire and for a little while there was quite an excitement until people learned the cause of the whistling and ringing. There is no question but that the fire whistle with its new attachments is muoh more effective than it was before. Some persons down town, favorably situated with reference to the fire bell, heard that before the whistle, and concluded that it was the best alarm of the two. People who were at quite a distance from both bell and whistle do not seem to agree with that view. They all seem to think that the whistle is now a very effective fire alarm. It had one marked effect all over town, and that was to greatly excite and alarm the horses. It would probably be well for proper notice to be given, and then to sound the whistle at stated times every day for a while, until horses got used to it. Otherwise if sounded suddenly and long in case of a fire, sometime, it may cause considerable trouble in frightening horses. ■ I have private funds to loan on real estate at low rates for any length of time. Funds are always on hands and there is no delay—no examination of land, no sending papers east—absolutely no red tape Why do you wait on insurance companies for 6 months for your money? I also loan money for short times at current bank rates. Funds always on hand.

W. B. AUSTIN.