The transmitting box which covers each series of sections will also annunciate locally the exact section affected. The apparatus is so arranged that in the breaking or grounding of any wire (or the occurrence of other trouble requiring attention) such condition is automatically communicated to the central office by a special "attention" signal and it also annunciates visually the same information on the dial of the box covering the section involving the trouble. The person in charge of the central station immediately notifies the automatic company on receipt of "trouble" signals, for its prompt attention. The apparatus, however, is competent to transmit fire alarms before any "trouble" transmitted and announced as described is removed; only a duplication or triplication of any electrical trouble interfering with the transmission of a fire alarm. Together with switches, batteries, bells, and other apparatus and machinery necessary to make a complete central office equipment for receiving automatic "trouble" and fire alarms and automatically transmitting the fire alarms to four other stations. FOR ENGINE HOUSE, POWER HOUSE, ALLISON BUILDING AND TONER BUILDING. 1 hard wood instrument case. 1 special relays (with glass covers). 2 single ink registers. 1 6-inch electrical mechanical gong. Together with such switches, bells, and other apparatus and machinery as may be necessary to receive all fire-alarm signals. (If desired, the apparatus will be so arranged that all "attention" or "trouble" alarms will be "still"-printing on recorders only-while all fire alarms will be audible as well as visible.) Hon. MELVILLE W. MILLER, NATIONAL AUTOMATIC FIRE ALARM CO., 1427 F Street NW., Washington, D. C., June 12, 1903. Chairman, etc. SIR: In response to the verbal request of the committee having in charge the matter of the equipment of the Government Hospital for the Insane with electrical fire-alarm apparatus and in explanation of our previous proposition; we desire to state that we are to place 4,836 thermostats; 173 manual stations as per our detailed plans for the old buildings and as many more manual stations as may be required by the superintendent of the hospital (not exceeding 80 for the new buildings now in course of construction; 39 transmitting annunciators; 1 central station equipment as described; apparatus to repeat signals to 5 other stations, and as many transmitting boxes not exceeding 60, as may be required by the superintendent, to be on separate circuits from fire-alarm boxes and to be so arranged as to permit signal only with special key; same to be approved by the superintendent. It is understood that we are to place all wires in moldings of neat pattern, to be approved by the superintendent, and so placed as to prevent removal or injury to wires or apparatus by patients; to arrange the apparatus as the central recording station so as to make two separate and distinct records on tape of each alarm of fire or signal of injury to wires, etc. We are also to reduce the rental charge from the sum named at the rate of 50 cents for each thermostat omitted. We further agree to leave the entire equipment in place if Congress should fail to make appropriation for rental. In further explanation of our letter of the 29th ult. and our previous proposition, we beg to say that this equipment is to be placed or installed in the manner described in said proposition as explained hereby, for such amount as may remain of the appropriation ($25,000) after deduction from same of the investigating expenses of your committee. Yours, respectfully, NATIONAL AUTOMATIC FIRE ALARM Co. This certifies that the National Automatic Fire Alarm Co. of Washington, D. C., is a corporation, duly incorporated under the laws of the State of Virginia, doing business in the District of Columbia; that the following are extracts from the duly adopted by-laws of the company (certified copy of certificate of incorporation attached). ART. 3. Special meetings of the board of directors may be called at any time by the president or by the secretary upon request, in writing, by two of the members of the board. ART. 8. There shall be a resident vice president, secretary, and treasurer, which last two offices may be held by one person. The secretary and treasurer shall sign his name "Secretary" or "Treasurer" as the duties performed may require. As secretary it shall be his duty to keep the minutes and records of the stockholders' and directors' meetings, to keep the seal of the company and attach the same to, and attest, certificates of stock and all contracts or documents necessary to be so executed, etc. This also certifies that J. W. Frost is the duly elected and qualified secretary and treasurer of the said corporation and that at a special meeting of the board of directors thereof, held on the 10th day of December, 1903, the following resolution was duly adopted: Resolved, That the secretary and treasurer of the company, J. W. Frost, be, and he is hereby, authorized and empowered, for and on behalf of this company, to make and execute such agreement and contract in quintuplicate with the Secretary of the Interior, acting in behalf of the United States of America, for the installation or placing in the buildings of the Government Hospital for the Insane of an electrical fire alarm apparatus, including thermostats, registering and signal apparatus, and central recording equipment, complete, according to the several proposals heretofore submitted by the company-as has been heretofore or may hereafter be determined upon by the said J. W. Frost, acting in behalf of this company, and the said Secretary of the Interior; and further Resolved, That the said J. W. Frost be, and he is hereby, further authorized and empowered to execute, for and in behalf of this company, such bond as may be necessary to be given in connection with such agreement and contract and to do such other acts and things in the premises as in his judgment may be necessary to consummate such contract and equipment. J. W. FROST, Secretary. [SEAL.] Statement of account with the National Automatic Fire Alarm Co., of Washington, D. C. [Under contract of Dec. 3, 1903, for fire-alarm system for Government Hospital for Insane.] Contract price for the work.... Aggregate amounts paid to the company under the contract.. Penalty for delay in completing the contract from Feb. 16, 1907, to July Total debits against company. Balance due the United States by the company and the surety on its bond. $24, 535. 56 20, 928. 88 190.00 135.00 4, 400.00 Statement of appropriation made by act of Mar. 3, 1903, for fire-alarm system for Government Hospital for the Insane. Amount of appropriation. Preliminary expenses, such as advertising, traveling expenses of board, etc... Amount paid the company under the contract.. Amount paid J. U. Burket as inspector by department (to be charged against company)... Total expenditures (from auditor's books).. $25,000.00 $464. 44 20, 928.88 190.00 21, 583. 32 Balance available on Treasury books.. Outstanding bill of J. U. Burket... 3, 416. 68 135.00 3, 281. 68 STATEMENT OF MR. JOHN MASON BROWN, ATTORNEY FOR THE NATIONAL SURETY CO. Mr. BROWN. No one contends at all that there is any contract for the maintenance; that would have been an ultra vires act on the part of the department, and the statement of how much would be charged for future maintenance of this system by the contractor was partly at the suggestion of the department, and in order to give a guide or idea of what the future cost would be as well as the primary installation. My position in this matter, sir, I should like to have understood. I am not here solely as the representative of the contractor in this case. I was brought into this case through my attorneyship for the National Surety Co., which company went on the bond of the contractor in the first instance. Without going into the merits or demerits of the case, I think I should state this: That the contractor undertook to do this work within one year and thereafter to maintain, free of charge, the system in question for a period of one year, during which no maintenance or rental charges should attach. The contractor did not fulfill his agreement, be the causes what they may; he was in default, and the Government was about to annul his contract, and in 1908, Í think, sir, perhaps November of 1907, or January of 1908, when things had reached a very acute stage and when there was a great deal of personal friction between the department and the contractor, for various reasons, the Surety Co. instructed me to join with other claimants and creditors of the company in a suit in the local courts for the appointment of a temporary receiver to push this contract to completion. The petition was filed, and Mr. Woodruff, who was then Assistant Attorney General for the Interior Department, practically stated, or did in fact state to me in person, that if the Surety Co. would take over this work under such an arrangement they would not annul the contract or take any other steps to which they were entitled because of such default. We got the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia to appoint a temporary receiver for the purpose of completing this work. I had no knowledge whatever of the capabilities or the reputation of local electricians and I therefore left it to Mr. Woodruff to designate or suggest the temporary receiver. He selected a young gentleman named F. T. Woodward, who was then an electrical expert in the Patent Office, a man of very high standing and attainments, and Mr. Woodruff said he would be a perfectly satisfactory receiver. The surety company agreed to that, and we stated that if the Government would permit the gentleman whom they suggested to take charge and give him leave of absence, without pay, that we would back the proposition from then until completion, and put Mr. Woodward on our pay rolls at the same salary he was getting from the Government. So he was to suffer no loss at all. Mr. Woodward was confronted with a great many serious obstacles when he took hold of the task, and I assure you it has been no pleasant one for any of us. There were a great many unpaid claims and liens that would attach to the plant under the statutes protecting laborers and those who had furnished materials. There was also more or less confusion. The wiring had been installed but the boxes had not been completed nor put in, and I do not hesitate to say or to express it as my belief that only the extreme capability of Mr. Woodward made the ultimate completion of the contract possible. He certainly did a wonderful work in bringing order out of chaos, and, standing for just exactly what the contract called for, the fulfillment of the moral as well as the legal obligation. We completed the work. The surety company furnished all of the money necessary, sir, and on the 14th of July, 1908, we notified the Secretary of the Interior, in writing, as well as notified Mr. Woodruff personally, first showing him the letter, that we were ready for an examination and inspection of our plant. And I vouch my personal word for it, sir, that at that time there was not a flaw nor a hitch of any kind in the system. I saw every |