Object Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
2020.FIC.014 |
Object Name |
Alarm, Fire |
Title |
John A. Roebling's Sons Company Fire Alarm Pull Station |
Description |
The fire alarm pull station is red and elliptic cylindrical in shape, featuring a silver and gold embossed inscription on the front. The inscription at the top reads, "JOHN A. ROEBLINGS SONS CO." arranged in the shape of a half-circle, surrounded by an elevated silver circle. Below this, there is a rectangular silver and gold plate with screws on the right and left sides. The plate has an embossed number, "41," at its center. Beneath the plate, there is a silver elevated square with no bottom. To the left of the square is an elevated cylinder with a key-shaped hole at the center. Inside the square, the inscription reads, "FOR FIRE BREAK GLASS PULL HOOK." Within the inscription, there is an elevated silver and gold hook that can be folded inside the alarm. At the bottom of the alarm, the inscription, "THE GAMEWELL CO. NEW YORK," is arranged in the shape of a half-circle. The alarm has an elevated cylinder sticking out from the top, which is partially open. A hole at the bottom reveals the inside. The back of the alarm is flat, with holes on the right and left sides for mounting. According to the Trenton City Museum, John A. Roebling's Sons Company was founded by John Roebling in 1841, initially in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, before moving to Trenton, New Jersey, in 1848. The company became well-known for manufacturing wire rope, which played a significant role in the construction of major suspension bridges, including the Brooklyn Bridge, the George Washington Bridge, and the Golden Gate Bridge. Roebling's company also contributed to a wide range of industries, including elevators, cable cars, telegraphs, and pre-stressed concrete. The company remained one of the largest employers in Trenton until it was sold to the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company in 1953, with the plants closing in the 1970s. John Roebling, born in 1806 in Muehlhausen, Prussia, immigrated to the U.S. in 1831 and began working in surveying and construction. Roebling's innovations, including the Niagara bridge in 1855 and the plans for the Brooklyn Bridge, cemented his legacy as a pioneering engineer. He died in 1869 before seeing the completion of the Brooklyn Bridge, which became the longest suspension bridge of its time. According to the Buildings of New England website, the first fire alarm system was installed in Boston in 1851. John Gamewell bought the patent for these systems and founded The Gamewell Fire Alarm Telegraph Company in 1879. By 1890, Gamewell's systems were installed in over 500 cities across North America. The company, headquartered in New York, was later acquired by Gulf and Western in 1970. Citations Gamewell Fire Alarm and Telegraphic Company // 1889. Buildings of New England. (2020, July 15). https://buildingsofnewengland.com/2020/07/27/gamewell-fire-alarm-and-telegraphic-company-1889/ John A. Roebling’s Sons Company - Trenton City Museum. Trenton City Museum . (2016, May 6). https://ellarslie.org/john-a-roebling-sons-company/ John Augustus Roebling. American Society of Civil Engineers. (n.d.). https://www.asce.org/about-civil-engineering/history-and-heritage/notable-civil-engineers/john-augustus-roebling |
Year Range from |
1879 |
Year Range to |
1970 |
Material |
Metal |
Artist |
The Gamewell Fire Alarm Telegraph Company |
Height (in) |
11.000 |
Length (in) |
7.250 |
Width (in) |
4.000 |
Condition |
Okay |
Condition Notes |
Overall: Abrasions accretions, and paint chipping throughout. The Front is missing its hook and glass. Front: The glass and the hook are missing. There is paint chipping around the edges. There is dirt around the edges. There is dirt around the silver square. There are white accretions on top near the left side. And finally, there are red and white accretions on the silver square. Right Side: There are abrasions on the bottom near the left side. There is paint chipping on the bottom near the left side. And finally, there is a white accretion on the center near the right side. Back: There are abrasions all over. There are black and white accretions all over. There are scratches all over. And finally, there is paint chipping along the edges. Left Side: There are black accretions all over. There are white accretions on the center near the left side. And finally, there are abrasions all over the right side. Top: There is a red object lodged inside the hole on top of the cylinder. There are white accretions on the bottom near the right side. And finally, there are tiny abrasions all over. Bottom: There are black accretions all over. Also, there is a large abrasion on the center near the left side. |
Inscription Type |
Manufacturer's Mark |
Inscription Location |
Front, Top to Bottom, Left to Right |
Inscription Technique |
Embossed |
Inscription Text |
"JOHN A. ROEBLINGS SONS CO." Line 1 "41" Line 2 "FOR FIRE" Line 3 "BREAK GLASS" Line 4 "PULL HOOK" Line 5 "THE GAMEWELL CO." Line 6 "NEW YORK" Line 7 |
People |
John Roebling John Gamewell Ferdinand Roebling |
Classification |
Business & Commerce Disaters/Fires |
Subjects |
Fires Firefighting equipment Bridge construction Brides Metals Metalwork Metalworkers Metalworking |
Search Terms |
Fires Roebling Roeblings John Roebling Metal John A Roebling 41 Fire Alarm Gamewell Company John Gamewell 1879 1970 1841 20th Century 19th Century 1848 1953 1873 1974 Trenton New Jersey New York Massachusetts Pennsylvania Saxonburg Red Grey John A. Roebling's Sons Company Fire Alarm Pull Station |
Provenance |
Found in collection |