The Biographical Dictionary of America/Barrett, John P.

​BARRETT, John P., electrician, was born near Auburn, N.Y., in 1837. He removed with his parents to Chicago in 1844, and when twelve years old went to sea as a ship's boy, rising to the position of an able seaman. In a storm off the coast of Chili he fell from aloft, and was crippled for life; but after nearly two years of suffering, in a San Francisco hospital, he regained his health, returned to Chicago in 1862, and was appointed fire watchman in the tower of the city hall. On the introduction of the fire telegraph in 1865, he was appointed assistant operator, and during his connection with it, improved the fire alarm telegraph system which became generally adopted throughout the country. As chief electrician of the Chicago fire department he improved the box system until it was automatically perfect. His "joker" in the engine houses, was so constructed as to instantly release the horses from their stalls at the sound of the alarm, and to rouse all the firemen from their beds, while his "still switch" served to call only a part of the men, while the others were allowed to sleep undisturbed. He also turned his attention to the police patrol system, the underground telegraph, the bridge telephone, the lighting of Chicago’s streets and river, and in recognition of his great services in these various departments he was appointed chief electrician to the World's Columbian exposition of 1893.