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Note: The following is from the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, January 1936
HE WAS AN INVENTOR
The group of men shown standing in the top picture gathered at Dale and University Ave. last week for a demonstartion of a new type of traffic signal, which combines the regulation of traffic with a siren warning to clear the street when fire trucks are to pass the corner enroute to a fire. The group is shown gathered about the signal box on the nothwest corner of the intersection, which is similar to to the other three with the exception of a siren, seen on top of the control box. A button in the nearest fire station, University and St. Albans St., one block away, pressed during the demonstration , sounded the siren and turned all four signals to red, halting traffic while fire trucks made a trial run.
City officials from St. Paul and Minneapolis, delegates from various St. Paul clubs and representatives of the Great Northern and Northern Pacific railroads witnessed the demonstration and expressed satisfaction with the signal. Those who were present include Fire Chief Owen C. Dunn, Fred Zollman, president of the St. Paul Automobile Club, and representatives of the Midway Commercial Club, North Central Commercial Club and the St. Paul Association.
In the lower picture are shown William Schmitt, 401 University Ave, the inventor, on the left, and Albert Kieger, assistant engineer of the Automatic Signal Co., 466 Thomas St., which is manufacturing the signals. Although both colors for Stop and Go issue from the same bullseye, the inventor states that his signal is entirely electric and has no moving parts. The signal also has illuminated street names. It is claimed that the operating cost is considerably less than the other four-corner four-way signals.
William died March 4, 1974 at Saint Paul, Ramsey Co., Minnesota, at age 90.
Children of William Hubert Schmitt and Jessie Cecelia Horn: John Schmitt+ Margaret Marie Schmitt+ b. March 7, 1920 Mary Phyliss Schmitt+ b. June 20, 1921 William Joseph Schmitt+ b. December 21, 1923 Lorraine Mary Schmitt+ b. September 29, 1925, d. May 17, 1987 Kathleen Rita Schmitt+ b. November 2, 1928 Louis Paul Schmitt Sr+ b. May 28, 1930 Joan Schmitt b. November 27, 1935
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