The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-03-10
The New Street swe.pinx Machines


Considerable curiosity excited yesterday In Ann
street. by tho appearance one OF the street
machines the arrival u which from Philadelphia was
ounced few days eincc In tho Herald. As IL "a
likely trial Of these machines will be had In the city
shortly perhaps brief description OF their
and mode OF operation would not be unnterestng
readers The evident necessity for the employment of
some kind of machinery in cleaning streets and It's su
priority hand sweepsy has long been recognized
in England and from time to Tins ingenious rsn have
projected machines to dispense with manual labor all
Of which have failed to pnbNc favor with tho ex
ception of one invented by u Mr.. whitworth whose
machine, with certain improvement is the one now pre-
septed TO citizens for their peoton
In the English machine the apparatus consists of u
series Of broad broom usually about two feet ak inches
wde attached to endless chain running upper
and lower set Of pueys, which suspen led in light
iron frame behind the cart the body OF which il
the ground As the cart wheels revolye they give rotary
motion TO the puleys, carrying the endless chain snd
series OF brcOms around which latter being made 10
on the ground sweeps the surface and carries the
up an inclined plane the top OF which II is Deposited
into the box. The brooms OF oblong shape, and
TO this circumstance is attributed much Of the efficiency
OF these machines, the outer circumference OF
broons acquires greater velocity while passing around
the puIeys, than the chains which carry them. And
again. the increased velocity OF the beard OF the broom
when passing the lower pulley together with the sudden
change OF direction acs most opportuney In cleansing
them against nm iron bar termed the doctor" IL Is
u
the velocity Of the broom the ground 1, nine miles,
but the so 10 carried the Inclined plane At the rate
ss the dirt would ny In every direction anc besides
cause loss OF power by friction Two objections viii
immediately occur 10 the use Of these machi inss:--
First That they viii bo OF no In street he with
thick mud BLd ice, and
Second That vii, re there is an incentaon, hole or
uneven rurface, a in = eobbs stone pavement the
cleaning would be imperfect
The proioctois do not pretend. believe that they
remove cong acd mad and Ice that IL the work
at III nNp. IN hat han oure
cleaned they prevent accumulatng, 81 third
the coat With greater eli sny than under the present
Systtm The second objection Ia, howeve:, the II al
and has far prevented their general adoption In
Enslsnd In streets that smooth and even, paved
with wood or stone they OF great service and thus
end that 10 Birming Manchester, and New asc,
these machines are much used, while In London
con- the uneven pavement they are considercd fail
uIe', sLa "1 as"a Only In Regept strcet and in such
Other streets as are eo"paraaTey even H.i .aay %
NE American patsntess however claim TO h,v. OBJ
waited the Jhculty In their machine by the application
OF wheels 70 hc lower part Of the in,ine plane 20
enable II moro eeotualy TO adapt Itself 10 the irregu
lsres OF tile pavement and BY adding sectional plates
10 Tho lower end Of tho inclined plane, thereby enabling
ibe bTooms TO sweep all loose soil upon tn. plane ths
plates adapting Themselves to the Irregularities Of the
pavement They have also improved the English ma.
chine by sn arrangement whereby tho cart body can
le detached from the frame containing the brushes 70
uD cad or dump the dirt.
The American machines Of TO Lind. one adapted
for the md. ~ the street nd the other for the gut
tefs. On the latter the brushes work a cylinder
from three to ave feet WIDE The broons made Of
siropg sea grass hroNn as 'pasaVi, winch " Hai 70
be superior hickory whalebone ns IL swsls and IL
quite strong
We understsnl that these machines have been ap
proved of by Mayor Wood, Comm -sioner Ebling
ard the Superintendent of streets, Mr.. Mott, and
0p the strength Of the assurances they rn.
c,lvee, the patenttes Messrs smith 4 Scales
have already Drought 10 this city, Philadelphia
wh,e they have long teen In ~ machines and mss
being taken 10 have exhibition Of their
powers soon as p-actc. The experiment ysst riay
WITH Of the gutter machines in Am street deemed
highly fuccsssiu the mud being removed with remarkable
ceorify. without yenturng 70 express an opinion
10 the utility OF these machnss, certainly hope they
ElL prove suecestul, TIE system al present ia
has been dcpiOrablc failure. Our city has heretofore
had the reputation of being the drtiest In the United
sattB. May wa not hope that under Mayor Woods ad
uinHtrstion II msyIbccome the cleanssr Give the
M hines chance.