New-York tribune., 1903-01-30
1T NE4RLYE4T,S THE CAT
InUentOr's Model Raises Trouble m
DR.. Wo0dburu's Office.

Major John McGaw woodbury.. Commissioner OF
Street Cleaning. has not quite got the fright
yet.
a working model of a street cleaning machine
warranted to do the work of ten men," got be-
'yond the control of the inventor in Major Wood
burys office yesterday afternoon. and the merry
CAIN 1t raised in short ten minutes has left an
inefaceable impression everybody on the four
teenth floor Of the Park Row Building
The machine has large funnel shaped mouth
like a megaphone. and it is designed to pick up
scraps of paper and other refuse along the street
and the air suction communicating with the funnel
does the rest. BY the time the inventor got the
machine into the office yesterday he red in the
face. but smiling and confident. Major Woodbury.
was busy as he always Is. but he finally consented
to watch a demonstration of the machine that was
warranted to do the work OF ten men"
1T is perfectly simple and has the fewest work
ing parts imaginable. All you have to do is to run
it along this little truck. and the dirt and
refuse sucked through this waste pipe into this
bag" said the inventor laying his hand on the de-
scribeG parts in turn.
How do know 1t viii do the work?" asked the
Commissioner.
why. that's easy" said the inventor; 'T'll show
you
Captain Gibson, the Office boys. several clerks and
the janitor's cat drew near to the inventor as he
bowed himself and began to get his machine ready
TO run There were scraps of paper lying about
the Majors Aufs the desk and pair OF
g the 9or in front % t9e the moenss
danger" the good old dime novel used to say.
while the Indian crept up
It's perfectly easy and simple repeated the
inventor. "AH that is necessary is to adjust this
little lever regulating the air suction and run the
truck around like so.'
Br-r-r-r-r-r-t! Br-r-r-r-r-r-r Blink Blink! Brr-r-r
r-r-r-tI
Instantly the Major and his staff jumped away
from the machine. which began to reel and suck
things up.
stop it-for Gods sake stop it!' exclaimed
the Commissioner. Don't you see it's eating every
thing up? Stop it! Take it outI''
Why. that's all right said the inventor, proud
ly as the machine reached out for rubber and
sucked it in Park Row panhandler will suck
in clam chowder. 'It-just-needs-a-a-leet -leetle-bit
o regu'-
The machine reeled again. and there was snap
OF the regulating lever. The machine redoubled its
speed and "cut loose with a like a train
going under a bridge. The other rubber, papers
on the desk. the Majors cuffs-an were sucked
into the bag the inventor cIutched wildly at the
regulating lever to slow it down. Finally it got
range the janitor's cat and the animals eyes
grew big as she felt herself going Her claws went
into the Turkish rug and the clerks howled with
merriment as they saw the corner Of the rug curl
p up ana ia I1 The s+ bo1nde9 ont tbe Once door wtt6
a spring. Meanwhile the Major and his staff were
hurting themselves laughing. m
For heavens sake, take it out-take it OUT"
exclaimed the Major. 1T may tackle my annual
appropriation OF the office safe-take It out.
citement, and after struggle. he got his runaway
It'll do the work of ten and it's perfectly
MY friend" said the Major. doubtless you've
got a good thing-a very good thing-but don't
want il here. Please-pIease take it to Riker's
Island and try it the dumps.
Then the inventor went out. assuring the Com
missioner that his invention perfectly simple.
He no sooner got out of hearing than a man with
appeared at the outer gate. He wanted to see the
Commissioner at once.
This rests flush with the surface of the street,
and there is an inside that can be removed
said the inventor. -
machine doesn't run by compressed air you can
leave it here and I'll look it later But don't
make it go here-dont try 1t on. This is a busy
afternoon with US That's right-leave 1t right out
there It'll be all right-don't mention Tits no
trouble. Good afternoon"