Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-01-17
NEW AUTO TRUCK
ACCEPTED BY CITY
Passes All Tests Required by
Board of Fire Com
missiOners.
CLIMBS STEEPEST HILLS
AT EIGHT MILES AN HOUR
Carries 75-Foot Aerial Ladder.
Cost of Apparatus Is
S1O.5OO.


Chief Engineer Paul J. Moore and
the Fire Commissioners were in no
sense considerable of the feelings of
the builders of the Webb motor
driven, aerial hook and ladder truck,
recently purchased by the Newark
fire department in the hill-climbing
and other tests to which the big ma
chine was subjected yesterday after
noon
1t was a case of "show u.s." and
A. C. Webb, the inventor of the truck,
who was present with other demon
strators, to do his part, remarked:
Go as far as you like. Show us
that Eagle Rock bump they are say
ing so much about"
II was told that the sky was the
limit" remarked John McElroy who
represents the James Boyd Brothers
concern of Philadelphia. the firm that
turns out the Webb apparatus.
James Boyd and Mr.. Searle, who
came from the City of Brotherly Love
to witness the demonstration, allowed
that the Newark commissioners were
masters of the situation and could
do as they pleased.
And it was a lively course of sprouts
that the monster apparatus was put
through. First, they ran it up the
hills and then ran it down again.
Then 1t was given constitutional per-
embulations along level streets at
twenty-five miles an hour exercise
gallop and the wind-up consisted of
a series of ladder extension feats, fly
ladder raising, contortionist perform
ct ariA 1nplas a ND n1lmnTOl1S
side show exhibitions of ground and
lofty movements on the part of equip
+, ments, all operated by truck mechan-
ism. These final tests took place at
Belmont and Clinton avenues. At the
conclusion of the demonstrations the
apparatus was formally accepted ana
ordered into commission. 1t was sem
to No. 8 truck-house, at Avon avenue
and Thirteenth street.
Takes Hills Easily.
The hill-climbing features were, of
course, the most interesting. me
truck with A. c. Webb in front ana
Peter Sires at the tiller, with twelve
other persons aboard, ascendeo
Spruce street from Washington street
to High street at an eight mile-an-
hour gait. the throttle being pulled
to but a little over one-half limit. The
distance from Washington street TO
High on this hill is 725 feet, and the
rise from bottom to top is sixty rect
four and three-quarter inches, with a
1ump near the summit of ten feet IN
100 feet.
Next came the Kinney street trial,
covered at the same speed rate ms
hill is $50 feet from Washington to
High street, with a rise of sixty-seven
feet four and three-quarter lnches,
with jump approaching high streee
of nine feet in 100 feet.
The Morton street climb is de-
cidedly ugly proposition. The dis
lance from Charlton street to Bel
mont avenue is 270 feet, the elevation
being about twenty feet in that space,
with jumps of from seven feet each
in two stretches of 100 feet.
Webb guaranteed to make any OF
the hills traversed at ten miles an
hour. if required. The machine was
brought to a full stop in the middle
of each hill and was afterward start
ed at the same speed at which 1t
, had stopped.
Gas-EIectric Type.
The new truck is of the gas-electric
motor type, with three separate hoists
for the seventy -five-foot extension
ladder The hoists are operated by
electricity, spring or manual force.
The motive power is confined to each
of the wheels being what is known as
a four-wheel drive, with the couple
gear device, a method approved by
the United States government for its
army vehicles. The mechanism is
contained in each wheel on the prin-
ciple of the inside workings" of a
watch, and is both dust and water
proof. There are $50 speed changes
that may be awaited of in the various
operations of the apparatus.
The truck weighs over ten tons
without the crew On one of the trips
yesterday afternoon fourteen men
were aboard 1t carries $50 feet of
ladders, besides a full equipment of
articles used in fire-fighting work, is
self-starting and thoroughly modern.
The contract price for the truck is
s10,500