The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1914-01-10
THE STREET SPRINKLER

On Tuesday morning the new
street sprinkler for this city was
unloaded from the cars at the
Southern Pacific depot hete. Ii
came in that condition called,
"knucked down" that y 10 separ-
ate pieces AZ far a. was possible.
The tank. Grated, formed one
niece; the wheels were oft lhtlt
splndles and were Grated; anu tue
forward and back axles formed
separate pieces.
The new machine, az seen at
the depot. looked very neat, heavy
and substantial, well calculated
20 stand heavy usage and render
long and good service. The tank
il made of wood, headed at both
ends, and held together by six
iron hoops. Its slaves are 81
inches long and its diameter Is Is
inches. 1t has capacity OF 600
gallons of water.
On the rear head of the tank is
neatly painted the following le.
gend: "New Iberia Commission
Form of Government No. ~
While this sprinkler is not New
Iberia's "No. j." it is No. ! under
the Commission Form Of Govern
ment, and therefore alright. 1t
was manufactured by the Austin
Manufacturing Co, of Harvey,
H., and hears the manufactures E
serial number, 1915.
One noticeable feature of this
sprinkler, and a very good one, is
he width of the tires. They
measure a inches wide. This in
sures not only very strong wheel,
but prevents the cutting OF the
surface of the streets over which
it must pass as would obtain by
the use of a narrow tire support
ing so great a pressure as tie
weight Of GOO gallons of water.
Back in the COS America Fire
Co. No. 2 bought aud operated a
street sprinkler upon the streets
OF this town, collecting a small
monthly fee from the business
houses and few residences in Of
der to defray the operating ex
pense. The condition existed
then where SEINE were willing to
Gay and others were not. This
sprinkler had to get It's water
from the supply tank of one OF the
factories. MIR. Luke Traipor's
sash and door factory furnished
the water for long time through
a goose neck, placed alongside of
Main street, opposite his Factory
At that time the empty tank had
to return to that one point Of sup
ply for the water that was destln
Ell to DO used In the vicinity Of
the post Office building or further
away. Notwithsta ndlug this han
dicap, that system had it's advan-
tages over that of the individual
plan OF sprinkliDg hy hose and
nozzle, receiving its water supply
from the city water mains. But
we thought differently at the time
and the spfinkling wagon passed
away with the advent of the wa
ter works system in 1901.
In 1906 the Iberian recognized
the ,mpel affections of the system,
employing the hose and nozzle.
then IN vogue, and attempted in a
series of articles to show that II
would 30 better part of wisdom to
return to the use Of the wagon for
street. sprinkling, quoting figures
to show that IL would be more
economical In matter OF cost and
more thorough in effective results
than was the system then In prac-
tica. In 1912 we renewed our
plea tor the sprinkling wagon.
calling attention to the fact that
the streets were too quently
flooded, or not sprinkled at all,
aud that the winds frequently
carried the dust from the dry
spots far beyond those where the
water had been too copiously APP
piled. In fact, the dust plague
was bit little affected by those
who used water ut times. 1t took
IA years OF this experience and
the dawn Of the Commission Form
Of Government to bring the prom.
ise of real relief from the dust
nuisance. We teel confident that
the Department Of Public Safety
will effect = splendid showing By
the use Of the new engine, and
that 1t will add materially to the
comfort OF those who must use
the streets, save from damage BY
dust merchandise many times the
value Of the wagon in every sea-
son. and last aud most, that 1t
will bring to the community i'm.
mnnity from many ills and all.
ments heretofore attributable to
the dust.