The Benson signal., 1918-05-04
STANDARD CARS Of
ORDNANCE BUREAU
VARIETY OF THE VEHICLES AND
PARTS KEPT TO A MINIMUM
BY CONSTANT EFFORT.
MANY BOoKKEEPERS NEEDED
Civil Service Examinations for Such
Positions to Be Held WeekIy-Raw
Cotton From the United States Goes
to Spain.

(From Committee on Public Information.)
Washington.-Among the standard
motor vehicles being provided by the
ordnance bureau are the following:
The ammunition truck, which has
a steel body designed to accommo-
date packing boxes Of any type of
ammunition mounted on four-wheel
drive truck chassis. The equipment
repair truck, making use of the same
type Of chassis, has bins and drawers
for spare parts and material for re-
pairing personnel equipment, rifles
and machine guns, leather equip
ment, etc.
The artillery repair truck has
four-wheel drive chassis and small
machine-shop body with equipment
consisting Of lathe, drill press,
bench grinder, electric drill, welding
outfit, air riveting hammer. milling at
tachment, blacksmith outfit. and other
tools. Electric power is supplied by
d gasollne-driven generator.
The 21s-ton artillery tractor weighs
about 5000 pounds and is capable of
making IL miles an hour under favor
able road conditions. The five-ton ar
tillery tractor, weighing 1900 pounds
and capable of speed of six miles
an hour, will handle a load Of 10000
pounds. 1t is intended for use with
4.7-inch gun and 6-inch howitzer mate
rial. A load Of $4,000 pounds is the
maximum for the lotion artillery
tractor, which will make about 4a
miles an hour on high speed.
The 15-ton artillery tractor and the
12O-horsepower artillery tractor will
be supplied in limited numbers. They
are Of the track-laying type similar to
governments and are for heavy loads
which are not subdivided for transpor-
tation.
Other standard motor equipment
consists of the reel and fire-contrOl
truck with q four-wheel drive truck
caterpillar trucks; reconnaissance car,
q 1-ton truck capable of speed Of
from 80 to 40 miles an hour; the light
repair truck. weighing about 2,400
pounds; the 1A-ton trailer for anti
aircraft guns; the 3-snch field gun
trailer, which is utilized for hauling
ammunition as well as the 3-inch gun
material.
Tanks and other armored land We
hicles are designed. procured, and
maintained by the ordnance bureau.
There has been q constant effort to
keep the variety of vehicles and parts
to minimum. Only one size Of tire
Is used on all the heavier trucks and
trailers, this size also being used on
similar vehicles by the quartermaster
corps. signal corps and engineers.
The same magnetic is used on all types
Of ordnance vehicles. All types Of
ordnance truck bodies are inter-
changeable on all truck chassis issued
to the artillery.
So urgent Is the governments need
for bookkeepers that civil service ex-
aminations to fill positions Of this
character will be held throughout the
United States each Tuesday until fur
ther notice. Women as well as men
are eligible.
Two classes Of examinations are an
nounced. A grammar school educa-
ton or It's equivalent is required Of
applicants for each class. with the
further stipulation that those who
wish to take the boOkkeeper-type-
writer examination must have had at
least six months experience in book
keeping, and those who would under
take the clerk-bookkeeper examina-
ton, one years experience In clerical
work, six months Of which must have
been in bookkeeping. The vacancies
to be filled from the register obtained
from these examinations are in the de-
partmental service at Washington and
offer entrance salaries of $1,000
year.
These examinations are open not
only to all citizens Of the United
States but also to subjects Of allied
nations who are otherwise qualified
for the positions offered.
There Is being prepared in the ad-
iutant generals office new ''pay
card" which will be kept by the per-
sonnel officer and will show the pay
status Of the man at all times. Should
q man be transferred or detached
from his company he will carry his
card with him. This is expected to
eliminate the many causes for de-
layed payments Of men so transferred,
and to do away with many of the an
noyances that have heretofore existed.
During the first year Of war the
army paid $eO.O00 600 for horse-drawn
vehicles and harness; more than $5O,-
100000 for horses. mules and harness.
Expenditures for the fiscal year end
ing June 30. 1919. for fuel and forage
are estimated At more than $5OO,OOO,-
600.