The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-14
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department after department. The latest
and one of the most interesting insta lila =
tions has been the purchase OF tractors
for street flushing and refuse collection
purposes. During the summer they are
used for flushing purposes and during
the winter months Il flushing trailer
and apparatus are removed and the trac-
tors are used in refuse collection and
snow plough work.
Cost of operating each tractor per
month averages, for flushing purposes.
about S56373 This sum includes gaso-
lene, oil, driver and helpers wages. tires.
repairs, rental. fire, liability. collision
and property damage insurance, interest
and depreciation. Each tractor. az a
flushe1 l. as replaced three sweeping ma
chimes! one sprinkling wagon, three
pickup wagons, fourteen harnesses and
horses. More than that. this replacement
has meant an average saving OF $4,000
per month, in round figures
During the winter these tractors did
remarkable work as snow p!oughs and
in the pulling OF harrows to break loose
the hard ice and snow. During the
month of December. 1916. their three
tractors. and that in the face Of uDuSual
labor shortage and a strike In the ash
and garbage department, cleaned the
streets of Buffalo of about 100, 900 yards
of,Snow. And most interesting OF all is
the fact that II was accomplished for
the sum of II cents a yard. This is
cents less than any previous record on
the snow removal cost rolls OF Buffalo.
When the tractors are used for flush
ing purposes, ii is the usual practice OF
the street department to operate only
two flushing nozzles at a time. The
front left and rear right nozzles arc
used for flushing the right side of a
street while the front right and rear
left MOBILES are used when the left side
Of the street is flushed. On narrow
streets and where only dust is to be re-
moved, three nozzles are brought into
action in order that the street may be
cleaned IN single operation. This
flushing outfit, which will presently be
described more fully, is capable Of clean
ing 10000 square yards In eight hours;
while with the sprinkling feature 300,-
400 square yards in the same time is
not an impossible task.
As flushing apparatus this outfit has
been a big money saver. Street Com
missioner William +. Schwartz says that
portable line hose flushing cost the city
OF Buffalo $40 per 10000 square yards,
the two man reel method Sc cents per
10, 900 square yards and that the tractor
flusher outfit Is only costing them eos
cents per lN,uVU square
The Pierce-Arrow Ave ton tractor and
1000 gallon Charles Hvass sprinkler
fiusher attachment may be briefly de-
scribed as follows:
The tractor has an eleven foot wheel
base In transmission the gear ratios
are the same as in the Pierce Arrow
standard gear box. The rear axle uses
975 to l worm gear. The rear wheels
are 80 inch With this combination gear
reductions and speeds, with motor gov
erned at $50 r. p. M. would be as fol-
lows:
High, as to l reducatlon, giving
1913 M. p. h.
Second, 2O,66 10 reduction. giving
4.7o m. p h.
First. 1857 to l reduction. giving 81
m. p. h.
Reverse. AS to reduction, giving
. OF m. p. h.
The tractor may be run in high gear
and the pump at low speed. /. e.. 44s r. p.
m. when sprinkling. Flushing Is usually
done with the tractor running in second
gear while the pump is operated at the
motor speed, I. O., $50 T. p. IN.
The tractor shafts are made Of heat
treated chrome nickel steel. The gears
ere case hardened chrome nickel steel.
The sliding gear is actuated by lever
situated conveniently near the drivers
left hand, just in front OF the seat panel
A low speed, a neutral and high speed
position are given on the quadrant, ThD
gear Is locked in each by latch on the
lever. As this power shaft is geared to
the transmission countershaft, the pump
can he engaged whether the tractor is
travelling or stationary.
The trailer husher was designed and
made by Charles Hvafs & 90. o; 5ll
.-aft Eighteenth street. New York city.
The tanks are of 1000 gallon ca