Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-08-25
GREAT GUN MOUNTS
MADE IN THIS CITY
Harrisburg Boiler and Manufacturing Company Played
Big Part in Difficult Task; Much Special Equipment
Was Installed For New Work

, and Arsenal, the department having
adopted the policy, wherever prac-
teal, of using the facilities of their
arsenals on contracts which they are
planning to complete. The ord
| nance Department is planning to
| complete these mounts, as their use
fulness has been established.
Gun Firing PIatoons
The impossibility of keeping guns
in position on muddy fields in
France caused the Ordnance De-
partment to consider the construc-
ton of firing platforms on which to
| mount the mobile artilley. In Or
der to prove effective it was also
necessary to so construct the firing
platforms that they could be un-
bolted and transported with bat
terry.
The department therefore design
ed a carrying wagon which could he
drawn with the other units of bat
terry.
These platforms were built of
2.14-inch square oak beams bolted
together to form V. The bottom
of the V was closed by a rounded
member of oak against which the
trail of the 5 or 6-inch gun could
recoil on firing. The front of the V
carried a larger plate with curved
angles on top, on top of which the
wheels of the mobile carriage could
be mounted and turned. The whole
was bolted and fastened together
with rods and turnbacks and could
be unbolted and slung under a two
wheeled wagon for TRANSPORTATION.
IL was necessary to cut standing,
timber to build these platform, as the
demand for heavy lumber in ship
building and other lines at the time
mace obtaining the large size i'm
possible.
The Harrisburg Company built 1877
of these firing platforms. Additional
spare parts and reserves were m
der construction, but were cancelled
after the signing of the armistice.
24-Hour Day For New Work
In order to meet the demands of
the Government in constructing the
ABOVE artillery, tractors and firing
platforms, it was necessary 10 make
several additions to the plant. The
labor was doubled. and from Septem-
ber 1917, until the signing of the
armistice the plant was put on a "a
hour a day basis.
Ihe Harrisburg Manufacturing and
Boller company have still to COM
nlete eight of theeight-inch bar
bette railway mounts which the Ord
nance Department will use for sea-
coast defense.
The company is planning to GET
back on a commercial basis on their
Pelton water wheels, although the
bulk of this work was transferred in
wartime to the allied company, the
Pelton Water Wheel Company, of San
francisco, who had to enlarge the
western plant to handle the busi-
ness.
The Harrisburg company has start
ed to manufacture the vell-llnown
one and one-half. two, three and one
half and five ton Hurlhurt trucks
Several months ago they entered in
TO a consolidation of interest with
Hurlburt Motor Truck Company. now
furlburt Motor Truck Company Inc.
OF New York, whose trucks have ac-
qulred an enviable reputation for
performance. The Harrisburg com
pany is taking over the entire man
ufacturing end and will produce
trucks in quantity. A service sta
tion is now being added to the pres
ent plant, so that dealers and owners
In pennsylvania and vicinity will OBJ
tam the advantages of a nearby plant
and service.
The growth of the Hurlburt truck
mas been up to date a record a pro-
gress and the experience and per-
romance OF the Harrisburg company.
ably verified by their work for Uncle
Sam, should bring them success in The
manufacturing of trucks.
The big Harrisburg concern is well
past the experimental stage in the
construction of farm tractors AS
result of several years experiments
ing they are now building a number
OF crawler type, medium sized farm
tractors, and shortly will be heard
from in the production of tractors in
quantity. This company has had a
great deal of experience in the man
ufacturing of tractors of the round
wheel types in both the two and
four-wheel drive, and during the past
four years have filed a lot of data
on the desirability of wheel or crawl
er type. and after practical tests of
machines for military and agricul-
tnrai purposes, have unanimously de-
clded upon the crawler type.
This is but another one of the ex-
amples where the effect of adopting
certain type of machine for war
purposes Is having a marked effect
upon the future manufacture
The Ordnance Department has
highly commended this company for
serving its commercial relations and
undertaking and completing in a de-
sirable manner contracts assigned to
1t as its part of the production of
ordnance.
Fritz may not have known any,
thing about this particular manu-
featuring concern, but word of the
arrival in France of their products
somehow reached the Hun trenches.
and doubtless had a great deal to do
with the fast fading morale of the
much vaunted Germany army
Presented With a Cold