Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-03-11
1OvvD ENJOYS
RIDE ON HUGE
AERIAL TRUCK
- fire Fighting Apparatus
Veeks II Excellent Shape Be
fore City Officials.

rhe new aerial ladder truck OF
!. Rock Island fire department
3, put through several severe
-. Yesterday afternoon. all of
ybich it successfully withstood-
r. most pronounced test OF the
..,snrth OF the truck occurred at
IA o'clock yesterday afternoon,
-s.n Mayor Harry NJ. Schriver and
-. four city commissioners. fire.
~, newspaper men and others to
~ number OF q persons, Chamber
- an the truck and chung to it in
.need tests and in sharp corner
turning.
The s5-foot ladder was raised
,rice during the demonstration,
.rd the truck developed a speed of
"a miles an hour on a straight run
srd made 10 miles an hour up the
Eighteenth avenue hill.
The truck was taken from the
central station to the city hall,
vhare the ladder was raised by c. G.
anerry. mechanician, testing the
truck The truck was then driven
N the Best building on Second av-
anna where the ladder was raised
from the Seventeenth street side.
This demonstration gave a good il
lustration of the truck in actual
seryice The big ladder was raised
through overhead wires by shifting
Il in any direction desired. Assist
ant Fire Chief Joseph Valentine
climbed the ladder. The entire
demonstration received the plaud-
ito Of a large crowd.
The truck was then put on its
test run with an extra load of q
men.
II proceeded down Second avenue
TO Eleventh street, south on Elev-
enth street to Eighteenth avenue,
no the Eighteenth avenue hill and
east to Thirtieth street, north to
Seventh avenue, west to Twenty
third street, north to Fourth ave-
nue., west to Twentieth street, north
TO Second avenue, west to Fifteenth
street, south to Third avenue, and
east to the city hall.
The route provided tests on hill
climbing, tests of the brakes on go
ing down hill and the turning of
sharp corners on narrow streets.
Mechanician Sperry steered the
biz truck, while B. A. Stephens,
fireman at the central station, act
ed as tiller on the wheel, controll-
ing the rear wheels of the truck.
Sperry shot the truck around cor
ners at high speed. and Stephens
showed his skill at the tiller by
bringing the rear end of the truck
around without any danger Of col
lision with the curbings.
Commissioners Pleased.
The mayor and city commission
ers are highly pleased with the big
truck, which will be accepted as
soon as all parts have been check
ed up and few more instructions
are given the local firemen in
handling the machine.
No tests will be made today, as
Mechanician Sperry left for DEM
ing, N. NJ, at 1890 last night after
receiving a telegram from the
American-La France Fire Engine
company to proceed to that point
However, another mechanician is
expected to arrive here from Chi
eago today. Thomas r. tombstone
Chicago agent for the company, is
expected to come here TO turn the
tuck over to the city.
The big machine is being admir-
ed by all who see it, and it is con-
siiered the final touch to the com
pleteness Of the Rock Island de-
partment.
The city can trade in the old
horsedrawn truck on the new ap-
parStus for $500, which transaction
may be carried through unless the
city can find a purchaser offering
more money. The big truck cost
sl2,500. Terms of the contract call
for the payment of $4,000 to the
company within 10 days after the
truck has been accepted and the
fenaindar