New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-04-28
THE OBSER YER
Makes Random Observations
On the City and Its People


ton, He said that the great sin OF
today Is mans indifference. We have
this reflected every moment OF our
waking hours. Future history. per-
haps, depends on conferences which
are being held In Europe but they
seem, 80 far away that the majority
II Ia Indifferent to them. Men and
women are being butchered In Rus
sia. We admit that II 10 too Bad
and look for the latest sporting news
Starvation stalks through the Near
East gathering In its thousands OF
victims We contribute a dollar or
so, and promptly forget all about IL.
Conditions at home, politically ana
economically. need correction, but we
are Indifferent and put all the re-
sponsibility on the men we elect 70
office. The law Is being Haunted
openly nearly everywhere, but we do
nothing. The saving of our own
souls is the paramount thing In our
lives. but many of us trust to luch.
Indifference springs up like weeds
when the garden Is neglected.
The "Observer" the other day had
occasion to watch a machine which
has been used very little in this sec
ton, but which gets big results IN
short space of time. The machine IT
self is nothing new, but 1t Is the first
time that the observer" has had the
occasion to see 1t in operation,
1t is a ditch digger which has been
employed by a company engaged ~
putting in a trunk pipe line on the
Plainville road beyond Jerome street
Before describing the machine ITSELF
IL might be Of interest to note that the
digger completed the work Of digging
a trench extending from the end OF
the pavement on West Main street to
Wooster street since the time when
the frost was out of the ground, about
six weeks ago.
The machine is constructed similar
to large derrick with an endless
chain of shovels or scoops on 1t. the
derrick extends out from the body OF
the carriage over the place where the
digging is done and has device on
it to raise or lower it. according to
the manipulations of the operator. In
operating this machine, which is driv-
en- by gasoline power, the operator
runs the wagon or carriage over the
spot where the ditch Is to be start
ed. He then lines 1t up on straight
line with the road and starts the
chain revolving.
With each stroke of the shovel
which are equipped with teeth"
load of dirt is scooped UP and carried
under the derrick to the body of the
machine. Here it Is dumped onto an
endless belt which reyolves on an
other shaft and extends out to the
side of the ditch and the dirt is car
ried out to the side and dumped in
pile by the side of the ditch.
1t is surprising to see how quickly
the ditch goes down. The shovels fol-
low one after the other and ditch
which 1t would take gang of men
with picks and shovels several weeks
to dig is completed.
The pipes are then laid and joined
together. Then another smaller ma
chine resembling a tractor comes into
operation. On this is winch which
has steel cables extending from it
These are attached to scooplike steel
board. This board is placed behind
the piles of dirt at the side of the
ditch and with each sweep of the
winch, the dirt is scooped back agair
into the ditch. Then the digger comes
again and with its large tractor like
wheels passes over the mound and
performs the work of tamping dowr
the loose dirt.
With these implements, the com
pany in charge has been able to com
plete entirely line of work which, Il
It were to be done by unskilled labor
would have taken almost the entire
summer.