Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1927-02-03

DEMONSTRATING SNOW
REMOVAL IN COUNTY

StratiOn. of their ability to remove
snow from the main highways in Pine
county The demonstration is being
given by BEST CO., caterpillar with
a Wausau snow pillow attached to it.
The caterpillar alone weighs a little
less than ten tons, is equipped with
three speeds forward and one reverse.
When there is q moderate layer Of
snow of from two to three feet the
outfit will clear 20 foot road at the
rate of to 31a miles per hour; if the
snow is old and packed hard or deep
er than three feet the machine will
go through it in second speed at the
rate of miles per hour; and under
extreme conditions it will travel at
mile per hour. During the demon
stration this week where some of the
snow has been packed solid for many
weeks it is necessary to go over short
stretches two or three stimes before
it can get way to the bottom. This,
however, does not delay the general
progress very much as the machine
can be turned around on any road.
The machine had an extreme test
on the first mile of road running west
from Askov which it went over Tues
day night. County Highway Engineer
H. V. Jorgensen came up from Pine
City yesterday morning and was much
dissatisfied with the work done on
this stretch and explained that the
men in charge of the machine Tues
day night were not yet accustomed
to it and they were ordered to come
back and do that stretch over again;
they will likely be here today. Mr..
Jorgensen has laid out a route of 256
miles in the county which the cater
pillar should clean up in 10 days.
Then after the main roads are cleared
the county would rent the outfit, in
the event of purchase by the county,
to the various townships for clearing
up township roads which he esti-
mates could be done at a cost of $1.75
per mile. On account of number
of weak bridges the proposed route
can not be followed all the time and
therefore they must travel over about
so miles of township roads in the pro-
posed circle of 256 miles.
Whether or not the county will pur-
chase a good snow removal outfit will
be discussed at a special meeting of
the county commissioners to be held
Feb. 5, and it would be well for any
one interested in the matter to COM
|municate with his county commits
sioner or be present at the meeting
so that the board may know the gen.
eral sentiment of taxpayers.
The machine which is demonstrate
ing here this week, as before men
toned, is a ''Best CO.,; sells at $500;
burns 4 gallons of gasoline and 2
quarts of oil per hour; weighs little
less than ten tons; travels 80 miles
per hour at maximum speed; and re-
quires 2 men to operate it. The Wau-
sau snow pillow weighs approximately
1890 pounds; clears a path of "a feet
when wings are fully extended, but
travels best when the pillow is set at
an angle to clear 2O1a feet; the main
pillow is IL feet wide and each wing
6 feet. Each wing and the main
| pillow are Individually controlled. The
| pillow that has been used this week
sells for approximately $4,000.
| The BEST so" is combination of
| the former Holt 10 Ton and the Best.
| These two companies have CONSOLIDATE
ed and are now manufacturing and
ton tractors and the Best 60 and
Best 80 caterpillars.
Kanabec and Chisago counties have
purchased caterpillar outfits similar
to- the one used here and Isanti coun-
ty is now considering the purchase of
one