From Our Berlin Correspondent.
Page 6
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Frankfort-on-the-Main now has 32l horse cabs and 42 motor taxis, only 23 of the latter being continually in working. The Commissioner of Police is of opinion that the city requires no further cabs, and declined to grant a concession to a motorcab owner to work additional vehicles. Whether the people of Frankfort, are satisfied with a perpetuation of this heavy preponderance of ancient horsed cabs is, however, quite another story.
An Austrian Motor-kitchen.
As anticipated, Austria has taken the German Emperor's tip and acquired a kitchen-automobile, albeit the idea, as carried out, does not conform to that incorporated in the combination for the use of the Kaiser. In the Austrian type, a two-ton lorry is coupled up to a kitchen wagon of the usual military pattern, but fitted with rubber-shod wheels.
Daimler-Marienfelde Roadsprinklers for Stuttgart.
Stu Ltgart's a utomobilessprinklers. for which, as I reported some months ago, an order had been placed with the Daimler Motoren-Gesellsehaft, are now at work, and I send an illustration with the present note. To begin with the chassis: This embodies the Nlilnes-Daimler characteristics as regards frame and gear-drive, and the wheels are of cast steel, shod with solid-rubber tires. The sprinkling contrivances provide for both gravity and forced pressor, and are adjustable for three widths of irrigation. These adjustments can, of course, be effected from the driver's seat. By hydrostatic, or natural, pressure, the lateral sprinklers water a width up to nine yards and more; whereas, with pressure supplied by engine-power, and the valves open at full, treble that width can be dealt with, as readers CRII ascertain for themselves by referring to the picture. which shows the water spouting out like two huge wings. This illustration enables one to see how the
centre track is watered, the system adopted being that usually fitted to German watercarts of the ordinary type. To return to the pressure mechanism. There is a centrifugal pump which is driven from a prolongation of the upper gear-shaft; this shaft carries a gearwheel that engages with a like wheel on the pump-shaft. The pump-gear is engaged or disengaged by hand-lever, and, as might be expected, it is possible to work the lateral sprinklers independently of each other. Both the tank and the pump-gear are easily detachable ; so that, within a short space of time,
what was doing duly as a watercart can be used for transporting municipal material. I must, in conclusion, direct attention to the drawback that two men are necessary to work the vehicles: one to drive, and the other to manipulate the water-levers.
A Second Electric Set for Hamburgs Fire-brigade.
Hamburg's Lewer House has voted -C4,730 for a second electric set for the local fire-brigade, the first having answered excellently. The DaimlerMarienfelde people are supplying the Lohner-Porsche chassis, a Hamburg firm undertaking the coachwork. Instead of round treads, concave-treaded tires will be fitted to the wheels. The concave, profile has been found more practical than the round, while the double rear tires obviate the use of anti-skids.
Heavy Loss on the Year's Work ing of Berlin's Electric Cabs.
Berlin's electric cabs do not pay— never have paid, and appear to be on the way to the liquidator: that sums up the position of affairs as regards the big company known as the Berliner Elektromobil-Droschken AktienGesellschaf L. Herr Karl Neuburger, chairman of the company, had the painful duty of telling the shareholders at the general meeting that the loss on the year's working had reached no less a sum than 333,076 marks (11.0,654), which, with the loss carried forward, brought up the total deficit to 575,263 marks (t26,763). He explained the loss by the heavy competition on the part Of petrol cabs, the police having licensed all cabs of the kind in building for the Berlin account at the time when the notice was issued to the effect that, in future, no additional petrol cabs would be licensed except such as were required to replace worn-out vehicles. Upon this limitation, the force of which is now being felt, Herr Neuburger builds much, looking to it for salvation at some vague date. Personally, I do not expect the company to wipe off this heavy deficit, which, like a snowball in rolling, gets bigger and bigger; although, of course, the unexpected may happen in the form of some technical invention that will reduce working expenses. The higher tariff militates somewhat against th2 success of the " Bedags," to give them their familiar name. Then, too, they are not attractive enough. Compared with the petrol taxis of the newest pattern, the " Bedags " figure as clumsy, illdressed country wenches by the side of graceful city belles. Added to the general clumsiness of appearance, their coachwork is painted a dull, reddish brown, whereas most of the petrol cabs are what a gushing member of the fair sex would certainly describe as " positively sweet," being visions of pleasing lines, glowing colours and glittering metal work. Why, we have golden taxis in Berlin! No, not yellow paint which shines like gold through its lacquer, but actual gold paint. Imagine a fair passenger's delight in floating down the " Linden," or through the stately Tiergarten, in a gorgeous turnout of this sort! On a recent Sunday morning, I sat down on a seat near a taxi-stand in Charlottenburg for the special purpose of noting which class of cab the ptblic preferred. When I arrived, there was a solitary " Bedag " in possession ; and when I left, after an hour's observation, the poor old " Bedag " was still on the rank, all the petrol cabs which had lined up behind him at intervals having been eagerly snapped up. Naturally, the " Bedag "-driver formed the butt of chaff from the drivers of the petrol " butterflies," as they fluttered off with their " fares."