Mr. H. G. Burford's U.S.A. Truckings.
Page 16
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His Views on Lorries and Tractors.
Meeting Mr. H. G. Burford, with a bronzed and happy look on his face and with no outward evidence of being a stone lighter in weight—the prevailing characteristic of the war-rationed Britisher—a repaesentative of this journal, in a thoughtless moment, asked where he had been to lately.
"Just crossed the Pond—but"—this with a sudden searching look—"you know I have been away five months.'
Admitting to a, remembrance that our Yuletide greetings had included a sincere wish for a safe journey to the States, we asked how he had found things to be faring with the H. G. Burford Co.
'Oh, naturally, very strong. The new shop, 230 ft. long by something.over 75 ft. wide, was in fullswing when I got there and was helping us very much. Of course, compared with. the colossal plants out there, we are only a small concern, but I think we need not feel ashamed of what we have done and are doing. •
"Our output is increasing and the business is developing just nicely. We have opened up in New York, occupying one of the leading showrooms on Broadway, and already we have sold from it 120 lorries to New York merchants.
Toledo Buys Burford Lorries.
"Then in Toledo, the home of the -Willys-Overland, we already have nearly 50 lorries sold and running in daily service.
"And our vehicles are behaving well. Here's a photo. of a tank wagon we made for the Paragon Refinery Co., and I'll show you the company's testimonial. You see, they say it has been running for many months with only a microscopic repair bill—a matter of X:1 10s.
"Yes, it is a curious point, as you suggest. They can't tell me anything about fuel costs as they haven't recorded them. But, then, fuel and oil are small items in the running of a lorry in the States. "Here is a testimonial from the Phcenix Box Factory, which shows how pleased they are with their Burford lorries, the daily cost of operation being one dollar 20 c,enth—a matter of 5s. 7d. per lorry.
"Our works, as you know, are at Fremont, Ohio, which is 800 miles from New York, and in my five months absence from the old country I travelled about pretty extensively.
"Yes, tractors and lorries both absorbed my attention. I went to Washington three times and had interviews with the heads of the aviation department, the Quartermaster-general's department, the Marine Corps, the Chief of Bureau of Yards and Docks, and also with the Post Office officials on their special telegraphed request. I got orders from the Marine Corps for some 2-ton lorries.
"The success of the 2-ton and the 4-ton Burford lorries has been as great in the States as here and in other European countries.
Progress in Design.
"In fact, I may truthfully say that with so much knowledge and information at our disposal as to the doings of lorries in the Services the design and methods of mannfacture of American lorries have been advanced ten years. "Great interest has been created by America coming into the war. The American Government is ordering large numbers of vehicles, so that -even the smallest makers of lorries are being brought into line with British ideas, which include four-speed transmission, right-hand control, steel wheels, and other wellknown. features developed by the British manufacturer.
"Yes, I attended the conference on the standardization of motor lorries, rendering them suit, 050 able for army purposes, as I am a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers. I was struck with the enthusiasm and interest taken by the leading engineers and designers of the trade whom I met.
"But my sentiments and feelings, as you may imagine, having known me for to many years, are essentially British, and, sincerely, I look forward to the time when the Burford lorry and the Burford tractor will be British from spring hanger to dumb iron, Busy on Tractors.
"Yes, tractors occupied much of my time. You see, we (that is Mr. c. II. Gray, and I) are more than ever convinced that the future,of the agricultural development$of this country depends upon the motor. There will be a dearth of:labour, and there are economies in time to be effected, the motor providing the Solution to what is really a vast problem. ` Mr. Gray is a life member of the Royal Agricultural Society, but as yours is a motor journal don't let him start talking about pig breeding to you! He has studied the power question, and he agrees with me that the farmer willlook to the lorry and the -tractor instead of to numbers of men and horses.
Gray will give you a telling example of the limitations of horses. Late at night near Clapham Road Station he has seen dozens of market carts drawn up, horses resting and men sleeping, to be awakened by the police in time to enable them to reach the markets when they open. These carts spend a couple of days on a, journey to and from the markets,' whereas the lorry would aceomplish•the return journey in the course of a single night, and with a relief man would be capable of a full day's work next day.
Combined Work of Tractor and Lorry. "The tractor must work in combination with the lorry as the same vehicle is not suitable for the slower work of ploughing and of maintaining the economical speed of 12 miles per hour on the roads for collecting and delivery. The lorry, for instance, should take' the tractor and the plough or other implement to the scene of their labqurs, and it would save time bysdoing so. The tractor sliould be reserved for the ploughing, cultivating and similar work.
"I studied all the makes of tractors in America and made a number of trials. I concluded that the "Burford-Cleveland was the best because of its moderate price, its simplicity, its fewness of working parts,' and, its ease of handling. It has a., running track 5 ft. ins, between the front and rear bearing points, so that the load of 27 cwt. is well distributed. It has only one siieed, it will turn in;8 ft., and it has a drawbar pull of 2400 lb. It is the outcome of some years experimenting and experience on the part of Mr. Rollin H. White. one of the pioneers of the White Co., of Cleveland. He has had anapip.farming experience to justify the design of the machine.
The D A.M. to See the Burford-Cleveland.
"Mr. Whitehas bought 500 acres of land, and a huge factory is now being erected for making these tractors. H. G: Burford and Co., Ltd., are the sole agents in this country, and we now have three of the machines over here, and, in a few days, are giving a demonstration before the Director of Agricultural Machinery.
"You ask what think about a, set trial of the tractors in use over here, and I agree that the time is not ripe for it. There will be a big trial in August at Fremont (not our Fremont but one further west), and nearly a hundred thousand people will go to it, _but we want to make the best use of the plant we have without worrying to find out which ones are better than the others."