Out and e Hom _ _.—By " The Extractor.
Page 13
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Side Mirrors for Steam Wagons.
A friend of mine knows that my commercial pulse throbs at the sight of a steam wagon, and that it is only necessary for fully-laden tractors to appear in the offing for my soul to be filled with a pure commercial joy. My friend knows all this, I say, and so he pounced on me the other day with a great tirade against these handy, if noisome vehicles. I gather that he was showing off the paces of a new 20 h.p. Dennis car to an admiring relative, and in what seemed an endless and narrow road he came up with a steam wagon clanging merrily along the crown of the road. There was no room to pass, and, to the sounds of the hooter, and the beautiful new eleehew horn, the wagon driver, sitting amongst his own clatter, was as oblivious and as sound-proof as i if n a submarine. Again and again temporary widenings of the road would occur, and, as each came into view, my friend would redouble the efforts with his orchestra, but all to no purpose, and at last the only course was limply to drop behind. Most of us have had the same experience ; it is, whilst it lasts, exasperating, and a remedy should be found for it. My friend suggests that a mirror should be placed at the driver's right. Of course, he sits more centrally than does a driver of a petrol vehicle, but it would be easily possible, even on a tractor, to arrange a glass. I commend time proposal to the makers -of heavy steam vehicles. The additional cost will be very minute, and users do not desire to unduly mononolize the road. l" The Extractor " is not an interested reader of the " Drivers' and Mechanics' Page," we fear. The question of the use of a mirror for the drivers of wagons has received considerable attention in that section of the journal, from time to time. A large proportion of existing wagons is already so fitted. He should note that the steam-wagon driver, as a rule, sits further to the offside, than does the driver of the average petrol wagon.• En.] An Old Acquaintance.
At the Laundry Exhibition last week. T was claimed by a gentleman who had not seen me for 16 years. It was interesting to learn that he had meanwhile developed a great laundry business, and of recent years had taken to motorvans in solid earnest. I naturally then wanted his unbigssed opinion, and he wa-s full of glow and enthusiasm for his fleet of Albion vans. His name is Rogers, of Maidenhead. and I gathered that, not only was he highly satisfied, but that he had recently read a paper at a. trade association meeting, and he had given much detail of the running of his vans, in comparison with his former horse transport. How his radius and his business had extended, and much more to the same effect, including a remark how eagerly he perused his COMMERC/A L MOTOR week by week. and of its helpfulness to users. I listened to with a. considerable meed of appreciation. On behalf of the Editor and his staff, and my humble self, I murmured a word of thanks.
More About Clubs.
When I was at the Austin works. near Birmingham, a short while ago, 1 was much interested in a fine clubhouse built within the grounds, for the benefit of manager, office staff, and employees generally. Evidently the Austin directorship has done lunch to cultivate tile social possibilities with their men. The clubhouse is greatly used, as it is highly thought or. I was at thattime put on the free list, for the " Austin Advocate," an absorbing and comprehensive monthly production which has frequently been quoted in these columns. It contains many personal touches and some excellent caricatures of prominent Austin men. Then I notice chatty articles from members of the staff. and also some from outside. Altogether it is a paper to be proud of. The last issue has much in it that is pertinent to the forward social policy of the company.