Correspondence.
Page 13
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Water Supplies for Steam Wagons.
The Editor, "TEE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir :—I have read with much interest the article written by Mr. C. Basil Nixon, and also the suggestions put forward by Mr. James Sumner, as to the proposed methods of meeting the demand for a roadside water supply for steam motor wagons. As a lorry owner, I endorse all that has been said in support of the desirability, and in fact the absolute necessity, for some systems being provided whereby we may obtain water for our lorries when we are engaged in delivering goods at a distance from our works, and I' think the problem might easily be solved without incurring any friction with the water companies. I believe, indeed, the water companies would readily endorse a system such as the one I am suggesting, which is that watering posts should be fixed at convenient points on suitable sites, which would be determined by yourself or other expert. These posts should be fitted with taps or valves having a screwed outlet to which the lorry owner's own hose could be attached; a supply of water could then be always obtained and filled direct into his tank.
The posts in question should be fitted with an opening cover or door to the interior of which access could be gained by means of a penny in the slot. The door having been opened, and the hose connected, on putting a penny into another slot a certain quantity of water, say, 25 or 30 gallons, should flow out of the apparatus, after which oelivery the machine should automatically stop. Further unit volumes of water would be obtained by repeating the process, so that 125 gallons of water would by this method cost, say, 6d., assuming that the charge was a penny per 25 gallons. Should it be found desirable, members of the Motor Van and Wagon Users' Association could have access to these posts by means of special keys to open the door free of cost, but they would still have to pay for the water as taken. If it were found desirable to grant such an association the sole use of these posts, a special outlet to the tap would be made so that only the agreed type of coupling and hose would fit it, but I think it would probably be found better to allow anybody to have access to the water who is prepared to pay the necessary pennies. The machine should be made so that the lorry driver would get a ticket for each penny dropped an the machine, which is, I believe, a common practice with some classes of automatic slot machines, and the whole apparatus would require to be so arranged as to be free from any danger of freezing. The expense of a water box of this class should not be such as to prohibit its use. As you have already suggested, tokens might be used in place of coins, but if a receipt is given for each coin, I think coins would be found most convenient. The association or other body which undertook to fix these posts would derive its income from the pennies and would pay the water companies for the water supplied to them by meter in the usual way.—Yours
faithfully, "A LORRY OWNER."
Motor Van Economies.
The Editor, "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir :—It may be interesting to your readers to hear the result of a week's hire of a motor van by a leading firm of drapers in Liverpool, who, through their annual sale week, have been in the habit of employing the local Parcels Delivery Company to deliver at 3d. per parcel. On this occasion, however, they decided to invest the sum of to guineas in the hire of a motor van from us. They paid an extra i.,;2 for putting holland covers on the sides, lettered with their name. As the first day of the sale is always the best patronised, the heaviest delivery day of the week was Tuesday, and on this day 340 parcels were delivered, the average for the rest of the week being about zoo. It will be seen from this that not only did they make a considerable saving on what they would have paid to the Parcels Delivery Company, but the motor van, lettered with their name, proved such an advertisement as to establish a record sale week.— Yours faithfully. J. BLAKE AND CO. Beaumont Street, Liverpool, September 15th, 1905.
An Egyptian Exhibition.
The Editor, "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir :—I beg to inform you that I have received information from Messrs. Murray Brothers and Legge, 1, Rue Pirona, Alexandria, that the strong committee formed to conduct the Egyptian exhibition of British manufacturers has decided that the exhibition cannot take place before between November to February, 1906-1907. When it does come off, it should undoubtedly prove of interest to motor manufacturers, and when the matter is definitely fixed up, I shall probably take the liberty of sending you full details.—Yours faithfully, D. S. MURRAY. mm and 12, Foster Lane, Cheapside, E.C.
Farm Motors.
The Editor, "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir :—I was amused to see the letter in your last number conveying the suggestion that engineers might as lief lay in a stock of cows and pigs as farmers might purchase agricultural motors. There is no parallel in the two cases, and I am sure that your readers agree with your notes by way of reply. Perhaps your correspondent will avail himself of the chance to buy through Motor Vehicles, Ltd., of Bury, whose operations should help sales along.—Yours faith
fully, R. WEBSTER.
The Editor invites correspondence on all subjects connected with the use of commercial motors. Letters must be on one side of the tether only, and type-written by preference. The right of abbreviation is reserved, and no responsibility for the views expressed is accePted.