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Deadly Illustrations. C.A.V. Works Lighted. A Tire Contract.
By "The Extractor."
It has been explained by me in these columns before that our editorial staff is at all times glad to receive photographs of new and old motor-vehicles as long as they contain some point of interest to the general reader. It may be they are carrying some unusual load, helping another out of a ditch, moving a church or tackling with a full load sonic phenomenal acclivity., The strange thing about hills, however, on photographs is that you can seldom tell whether the vehicle is travelling up or down. Photography will improve on this one of these days, but at present, unless you show trees, church steeples or humans walking alongside, there is nothing to compare or check it. But in the photograph which I have in mind at the moment there was "not the faintest shadow of doubt—no possible doubt whatever." Here is the bit, the bit of 1 in 4 at least, here are the roofs of the houses alongside and here are the front wheels of the loaded lorry surely surmounting the crest of the hill. One can imagine the engine screaming out " Excelsior ! " We constantly ask for " live " pictures ad here it is, positively pulsating, yea— throbbing. A modest little note accompanied the picture to the office, and the editorial first glance synchronized with a gasp of pleasure. Then came the question, " Where is the driver? " Alas not a soul was aboard. It was an awful shame, mind you, to go and desert that beautiful lorry when it was doing so Wonderfully. 1 am sure it only wanted a little more encouragement. Wild horses will not extract its name from me, because I believe it was the driver's fault.
What in journalese is called a " conflagration " occurred on the new extension of the C.A.V. works a few days ago. It is supposed that a labourer employed by the builders threw away a lighted match in a store where quantities of celluloid lay, and immediately, if not sooner, an extraordinary blaze was the result, but the " devouring element," as it is usually termed, met with a severe check when the well-trained C.A.V. Fire Brigade tackled it. Fortunately, the administration of C. A. Vandervell arid Co. have inaugurated a brigade composed of their own working-staff, and when the salvage corps arrived, some half-hour after the outbreak, there was little for them to do. The fire occurred just after noon on Saturday, and secured a good hold, but, thanks to the resource and the promptitude of the C. A.V. men, the main building was saved, one man only was injured, and the afternoon's cricket was not interfered with.
Users of rubber tires and makers of the same will, I opine, be iaterested to read the copy of a letter. given below which was sent to a Corporation recently, the name of which I, for the present, withhold. I shall be interested to hear the views of other tire manufacturers on these conditions.
The " Clause 11 " to which reference is made reads as follows :—
" To minimize delay to service and damage to vehicles, the Corporation are desirous of obtaining tires which shall give an average mileage of at least 10,000 miles, and the tender, with mileage guarantee, is to be understood that all tires taken out during the first 12 months, and in the subsequent 12 months during which this contract shall run, must give an average life of at least 10,000 miles. In case of the average mileage being less than the aforementioned amount, the tires having lowest mileage shall be taken out until the average of the remainder shall be not less than the aforementioned mileage. The company shall pay to the Corporation a sum equal to the value of the unexpired mileage of such low mileage tires, ascertained in accordance with the mileage rate agreed upon under this contract."
The maker's reply was :— Dear Sir, With reference to our Tender for the supply of solid rubber tires which we posted to you last Friday evening to be in time for the due date of June 13th. Copy of the Contract having been sent to me, I read it over this morning, and to my surprise saw Clause 11. I looked to see what Clause 11 meant in the. contract.
Clause 11 is not absolutely clear to me. I therefore beg to give you notice that this tender must be read as a tender without a guarantee for the minimum life of the tires. The prices will stand in every other particular as before.
With further reference to this Clause 11 1 wish to give you my reading of the contract. However, 1 must think my reading is wrong, and should be obligen if you will let ins know exactly what the contract does mean.
My reading is this
That although you would be buying tires on a mileage basis, that is to say, you will only be paying for the distance the tires run, in the event of their not running 10,000 miles, you will be paid money for their not running this distance, that is, should the tyre run'5000 miles, you will pay nothing for the use of this tire, and if it runs 6000 miles, you will pay on a mileage of 2000 miles. If it runs 7000 miles, you will pay for 9000 miles.
This being so, the inducement to your engineer who wishes to run his motor petrol-vehicles cheaply, is to see that they do not do more than 7000 miles, be. cause in that case, he will only have to pay for 4000 miles.
It appears to me to be a most iniquitous contract, and should never have been sent out to the trade. Its wording is apt to deceive people making contracts unless they are lawyers, and as you are aware, when rubber manufacturers give in for a contract, they, do not reckon to go to their lawyers to find out what it means.
Yours faithfully, "Staying to put, on a flannel suit over my pyjamas saved my life, I reckon, said Mr, It. E Clark, of Whiting, Ltd., to me. Mr. Clark is the manager for the WhitingFederal commercial-vehicle concern, and was one of the fortunate survivors in the "Empress of Ireland" disaster. He managed to secure a life-belt, but, together with two to three hundred people and the captain, went down with the boat. He found himself above water eventually and boarded a raft. The cold, however, was quite paralysing. Anyhow, he is safely back, a little shaken, but full of plans and enthusiasm.
Mr. S. F. Tyler, of Rushmore Lamps, Ltd., was marries' on Saturday last. Good luck.
Fodens, Ltd., has engaged a firstclass man in the room of poor Andrew Gillespie and an extra one as well.
There is a fine exhibit of Ferodo at the Colliery Exhibition, Man chester.