The Manufacturers' Appraisal Company, of Cleveland, Ohio, has published a 24-page pamphlet entitled "Appraisal of Railroad Land by the Somers Unit System of Realty Valuation," by Walter W. Pollock, president of the company. It is a study of the land values of the Broad Street passenger terminal and connecting right of way in Philadelphia, showing the unit foot values of street accessibility to contiguous and similar land and block computations by the Somers rules and tables. A brief explanation is given of the theories on which the Somers system is based. It is believed that the most severe criticism of the appraisal submitted will show that it is correct within the narrowest limits of possible differences of opinion as to the relative and actual values of the usefulness of the streets, and the effect of the street accessibility upon the several lots and blocks included in the appraisal. * * New Motor Fire Apparatus A contract has recently been awarded to James Boyd & Brother, Inc., of Philadelphia, by the city of Moline, Ill., for one 75-foot aerial ladder truck. The truck is to be straight gasoline mechanical drive, using the worm gear. The combination city service chemical and hose car ordered recently by Stroudsburg, Pa., from the same manufacturers, will have a curved sheet steel hose body in addition to a chemical equipment and regular city service ladder truck equipment. This will be one of the first cars of this type ever built. The machine will be painted white with red running gear. This company has recently delivered two motor-driven combination chemical and hose cars to the borough of Rumson, N. J. Each car is equipped with a double 35-gallon chemical tank and the regular chemical equipment. Both have specially designed motors, and are the new standardized models of the Boyd Company. A Cut-Out Switch The "Absolute-Cut-Out" switch, made by the Elmer P. Morris Iron Works, of New York City, has been especially designed for use in ornamental poles carrying General Electric or Westinghouse series arc lamps. Extra heavy material has been used at the contact points in order to give the switch as long life as possible. The porcelain used is of the best quality. The handle or knob is reinforced by a metallic bushing, which prevents the porcelain from wearing or chipping off when the switch is used. For Contractors and Boards of Public Works Laying a Rocmac Road It Rocmac is a heavy liquid preparation that chemically unites with limestone, making a smooth, waterproof roadway having the resiliency necessary to meet traffic conditions. requires no skilled supervision or special machinery, for any outfit that will build a macadam road will build a Rocmac road. The ordinary road base is first laid, and the Rocmac solution, mixed with the limestone, is then spread over the foundation. The mixing can be done by hand or in a concrete mixing machine. A course of crushed stone is placed on top and rolled until the mortar appears on the surface. This layer is sprinkled with water, and the rolling is continued until the mortar comes up uniformly, when a coating of limestone dust is spread over the surface. This serves to absorb all excess liquid and to form a top coat. The finished surface shows no discoloration, and is gritty enough to give a good hold to auto tires. The road is said to be dustless and to form no mud in wet weather, and, since it is not affected by climatic conditions, the up-keep charges are very light. Traffic need not be suspended during the laying of a Rocmac road. Examples of this sort of highway are found in the National Park at Quebec, TROY 10 M BROADWAY TAYLOR PORTABLE STEEL DERRICK LTD. 370 Richmond Street West Toronto, Canada In the Year 2014 One hundred years from Indestructible Signs will still be readable Why? Because of the construction 1-The letters are drilled into solid ingot iron 3-Then filled with pure white aluminum 4-Next a black lead coat and a black painted surface Our booklet will give you a better knowledge of the The Indestructible Sign Company 528 Dennison Avenue Columbus, Ohio The Good Roads Machinery Co., Selling Agents, Kennett Square, Pa. 60 When writing to Advertisers please mention THE AMERICAN CITY. Benjamin Wilk, Virginia, Minn., University of Min nesota. Alvin C. Smith, Lyons, Neb., University of Nebraska. O. H. Gosswein, St. Louis, Mo., Purdue University. Alfred A. Berkowitz, New Britain, Conn., Sheffield Scientific School. W. J. Campbell, Cohoes, N. Y., Syracuse University. The purpose of the competition was to turn the attention of engineering students to street and road construction as a promising field of work. The company offering the prizes believes that the plan was successful in this direction. ++ Sewer Cleaning Equipment The Turbine Sewer-Machine Renovating Company, of Milwaukee, has published an illustrated booklet of 32 pages which describes the turbine sewer machine and its work. This machine is constructed to operate either by sewer rods or cable, as required. In actual operation a hose is attached, and under water pressure the cutters revolve and dislodge the material with which they come in contact. Weeds, roots, etc., are cut, and the other material is ground up and carried away by the force of the water. At the same time, the revolving cutters and the action of the water thoroughly scrub and clean the inside of the sewer. The runners and cutting knives can le adjusted so as to fit the sewer exactly, forcing the cutters to reach every inch of the sewer wall. Where sewers are completely stopped up so that a rope cannot be passed through, the "Forcing Jack" is used connected with the turbine. Many letters are reproduced from mayors, city engineers and others familiar with the work of this machine, testifying to its excellent results. ++ Waste Disposal in Albany Messrs. Hering & Gregory, consulting engineers, of New York City, have been retained by the Board of Contract and Supply of Albany, N. Y., to investigate and report on the best method of collecting and disposing of the garbage, rubbish and ashes of the city. + * Wire-Cut Lug Brick The Dunn Wire-Cut-Lug Brick Company, of Conneaut, Ohio, has issued an attractive booklet of 16 pages describing and illustrating wire-cut-lug brick for paving. Every wirecut-lug brick is of the same size and shape, no matter from what manufacturer it is bought. The wire which cuts the brick from a column of clay is deflected by offsets at given points, cutting the lugs and grooves. All these bricks have 3/16-inch lugs and double beveled ends, allowing for the proper penetration of the grouting material; the adjoining brick theoretically touches on a line at the center with at least inch opening at the top and bottom. The uniformity of lugs and end spacing permits of accurate alinement in laying pavement, and the rough wire-cut sides furnish strong bonding surface. The standard size of the brick is 32 x 81⁄2 inches, exclusive of the lugs. Forty bricks cover one square yard as laid in pavement. With grout properly applied and joints evenly filled, the pavement becomes practically monolithic. The "Hillside" brick is made for use on grades steeper than 6 to 9 per cent to provide foothold for horses and unusual traction for motor vehicles; each brick has, on its top surface, a series of shallow grooves about 3 inches apart, and the bricks are laid longitudinally. A list of licensed manufacturers of wirecut-lug brick may be obtained from The Dunn Wire-Cut-Lug Brick Company, which will also furnish engineering service to city, county and state road departments and important data of road construction from all sections of the country. + A Turf Cutter for Trenching Work During the laying of the cables for lighting the Lynn Shore Boulevard in Massachusetts the work of trenching was greatly facilitated by the use of a homemade turf cutter. This was made by the blacksmith of the Lynn Gas & Electric Company, which laid the lighting cables, and was constructed under the direction of I. I. Edgerly, superintendent of conduits. The accompanying picture of this tool gives a fair idea of its structure. The discs are I foot in diameter, and are made of thin sheet steel riveted to flanges which are keyed to the shaft. They are separated from each other by I foot, the width of the trench. The shaft to which they are keyed extends far enough to engage both frames, forming a bearing; the frame is 3 feet 6 inches long and 18 inches wide. When not in use the handles are 62 The Permanent Results of Our Re-organization Campaigns Previous advertisements have told of unusual results secured by The American City Bureau in re-organizing commercial organizations. We were recently asked, "Are these results permanent?" This was the answer. "Some of the campaigns conducted by the personnel of our organization are already well over a year old. "If the results secured were not permanent, this would certainly be clearly evident now. "We will give you the names of these organizations and the men in each who were most intimately in touch with our work. "Then you can write and determine firsthand whether we produced results that were lasting." The same offer is open to everybody. Are you interested? Editorial Comment Let the Armies of Construction Go Forward! That there is little tendency to call a halt in public improvements in American cities because of the European war is evident from the statements of twenty-one mayors which appear on the pages immediately following. They are from letters received since the publication of our August number, and have direct reference to the announcement of THE AMERICAN CITY'S point of view on the front cover of that issue. These mayors mayors of important cities throughout the United States are, almost without exception, in favor of carrying on municipal improvements with unabated vigor during the coming fall and winter. In some cities, indeed, plans are being made to do even more public work than would ordinarily be undertaken through the winter months. On the other hand, it will be observed that some of the mayors express doubt as to their ability to float bond issues at the present time, or to obtain necessary funds in other ways. Because of the ease with which high-grade municipal securities can ordinarily be sold, the present problem of city finance is an unusual one. In our opinion, however, it does not offer obstacles which cannot be overcome by any city whose credit has not, for other reasons, been seriously impaired. To be sure, the bond houses which ordinarily are in the market for municipal securities, are offering little encouragement at the present time in the way of commitments for new issues. The three letters published after the comments of the mayors are perhaps typical of the present attitude of bond houses generally. Cities which wish to raise money this fall must, in most cases, look to their local bankers or citizens, rather than to the large financial centers, for assistance. There are at least four possible methods of securing local aid: 1. Short-time notes might be issued at a rate of interest attractive to the bankers, these notes to be retired by a subsequent issue by the city of bonds under a more favorable market. 2. Bonds of the city might be issued immediately and sold to local bankers, who could use them as security for emergency currency.* Such a transaction might be of benefit both to the city and to the local banks; for the latter conld no doubt dispose of the bonds at a premium when money becomes more plentiful. To protect the city's interests, such bonds should either be issued for comparatively short terms, or should contain the option of retirement by the city in advance of date of maturity. 3. In some cases it would doubtless be possible as is, indeed, the custom under ordinary financial conditions in certain cities to make payment in city bonds to manufacturers or contractors for public work. Such a plan, if adopted, must be handled in a conservative manner, lest the city's credit be depressed by the resale of large quantities of such bonds to the public at inopportune times. To have the right to issue emergency currency, a bank must be a member of a National Currency Association. Such associations may be formed by ten or more banks located in adjacent territory and having an aggregate capital of $5,000,000 or more. On bonds approved by the Treasurer of the United States such banks may issue emergency currency up to 90 per cent of the value of the bonds. |