THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 1931.
ROAD INSPECTION
SEQUEL TO INTERNATIONAL ROAD CONGRESS.
Washington, D. C., Dec. 16. Carrying the story of America'a highways to the far corners of the globe, Rame 250 builders and administrators of the world high ways have returned home from the western hemisphere to take up their duties with renewed vigour, the direct result of 18 days' first hand inspection of road systems in various states of the Union as guests of the Highway Education
Board.
As official delegates to the sixth International Road Congress. held in Washington from October 6 to 11 at the invitation of the United States, these men were invited by the Board to participate in one of three post-Congress tours of inspec- tion of highway construction and transportation. Each tour provided For studying slightly different pro- blems of construction and traffe and thus delegates were able to select the route providing condi- tions most similar to those found in their own countries.
Heavy traffic, high type roads and a densely populated, Industrial area were inspected by Tour No. 1, going through New Jersey, Pennsyl- vania, New York, parts of New England and Ohio. Low cost roads, mountain highways, light to medium heavy traffic in a warm and what is primarily an agricu tural but growing industrial area were provided by Tour No. 2, travelling through the states of Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, while Tour No. 3, moving from Washington to South Bend, Indiana. through Chicago and the states of Wisconsin. Minnesota, Iowa. Mis- souri and Illinois, offered the dele- gate both light and heavy traffic over varying types of ronds, built to withstand the cold temperatures of the Northwest.
THE CHINA
MAIL.
SAVING A CENT.
Economy in Production
of Cars.
Saving a penny, a afckal or a dime in the coat of making an auto- mobila may seem insignificant. Yet when small savings like these are
miles further along we stopped for multiplied in the production of an inspection.
thousands of cars a day, the result Pleasing Revelations,
runs into millions of dollars a year. It is the little economies, the "Turning of the main highway, it was not long before we started daily development of some new and up the mountain side over an excel-better way of doing a job, that lent road. Curves not too sharp, makea, possible tho periodic redue- plenty of room to pass other cars, tlons in ord car prices, the in- smooth surface, sides excellently creasing of wages, and the constant cor Itself. marked and protected by guard improvement of the raids and a grade that is univer- Quantity production alone, accord- sally approved, these were pleasing ing to Ford officials could not do it. revelations to many of us. Autumn hues of brown, red, orange, yellow and green faded off to a purplisr gray haze. All in all, the morning drive was delightful.
In the plants of the Ford Moter Company the employees, from the highest offelala to the more pro- gressive of the machine operators, are always trying to improve "During the afternoon we pulled methods of manufacture. Typify- up in the centre square of Lenoiring the Ford idea, that nothing is where every one in the town had collected. Upon alighting we were informed that refreshments await- cd us, being provided by the local Chamber of Commerce. We were quite moved by this hospitable welcome which came so unexpected ly. The townspeople were truly generous in their welcome.
The
permanent but change. they cast precedent to the winds. Because a thing has never been done before is no reason, they feel, why it should not be done now.
For instance, push rods made in two pieces with heads of chilled iron formerly were purchased from other concerns. Engineers of the
Ford Motor Company developed a new iron. The push rods are now made in one piece, with the result that they give better service at a cost of 1.46 cents less per rod. Since there are eight rods to a cat that is a saving of 11.68 cents on each car produced.
"Made Asheville to-night about 7 o'clock. At the city limits we were met by a squad of local motor cycle Police, thus considerably augment ing those already with us. way was cleared for our entrance into the city and passage through its streets, just as it had been all day in the country. Cars, whether The reservoir for the Houdaille going or coming, are required to shock absorber, which weighs one pull to the side of the rond until pound eight and one half ounces,
motorcar our
has passed,
was and formerly
machined from a three thanks to the efficient aid of the rough forging weighing state highway patrol, we make ex-pounds six ounces. Seeking a sim cellent speeds."
pler way of making this part, Ford employees contrived to shape it from a casting weighing one pound thirteen ounces. As a result only four and one half ounces have to be
As each day on each tour brought new conditions, new types of con- struction, new incidents, cach of the 250 members assimilated some new its information about America, roads, its people, its Industry, and its countryside.
Those in the Western Tour, Appetites Whetted.
learned that Chicago has beautiful Whetted by the deliberations of boulevards and parks; that Mi- the Congress, the delegates ap-waukee, once famous for its beer, petites for the survey of American manufactures great quantities of road construction methods
road building equipment; and that were high when the tours left Washing- St. Paul and Minneapolis are large ton, ore north, one west and one industrial cities. New York, the south. In each State they were world's financial mart, Schenectady accompanied by engineers from the and its electrical works, Buffalo and State highway departments who ex- Cleveland with their varied indus- plained details of the various types tries, were visited by delegates on tour, while those of construction
they the northern over which moved. Each delegate was given a travelling south passed through the log book containing descriptions of beautiful Blue Ridge mountains the cost, construction, traille density and visited the thriving centres of and other information. On the Roanoke and Winston-Salom, Char- several State road systems, sections lotte and Columbia, Charleston and of road were identified by signs Savannah, and the fertile fields of placed along the roadside by State Florida. All learned that results are not the only criterion by which highway departments and as the buses rolled along, the delegates Americans judge and that hospit- jotted down notes, talked with ality still is cherished in the hearts each other and observed keenly.
of the people..
These notes, frequently expanded after stopping for the night, will be supplemented with photographs taken by official photographers ac- companying the tours. These men had special instructions to photo- graph construction operations, in cluding machinery, construction stages, topography and other essen- tials.
With travel worries eliminated and care of baggage delegated to an assistant manager who had it walt ing in the rooms when the delegates arrived at their hotel, everyone was able to attend wholeheartedly to the business in hand: the examination of a new type of surface, the obser- vation of a special labour-saving device or the question of building
2
base for a heavy-traffic road through swampland, such as was encountered in Georgia and Florida. Activities during a typical day and the impressions formed are well illustrated by the following ab stracts from the diary of one of the participants:
Some Impressions. "To-day we stopped by a road in Virginia. Crushed stone had been rolled and we arrived just in time to see the application of asphalt. We then walked ahead to a gmail tractor rigged out so that it would both sweep and blow dust and other material from the road surface, preparatory to applying the asphalt,
"In spite of repeated warnings to stay behind this contraption, several insisted upon remaining in front in what they supposed was a point of vantage. Finally the signal was given. A swirling dust cloud that hid everything beyond it was the result and a moment later emerged from this several of our party scrambling as hard as they 'could to get away from the grime Kand dust, much" "to the delight of
the others.
"Engineers of the Virginia High- way Commission came In' for much; questioning. The one. In our bus has been constantly busy. Some of un are taking many notes
Left Winston-Salem this morn- Ing for Roaring Gap and Graystone Inn. After several miles it was announced "?" we had just begun "travelling over" & _BUT treated tob solf road. Being smoothen träni ¿concretar, this “announcergunt aroused inúk
Traffic Control Inspected.
the Southern Tour going there All three tours ended at Detroit,
from Palm Beach by train. As guests of the automobile manufac- turers of the Detroit district for several days, delegates inspected traffic control, manfacturing plants, the International tunnel to Wind- sor, and automobile teating grounds. After this the tours proceeded by train via Niagara Falls to New
York where they were disbanded.
machined from the casting, whereas formerly it was necessary to machine nearly two pounds from the forging. This represents a considerable saving: but on top of it is a reduction of six cents in the original cost of each reservoir, or twenty four conta on a car.
New methods for machining the fly wheel permitted the elimination of a number of expensive machines and tools, considerably reduced re- pairs to machinery, and at the same time increased production 1,000
The wheels per shift.
saving amounted to $1,062 a day.
Formerly the fender bracket was a forging. Someone auggested a change in its design so that a got rolled strip could be used. This resulted in increased strength and rigidity and at the same time afforded a saving of 56.4 cents per
car.
Those who have ridden in this new Buick, are amazed at the unusual degree of comfort and
the marvellous performance of
The BUICK 8
The Eights with Buick's Prestige
No matter which model or series you choose ---- you can expect the quality that has made Buick the outstanding value in its price class for over 25 years.. This adherence to Bulck quality from the beginning has developed confidence in the public mind— confidence that causes thousands of Bulck owners to buy Buick again and again.
114" Wheelbase Buick Models 118" Wheelbase Buick Models 124" Wheelbase Buick Models 132" Wheelbase Buick Modela
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THE DRAGON MOTOR CAR CO., LTD.
Telephone 30228.
33, WONG NEI CHUNG ROAD, HAPPY VALLEY.
"HUSH, HUSH.” Engine Kept a Deep Secret.
Ever see an oyater close 507 something unwanted appears on tile
scene 2
Well, that's what happens when you question Norman Smith about his engine for "Special."
A change in the milling of the cylinder block resulted in a variety of economies. The output of the mills was increased 20 per cent: the up remilling of blocks to remove rough
of 100 times.
'hia
Stewart
He grins feebly and closes
There has been nothing "hush
surfaces, which formerly ran about hush- about the make and the 10 per cent, was eliminated: ten type of the engine. It is a 12- meo were transferred to other cyclinder Napier previovely install- work; and cutter heads were changed on the British reserve plane in ed only three times a day instead the last Schneider trophy contest.
We know, too, that it is of the same type, but double the power of These are but a few of the mand-the-job in Segrave's Golden Arrow. facturing economies effected be- tween last November when prices were cut and the minimum wage raised to $7 a day and June 1 when prices, were reduced again. But they serve to illustrate how it is that the Ford Motor Company can apparently wipe out all profits and yet make money.
staff of about 15 Americans, Includ- ing government representatives.
What was the outstanding thing that impressed those participating? difficult to state, for very few to each tour. The United States of them were prepared for every- Bureau of Public Roads also thing they saw or encountered while furnished two engineers for each en route. Certainly the hospitality tour and other members of the that was showered on them in all staffe, including photographers. the States they visited will long ba Each party was accompanied by a cherished. In their memories.
Although some $0 national and colonial governments were repre- seated on the three tours, difficul- ties of language were overcome through the co-operation of the Departments of State and Com- merce. The former attached a number of its consular officers and foreign service, then home on leave, It the latter several members of its
But after that--ellence.
Not a word about c.c.'s or con. struction or anything that is its. Sience, a silence which becomes pained on Norman Smith's part, when the disgruntled interviewer presses for a photograph:
Air Ministry's Orders. Eventually Segrave's challenger explains things.
man," he
"I can't help it, old pleads. Before the Air Ministry lent me the engine I had to give an undertaking that no details would be divulged. No, no photographs cfther. I had to siga goodness only knows how many documents making this promise. And I'm keeping it. D'you blame me?"
(Continued at foot of next Column.).
WORLD WAR RELIC GOES ON PARADE
The French faliway tion ent, biaring the celahriugd insorption, “Hommes (0-56-c1 profanged by the Republic of;Francs to the Américad, Lagloh," was "an “Internati Legion's parade in Boatön, Kamachinastia, during the recent. Iwelfth, nationalcony ture shows the box aur mundled on a crailer) drawn by a Connest Motors
which was;
Feature of LIS
8-10
11
A DEPENDABLE
EIGHT
luxurious and economical
Owners of the Dodge Eight-in- Line find it a truly economical motor car... It has the de. pendability so typical of all Dodge cars. It requires little in attention or maintenance; de. livers its smooth, vigorous power with surprisingly low fuel and oil consumption. The safe, silent Mono-Piece Steel
"
Bodies are squeakproof, rattle- proof, exceptionally roomy and comfortable. The internal hy- draulic brakes need no lubri- cation or equalising adjustments"
* In economy as well as in power
and masterful perform- ance, the Dodge Eight-in-Line is a sound choice for those who ask much of a motor car.
DODGE BROTHERS
SOUTH CHINA MOTOR CAR CO
Tel. 25644.
33, Des Voeux Road Central.
Tel. 25644.
neath it will be six layers of special cord sandwiched between rubber. stripsing
p
Confidence is the first essential in
A ventura Boch as that of Smith and Harkness. They've got it.
So, leaving this secret secure in employed, working three shifts; Siüfthonian banda, we; turn to the, when the opportunity, offers. construction of the car. This is not As was the case with the Goldon a secret.
Arrow, Vickers are making the Good progress is being made: special stoels The main frame and side members English Dunlops have the wheels are finished, the steering gear and, and tyres well under way, The gear box are well under way and former will each be made out of a is successful or falls when the car a start has been made with the solid ingot of super steal, with the is only on the drawing board. And, rear axle:
rim and disc, and spokes all in one then in the same breath as 13 were, After the chgina arrives, work each
They say that a record attempt.
the designer-builder and the driver will be speeded up" and the Pop Tyres will have only 1/64th of an déclare that their cal will do 800 Harkness, hopes to have 80 men inch of rubber, on the tread. - Bem.p.h-Sydney Referes.