Specializing Transportation Equipment in Order 



to Adapt it Most Economically to Telephone 



Construction and Maintenance Work 



By J. N. KIRK 



Introduction 



IN this paper is described in a general way the interesting applica- 

 tion of motor vehicles and their associated apparatus in con- 

 nection with outside plant construction and maintenance work, out- 

 lining through the successive stages of development what has been 

 accomplished in this respect up to the present time. In order to 

 present a comprehensive picture covering this field of activity, the 

 more primitive types of equipment, together with the manual methods 

 of doing work, are shown in comparison with representative instances 

 of higher development during the past few years in which this phase 

 of the work has been given particular consideration. 



The telephone system is different from most public utilities in that 

 it is responsible for a universal service throughout the United States. 

 Wherever the highways and byways may lead, and in many instances 

 where no traveled way could well exist, will be found the familiar 

 and indispensable telephone, with the wire and cable on pole line and 

 in underground conduit. Irrespective of the remoteness of the 

 territory, of the subsurface or the climatic conditions involved, there 

 must always be found a way to construct and maintain the telephone 

 plant. To install this widely distributed plant and continuously 

 safeguard the service in response to the ever increasing public demands, 

 it is essential that facilities be provided for the prompt and safe trans- 

 portation of quantities of heavy, bulky materials and gangs of men 

 to any point in the telephone system during emergencies as well as 

 under normal conditions, and that provision also be made to supple- 

 ment the necessary manual operations in every way possible by the 

 proper adaptation of mechanical apparatus. 



It might be helpful in this consideration to compare the construc- 

 tion problems of the Telephone Companies with the production prob- 

 lems of any large manufacturing concern. The transportation of 

 raw materials, of the products during manufacture, and of the finished 

 products, together with the application of labor saving machinery 

 in this connection, unquestionably constitute a very real problem to 

 the manufacturer. In this case, however, all of the activities are so 

 completely concentrated and under his control to such an extent as 



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