ON THE WATER WAGON

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 299, 14 September 1936, Page 10

ON THE WATER WAGON

A Night Worker’s Task in All Weathers CLEANING CITY STREETS i G. K. Chesterton, in “Tremendous Trifles,” has dealt in his usual bril- ' liant fashion with pride of. work. He points out that no man is entirely disinterested in his work, but believes that he does job just a little differently or a little better than the next man could. It is hard to be indifferent, he says, even to an uncongenial pursuit' imposed by necessity. To the layman the watering of Manuers Street would present difficulties* naturally, but who would suspect tire subtle discrimination involved in metlw od between it and, say, Lambton Quay? To the man who eleans the city s streets iu the silence of the night each thoroughfare has an individuality to understand. The driver of tlie water-cart was oiling -its mechanism with apparent reckless abandon. The great ungainly vehicle was refilling from a water-plug by means of a metal-cased hose. Beneath the tank an iritricate array of levers and handles was very impressive. The task of sluicing the streets calls for an expert' technical knowledge and experienced judgment. Indeed, it is the age ofj specialisation. An inquiry as to some particulars ot his technique met with a ready response, and the driver walked round his charge, expounding as he went anti waving his oilcan vaguely. “The water is forced out by means of this pumping apparatus which is worked by that chain from the back wheel, he said. “There are two sprinklers at the back and one at the side.’ He sent a cascade of water flowing ou to the footpath to illustrate his remark, l.te s'de jet sent a solid stream coursing into the gutter with some force aud the rear sprinklers sprayed out gently, covering a larger area. “The side noz-zle-is the one I use most; it can do the whole width of the street or it can be adjusted to do the footpath alone. It I shorten this cord to elevate the side jet it increases the sweep but lessens the force. However, it does not need to be as strong as it can be, for with full force I could lift pieces of macadam off the road. i .. “Some people laugh,” he said, spreading grease on to a cogwheel with a knife, “to see me out in the pouring rain, but rain does not wash a street. It makes it muddy, and the dust would be there when the road dried.” The water flowing into the tank gave a final hysterical hiccup as it surged up to the opening. The driver turned off the water and started bis engine. The water-cart roared and shuddered into slow motion. Further conversation was. made impossible. “There’s tricks in every trade, all ■sight!” he shouted, and he drew away, down the street. Gushing silver plumes trailed on either side, transforming the cold grey surface ahead into a, glittering sheet -of black broken by the straggling yellow reflections of the street lamps.