Steel traction wheels were commonly used for shovels until crawlers rendered them obsolete. This Marion 31 steam shovel is posed with a fleet of mule-drawn bottom dump wagons in 1913. Photo courtesy of the Historical Construction Equipment Association, a nonprofit organization that is preserving the history of construction, surface mining and dredging equipment. For further information, contact the NCEA at 16623 Liberty Hi Road, Bowling Green, OH 43402, or call 419/352-5616, Internet address: www.hcea.net.
What happened in the highway bridge industry in 1913 . . .
Congress just passed the landmark Post Office Appropriations Act, which made available $500,000 for improving roads in several states in which rural free delivery of mail “is or may hereafter be established.” This act not only spurred road construction on a national basis, but also paved the way for much more important legislation on the horizon. Source: Are We There Yet? Building America’s Transportation Infrastructure Network, written by John Yow.
What happened in the world in 1913 . . .
* In the second Balkan War, Bulgaria attacks Serbia and Greece and is defeated after Romania intervenes and Turks recapture Adrianople;
* Garment workers strike in New York and Boston; win pay raises and reduced hours;
* Bill creating U.S. Federal Reserve System becomes law;
* Harvard wins the NCAA football national championship; and
* The Quebec Bulldogs win the Stanley Cup.
