Yet the main principle changes not. It is only in detail that one sees
one's shoes traveling outward on a different path in 1931 from that of
1921. The great conveyors that lead from the revolving-table of today to
the various delivery classifications as they are now made, will so lead
in the new arrangement of things to such classifications as may then be
made: only they will no longer be revolving-tables, but will in due time
become the moving backbone of very long tables in the basement
mezzanine, similar to the one which we saw extending the full length of
the great tenth floor. And from those long tables, running the entire
width of the building and up just under the basement ceiling, the
sheet-writers will recognize their individual group of packages (by
means of the clearly written numerals upon them), lift them off the
slowly moving belt and make record of them, for the delivery
department's own protection. After which, it is but the twist of the
wrist to thrust them into the bins, separately assigned to each driver's
run.
So go our shoes, or come, if you prefer to have it that way. Rapidly,
orderly, systematically. System never departs from their handling. Even
in the driver's own little compartment-bin there are four levels, or
shelves, and each is inclined gently and floored with rollers so that he
can pick out the packages for his run with greater facility. And in
placing the packages upon each of these levels, the sheet-writer, well
trained to his job, begins a rough process of assortment by streets.
Now we are come to wagon delivery, itself. Now we shall see why Macy's
will not have to clutter Thirty-fourth Street with a long row of its
delivery trucks. The length of such a row may easily be estimated when
one realizes that sixty electric trucks will stand simultaneously at
sixty loading stations in the new basement, with a reserve or reservoir
space there for twenty-two more. Moreover, this basement will serve as a
garage at night and on Sundays for these trucks. There is no fire risk
whatsoever in the storage of an electrically driven motor vehicle. So
the new Macy basement will not only be able to store this considerable
fleet but to charge its batteries and make necessary light repairs upon
it from time to time.
Access to and from this basement--and the sub-basement--is by means of
elevators; not only the two which we have seen reaching aloft to the
eleventh floor, but two more just beside them for sole service between
the level and the two basements. As a matter of operating expediency it
will be easy indeed to arrange in the early morning rush, or at any
other time when emergency may so demand, to operate all four elevators
in exclusive service between the street and basements. With such a
battery Macy's can perform a genuine rapid-fire of discharging
merchandise.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account