The Mechanized Monster Helps the City

The way out for the City was mechanization. The Caterpillar powerplant with hydraulic ice cream dipper was part of the sidewalk force. Special emphasis was laid on clearing the sidewalks by Cambridge Mayor, Eddie J. Sullivan, so that local police could issue tickets for longstanding meter violations without getting their hip-boots wet. Asked if the Police would tag buried cars, the Mayor snapped, "If we can find them, we'll tag them. They parked the damned things, didn't they?" Mechanization met vain but fierce resistance on the Square, however, as enraged townsmen, swearing the machines were part of a University plot, barracaded themselves inside the crumbling walls of old Fort Yuma. The Public Works Department ("Golden Arm" Sullivan's code name for the 4th Sappers Unmounted Light) attempted to erect scaling ladders (see foreground) but pikemen within kept the ladders without. In addition to the sidewalk squad, the City Council finally declared a state of emergency and seized the MTA. Thus Transit Authority equipment led the attack on Massachusetts Ave. and Arrow Street. Featured in the MTA fleet were three brand new Walter Snow-Fighters (Guaranteed 100% Traction) with an estimated 690 horsepower operating through fourteen gears forward and six back.