I have been a fabricator/welder at Dempster Machine Shop in Knoxville since ‘09. We still build the trucks and cans and for the most part they haven’t changed a whole lot since these videos. Still use a lot of the same blueprints too. Thanks for adding this video!
It would be amazing if you could ask around and see if there's a stockpile of old films somewhere in the building ... this is valuable history we'd love to preserve more of!
Dempster Dumpsters were the most efficient and sanitary method of handling refuse in it's day. But the 10 yd container in the film would usually be loaded half way so a 10 yd container might only hold half or 3/4ths that amount. Eventually they were replaced with a different technology called a debris box which was picked up with an entirely different type of a truck, sometimes referred to as a roll off, or debris box truck. They could pick up any size box including 50 yds or more. The 1st and only place debris box trucks operated in was San Francisco, by two different companies, both long gone now. About the third debris box company at that time served neighboring Marin County and is still in business today. But they call theirs a GrangeBox.
The military loves these things...in the '70s every base I was at had them, the cube type with the spring loaded top lids, for me they were horrible, the picking up and unloading with a truck cause ear damaging noise. Of course pickup for the dumpsters was early morning and trying to sleep could be impossible until they went to another block.
Nice video. I understand that these guys made a lot of money off of their invention. Just a note about the description. It says"George Dempster was born on September 12, 1887"and in the next paragraph is says "In 1935, at the age of 39, Dempster invented the Dempster Dumpster...". That's more like 48 years instead of 39. Or was it one of his brothers and not George?
I have been a fabricator/welder at Dempster Machine Shop in Knoxville since ‘09. We still build the trucks and cans and for the most part they haven’t changed a whole lot since these videos. Still use a lot of the same blueprints too. Thanks for adding this video!
It would be amazing if you could ask around and see if there's a stockpile of old films somewhere in the building ... this is valuable history we'd love to preserve more of!
We still have three of the LFW trucks and have used them since the early sixties. Have ALWAYS wondered what "LFW" stood for. Any info?
I will find out
It means Load Forward Wide. Early models just picked straight up, LFW’s moved container forward over rear axle.
My Dad and his brothers worked for Dempster Brothers in Knoxville, TN!
That must have been a stinking job ;Hail Trump ;
Dempster Dumpsters were the most efficient and sanitary method of handling refuse in it's day. But the 10 yd container in the film would usually be loaded half way so a 10 yd container might only hold half or 3/4ths that amount. Eventually they were replaced with a different technology called a debris box which was picked up with an entirely different type of a truck, sometimes referred to as a roll off, or debris box truck. They could pick up any size box including 50 yds or more. The 1st and only place debris box trucks operated in was San Francisco, by two different companies, both long gone now. About the third debris box company at that time served neighboring Marin County and is still in business today. But they call theirs a GrangeBox.
Fred Grange, S.P.A. was one of the debris box company in sf.
Yellow boxes.
The military loves these things...in the '70s every base I was at had them, the cube type with the spring loaded top lids, for me they were horrible, the picking up and unloading with a truck cause ear damaging noise. Of course pickup for the dumpsters was early morning and trying to sleep could be impossible until they went to another block.
The Army doesn't care if your sleep gets disturbed!
RESPECTS
Would love to find pictures of the plant in Knoxville tn when it was in operation!! Got any??
This is awesome! Do you have any more garbage truck/dumpster films?
Not so far...but if you have anything on 16mm we would happily transfer it for you and put it up !
Now it would take a thermonuclear device to make Baltimore clean.
Nice video. I understand that these guys made a lot of money off of their invention. Just a note about the description. It says"George Dempster was born on September 12, 1887"and in the next paragraph is says "In 1935, at the age of 39, Dempster invented the Dempster Dumpster...". That's more like 48 years instead of 39. Or was it one of his brothers and not George?
Great point! Dunno!
the ones I saw sure weren't fly proof!!!