Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-02-08
Road Engines-W What They Can do and
Their COst

IL IS no exaggeraHon to assert that
one of the most effective agents of civ
llization born of this century is the
road engine. 1t is impossible to calcu-
late the results which this young giant
Will accomplish ere maturity be reached
The traction engine does it's work at
half the cost of horse labor, with the
further advantage that, if kept in stable
it will not eat its head off, as horses are
metaphorically ly said to do The British
Government now that the war fever
has scared it, has been inquiring wheth-
er traction engines could be used econ
omically and effectively for the convey
ance of commissariat supplies. The
result has been satisfactory The War
Department makes the following re-
port:
A series of interesting experiments
was made in the vicinity of Lincoln with
a new engine of the same character, but
of greater power It was made by
Robey & Co., and was to be sent to
the Royal Arsenal in q few days, to be
at once subjected to variety of tests in
connection with the conveyance of
heavy war stores and likewise the lighter
stores of the Commissariat by means
of train of suitable wagons. The
Lincoln road steamer, which is of 12
horse power, nominal, went through q
number of exercises in the most salts
factory manner with two carriages
behind it. Forty-fve passengers
were drawn up steep hill at a good
speed. some of the gradients being
equal to one in nine At the top of the
I,,11 ~,
parat1vely small circle, and ran down
the hill at speed of ten miles an hour,
making three turns at right angles with
out slackening the rate of motion. The
performance of such feat is due not
only to the india rubber tires, but like
wise to the arrangement of single
steering wheel in front, by which it's
were controlled with the
greatest facility in describing any figure
that may be desired. It was next en-
ployed in drawing grass load
up a hill of one in eight at
the steepest part, and, notwith
that the road surface was wet,
soft and slippery, the work was accom-
plished with ease and celebrity, and the
train turned and ran down hill with its
load for other experiments. 1t was
next turned into soft grass field called
The Cowpuddle, and by itself was made
10 perform number of evolutions at
high speed of wheeling round in small
curve in every direction, and then
rushing over measured mile in seven
minutes. Had the field been dry or of
4 frmer nature, five minutes would have
been sufficient for the distance. The
cat-like agility of this
engine is partly owing to the short
wheel base as well as to the single
steering wheel, but both combined
nave given it degree of hardness for
;he requirements of the road such as
las not been previously attained. This
AGILITY of manipulation is still further
by the engines being COM
pound, thus dispensing with fly
Wheel and allowing the steamer to be
quickly reversed, while the vertical ar
of boiler with which it is
enables it to go up OF down
teep inclines without endangering the
-aluable parts in the furnace by the
bsence of water, which would
Happen if arranged horizontally when
moving down steep gradient. It will
hus be seen that perfect adoption de-
'ends on a number of minute details, /,
'ut the perpetual application of one
nind after another to the subject will 7
eliminate any defect of con-
truction till all the drudgery of con-
eyance on common roads will be per-
ormed by steam power at half the
ost of horses.