Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-04-26
Published March %, 1877. |
CHAPTER 293.

AN ACT relating to the invention and success
ful use of steam or other mechanical agents
on highways, and amendatory of chapter 1874
of the laws of 1875, as amended by chapter
1872 of the laws of 1876
The people of the state of Wisconsin represented
In senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
Section l. Chapter one hundred and thirty
four (134), of the laws of 1875, as amended by
chapter one hundred and eighty-two 1S2) of
the laws of 1876, is hereby amended so as to
read as follows: There is hereby appropriated
the sum of ten thousand dollars ($10000), out
of any money in the treasury not otherwise ap-
proprlated, to be used as a bounty, and to be
paid to any citizen of Wisconsin who has in
vented or shall invent machine propelled by
steam or other motive agent, which shall be a
cheap and practical substitute for the use of
horses and other animals on the highway and
farm; provided, that said appropriation shall
not be paid until a successful trial of said ma
chine has been had, and award made as herein
after provided.
Section 2. 1t shall be Ethe duty of the gov
ernor, on or before the LIST day of June, 1878, to
appoint three commissioners two of whom shall
be practical and experienced farmers, and the
other practical and skillful machinist, to each
of whom the governor shall execute and deliver
certificate of his appointment. 1t shall be the
duty of said commissioners to examine and
test as hereinafter provided, all machines which
shall compete for or claim said bounty; pro-
Utded, the inventors shall have made at the time
OF trial, the statement and complied with the
conditions hereinafter prescribed.
Section 8. Every inventor who shall heretofore
or at any time hereafter priorto the LIST of June,
1878, have filed w1fh the secretary of state
statement of his invention, to compete for the
said bounty, and that he has made progress in
the construction of machine for the purpose
aforesaid, shall have the right to exhibit his ma
chine to such commissioners, to be by them ex-
amined and tried as hereinafter provided.
SoofiOr 4 The said choI
IN the city of Madison on the 10th day of June,
1878, and shall have power to diourn from day
to day, and to such other time and place as they
may see fit, not exceeding sixty days in all from
said 10th day of June, 1878. All persons claim
ing to have invented machine of the character
and for the purpose herein mentioned shall ap-
pear before said commissioners on the 10th day
of June, and file with said commissioners de
scriptlon of the machine which they claim to
have invented, with plans and specifications of
the same, and the said commissioners thereupon
shall enter the name of such claimant in list
to be entitled, " Competitors for the bounty pro-
ylded by law for the invention of a machine,
propelled by steam other motive agent, which
shall be cheap and practical substitute for the
use of horses and other animals on the highway
and farm" The said commissioners shall
thareupon appoint time and place and pre-
scribe the manner of the trial of said machine or
machines.
Section 5. AT the time and place so appoint
cd all persons WHO nave computed Win the pro-
visions of this act, may produce their machines,
and the same shall be subjected to the examina-
ton of said commissioners and to such expert
ments and tests as said commissioners may re-
quire; provided, that every machine entering the
lists to compete for said bounty shall perform a
journey of at least two hundred miles, In con-
Enuous hne on a common road roads, run
ming as nearly as may be north and south within
this state, to be designated by said commission
ers and be propelled by its own internal power
at the average rate speed of at least five miles
per hour working time. The said machine shall
be of such construction and width as to conform
to or run in the ordinary track of the common
wagon or buggy, now in use, and be able to run
backwards, or turn out of the road to accommo-
date other vehicles in passing, and to be able to
ascend or descend a grade of at least two hun
bred feet TO the mile.
Section 6. Upon the conclusion of said trial,
which shall commence within twenty days after
The 10th day of June, 1873 and shall be con-
.luded within 10 days from its commencement,
md shall take place within this state, the said
commissioners or majority of them shall de-
termine which of the inventors of said machines.