River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-06-20

The State Legislature of 1875 enact
ed law appropriating the sum of ten
thousand dollars to be paid to any cit
izen of Wisconsin who should invent
and produce machine propelled by
steam or other motive agent, which
shall be a cheap and practical substi-
tue for the use of horses and other an
imals on the highway and farm, the
same to be of such construction and
width as to conform with or run in the
ordinary track of the common wagon
or buggy now in use, and to be able
to run backward or turn out of the
road to accommodate other vehicles in
passing, and to be able to ascend or de-
scend grade of at least two hundred
feet to the mile. This law was slight
ly amended in 1875 and thoroughly re-
vised in 1877, the ten thousand dollar
inducement, however, remaining the
same. Now the sum of ten thousand
dollars is not to be despised and the
inventive powers of our commonwealth
were brought into active play by the
passage of this law. This liberal
bounty is being eagerly sought, and
commissioners of aw Jrd have already
been appointed in compliance with
the provisions of this law as amended
by chapter two hundred and ninety
three, laws of Wisconsin for 1877.
The time within which inventors were
allowed to file statements of their in
tentlon to compete for the prize ex-
PRED on the first day Of the present
month and the tenth inst. was the day
fixed by law for the meeting of the
commissioners of award, at Madison,
with power to adjourn from day to
day, and to such other time and place |
as they may see fit, not to exceed sixty |
days in all from said tenth day of June.
Statements from eight different indi-
vidualS or firms in Wisconsin of their |
intention to compete for the bounty |
were filed, four of whom will compete |
for the prize, as follows: Messrs. |
Hubbard, of Green Bay, j. E. Baker, of |
Madison, S. G. Crosse, of Sun Prairie, |
and Farren & Co., of Oshkosh. The |
test Of the respective machines will |
commence at Green Bay, on the 18th
of July, and comprise journey ria
Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Jefferson, Mil
ton Junction, GAINESVILLE, Beloit and |
Evansville to Madison, where deci-
sion is to be rendered. 1t has been as
serted that the Oshkosh firm will be
the most likely to win, and should this
suggestion. which amounts to a pre-
diction, prove to be well founded the
originator Of this bounty scheme may
feel somewhat chagrined, as it is I'M
move.
An Ohio inventor made application
for permission to compete, not being
aware of the provisions of the law
limiting the competition to citizens of
Wisconsin. This Ohio inventor claims
to have perfected Traction Engine,
Road Steamer and Agricultural Loco
motiye," which is a very neat thing,
if he can substantiate all that is
claimed for it. 1t is claimed that this
machine will ascend or descend with
ease grades & to 5 feet to the rod,
draw heavy loads over ordinary wag-
on roads, pull gang plows, reapers,
mowers, etc., besides being suscepti-
BILE to a change in brief period of
time to stationary engine for thresh-
ing power, Smelling corn, tile ditcbing,
and the like and as it can be utilized
for the power necessary to move the
machinery to which it may be attach
ed from place to place the use of ami
NAL power could be in many instances
entirely dispensed with by the use of
this economical and convenient subSti-
tute, which can perform the work of
several horses at a cost much less than
that of maintaining horses, where its
profitably employed in many kinds of
work, there are many other kinds in
which it could not be used at all. One /
man can fire, engineer and steer it /
any kind of fuel can be used it can
be turned around in as small an area
as can a two-horse wagon, and is claim
ed to be as near perfection in all its |
details and workings as it is possible /
for machinery of this character to be.
Whatever may be the results attained /
by our Buckeye inventor, however. it /
is the Wisconsin son of genius who is |
to profit by the liberal sum offered by |
the State Legislature 70 the person who |
will produce machine of the nature /
to which we have alluded, the success /
of which may be proven to the salts
faction of the commissioners of award |
in this case The journey from Green |
Bay to Madison over the route indi- |
Gated of four wagon-road locomotives |
will be an interesting one to conpetit- |
ors, commissioners, and those residing
on the way |