The weekly tribune., 1893-06-02

will be an instructive object lesson, lust
rs Uncle Sans brick battleship in the har-
Dor gives them an even better idea of mod
ern naval construction and armament, or
as they may study to still better advant-
age the newest type of steamships by going
aboard the whaleback Columbus" along
with four or five other passengers for a
| pleasant trip on Lake Michigan.
If one likes boats-and who does not?-
this is the place to see them. Besides the
acres of models and pictures of larger
crafts there are innumerable smaller ships
and boats-fishing boats, cutters, yawls,
launches, canoes, ice-boats, dingies, pilot
boats. They have been gathered from all
lands. Side by side are the hide boats of
the Indians and the trim electric or oil
pleasure or fishing canoes of modern build
There are boats of steel, of iron, of wood,
of skins, Of barks, of burned out trunks of
trees, of rubber. All their appliances of
oars, paddles, engines, screws, propellers,
sails, rigging and anchoring are shown,
too. One may proftably spend two or
three days here looking at nothing but
boats. He may see not only what man is
doing to-day but may study his efforts at
boat and ship building through all time
There one dense group of visitors is look
ing AT an accurate model of the Santa
Maria, one Of the immortal Columbus
little fleet, and near by another group is
admiring the beautiful lines of the swift
"Campania." Between them stands the
staunch craft with which Grace Darling
saved SO many lives and won for herself
imperishable renown.
We have had hurried glimpse at trans
portation by water and transportation by
rail. But many methods Of land transpor-
tation remain to be seen. It would never
do to forget street cars and vehicles for use
on common roads for the more fascinating
steamships and locomotives. Even more
important to man than his railways or his
ships are his carriages and wagons OF
these there are literally acres and acres.
There is nothing in the line of vehicles for
use by man with draught animals that is
not shown here.
1t is a pleasure to note that both in de-
sign and workmanship the American
makers of wagons and carriages easily
lead the world. Where other nations fol-
low beaten tracks the American boldly
strikes out for new adaptations. This is
particularly noticeable in the tields-light
pleasure vehicles and wagons for special
industrial purposes In both these lines
the Yankee makers have made wonderful
progress during the last five or six years.
They fashion II new, light, graceful and
convenient road or driving wagon for
every day III the year. For every phase of
industrial or commercial activity they
construct vehicle that saves power and
time. If you were to note the large num-
ber of foreigners who 20 carefully and
admiringly about among this almost in
finite variety Of American vehicles you
would be as willing as l am TO predict that
the Columbian exposition is to have tre-
mendous influence upon the carriage and
wagon trade of the world. There is moth
ing in the whole exposition that causes
one more amazement than this display of
wagons and carriages. All Americans are
accustomed to seeing great variety of
road vehicles, but when one beholds acres
of them, and no two alike, he is likely to
think himself dreaming and wandering in
some fairy land of wheeled things.
There are electric railways, cable rail-
ways, compressed air motors, chemical
motors and horse cars in great profusion
here Outside the building may be seen
in practical operation the first elevated
electrical railway ever built. Within the
building is the first cable car-the one that
was uSc'i oIi liO Sidy AAiii AalIouu III can
Francisco about twelve years ago.
But the list of methods of transportation
has not been exhausted. There are pneu-
matte tubes, cash and parcel carriers for
use in stores, endless belt railways. wire
railways, sleighs, sledges, sleds, toboggans,
saddles and other fittings for use upon the
backs of horses, mules, elephants, camels,
goats and oxen. Over in the plaisance is
a railway without wneels whose cars slide
on a film fwrterhydrat:lically compressed
and in the galleries of the great building
are thousands upon thousands Of bicycles
and tricycles There are baby carriages,
steam road wagons and carriages and
even air ships for tie carrying of passen-
gers and freight without either land or
water for pathway.
WALTER WELIMAN,