Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-10-27

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Cheops, or gazing in wondering awe
at the imperturbable Sphinx, the
prehistoric work of man, have been
lost in a maze of increasing perplex-
ity while they in vain tried to solve
the riddle OF the past. But yester-
day we asked ourselves how it were
possible that massive granite blocks
weighing thirty tons could be
raised into their place in the great
pyramids and adjusted with mathe-
NAUTICAL exactitude. 10 day the rid
die of the ages is solved, and little
iron derricks conveying steel ropes
wound around revolving cylinders
controlled by little putting. kissing
steam engines are capable of lifting
and swinging aloft in mldair ten
times the weight of the mighty
| granite cubes forming the pyramids,
and it is done with as much ease as
a maiden lifts rose from bouquet
/ and places it in her hair. What the
Pharaohs accomplished by the brute
/ force Of multitudes, we OF to day
/ are doing by skill These under
/ takings have become so common and
modern methods of moving enormous
masses Of metal or stone are SO well
/ understood that they attract but lit
/ tie public notice, except as they in
volve progress through some un-
wonted channel or as they perchance
occasionally encounter some unto
/ ward mishap.
To Philadelphia belongs the honor
4 of having produced an inventor who
/ devised truck, composed entirely
of iron and steel. and capable Of
hauling eighty tons. or 100. 900
I pounds at one time. This truck,
/ which has since its construction.
/ thirty years ago, done work IN almost
every large city In the United States.
/ is as good as new. The truck itself
weighs 5000 pounds and cost over
1 SO, 900 to build. Since then five
/ smaller trucks OF somewhat similar
construction have been built, the
/ ombined capacity Of which exceeds
500, 900 pounds. The owners OF these
giant trucks, says the Philadelphia
Times are Philadelphians and con-
trolthe heavy hauling business of the
entire American continent Where
ever heavy boiler, sugar roll, sub
marine or street cable is to be moved
in any city OF the United States one
or more of their iron and steel trucks
are shipped to that point.
Although when the giant truck
was built it was designed to carry
but eighty tons, it is believed that
more than twice that weight might
with perfect safety be loaded on it,
By extending the pole and placing
the other trucks in line, it has
been estimated that the longest
monolith ever quarried, the one
broken from its bed at the Houghten
quarry, Ashland. Wisconsin. Novem-
Der Is, 1892 and which is forty-six
feet longer than Cleopatra's Needle,
erected by Vanderbilt in Central
! park. New York, could be easily and
safely transported any distance on
good roads. Thus the question OF
hauling huge weights is no longer
problematicaL Trucks capable OF
sustaining the heaviest movable
bodies are already in existence, and
the only real difficulty 10 be en-.
countered is the condition Of the
road bed.
Some description Of this largest OF
/ all trucks cannot but be of interest
to those who have been accustomed
/ to seeing only wooden wheeled
wagons and timber carts. The
/ wheels are three TO nine inches in
diameter, made of iron ana have
/ stool ffra
twelve inches wide They revolye
/ on steel axles six inches in diameter
and stand nine feet two inches apart
from track to track. From the top
OF the truck to the ground the dis
lance is but four feet. The fifth
wheel, or turning arrangement.
placed on the front OF forward axle.
is complete double circle six feet
in diameter and reyolyes on small
! spherical steel balls in such manner
that no matter how short a turn Is
made the load can have no chance to
1 tip or cant to one 81 .es
The first hauling ever done by
this wagon was soon after the ont
break Of the war Of the rebellion.
when forty-eight ton boiler for the
| double-turreted monitor Dictator was
to be hauled from Fifth and Wash.
ington avenue, where it was made. 10
the monitor, lying at the foot Of
Federal street. The boiler was
loaded on the giant truck and pulled
by sixty horses in the presence Of
1000 persons started safely on its
journey, and would have reached its
destination without mishap had tho
pavement been equal to the strain
imposed upon it. When on Federal
street. between Third and Fourth
streets, bit OF inferior pavement
gave way under the enormous weiobt
and the massive iron wheels settled
to the hub. pushing the cob.
bles away as easily as
though they had been laid
in mud The horses were found to
be inadequate to pull the wagon
over such pavement, and the Jour.
ney was continued by placing ships'
anchors in the street. The anchors
after being buried. were connected
with the wagon with blocks and
ropes, to which the horses were Mt.
h1pha1 and a..