The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-11-14
THE HORSE IN LUCK

Little by little the horse is being en-
croached upon: little by little his popu-
larity is waning. For a series OF years
running back to a period beyond the
memory OF the traditional oldest inhab'
liant" the horse in all civilized coun-
tries has been the universal motor for al
most every variety of vehicles. and also
for the propelling of the moro simple
forms Ut machinery. Blu. in this pro-
grcssive age the horse is becoming un-
popular. He is too slow, too easily dis
ablod, and too expensive boarder. Be-
sides. he is somewhat balky, and he
not infrequentlv takes fright, runs away,
and smashes things with an utter disre-
gard for property or even for human life.
The spirit OF the age demands substi.
tute for the horse, not in all things for
wh:oh that animal is used, but in depart.
ments of industry where no serious OBJ
stacles to other motive power interferes.
The horse is noble animal; no other
quadruped could fill his place as SER
want of man. But the time has come. or
is very near, when he will find himself
out of job; not entirely, perhaps, but
to great axtelt. Already he has been
crowded from the street car service, first
by the cable lines and more recently by
that superior motor electricity. The Odd
time 'hoss'' car is virtually q thing of
the past In small towns and in few
of the outlying streets that kind OF a pub
lie vehicle is still visible. but it is toIsr-
ated rather than admired. In this city
there is yet visible the dilapidated old
49, fa- =
thoroug hf fares, but the spectacle is des.
tined svun to fade away like tin pail
tied to the end of a dogs narrative by
mischievoUs boys.
Motive power other than the horse is
also being substituted for propelling We
nicles on common roads. Experiments
already made in that direction seem to
justify the belief that as a drawer of
wagons and carriages the horse will ere
long be superseded. Road wagons pro-
PEELED by electricity, and others by oil
burning engines. are being introduced III
various portions OF the east, and ex-
periments with them thus far indicate
that they may soon come into general
is losing his prestige The provincial
legislature has been applied to by cor.
poration OF business men for a special act
giving the projectors the right to operate
traction engines and carriages on the
famous old CaIiboo wagon road which
covers a distance of 200 miles over
m mountainous country. The nature of that
country is such that all the food required
by horses there has to be i'm ported,
which makes it enormously expensive
with only horse power transportation.
1t is believed that horseless carriages put
on the road will make better time, carry
heavier loads, ana can be operated at less
cost than horse teams. The carriages will,
for time at least, be run with Oil en-
gines, though it is the intention to sub.
sequently use storage batteries. They will
carry both freight and passengers, Trans
porting supplies to the mining camps and
taking therefrom to the railroad the out
put of ores from the mines. All the ve-
hicles are, by direction of the govern
ment, to be provided with specially wide
tires. so that their operations will De
beneficial instead of injurious to the
roads over which they pass.
The horse has been and is get a great
blessing to mankind. 10 the shame of
humanity it must be said that he has not
always been treated as we'll as he de.
served, but has often been shamefully
abused by two-footed animals called nan
who were SO cowardly and depraved as
to cruelty torture the dumb brute that
was helpless in their bands. The horse
will continue in use in spite of other mo-
tors and machines, bu. not so extensively
as has been the case heretofore. Indeed
his services, especially in large towns and
cities. will be reduced to the minimum
by his modern mechanical rivas. The
road wagon propelled by power other
than horse flesh has undoubtedly come to
stay, though 1t may not yet have been
brought to that degree OF perfection which
it will ultimately attain.
Dobbin's good luck in being ,urned out
to grass and given rest will be man
kind gain. The wonder is that in an
age when invention and improvement in
all departments of business activity come
thick and fast this rec ant innovation did
not come sooner. But it is not too late
for the change. Both the man and the
horse are proper subjects for congratula
ton over the prospect of better. safer
and cheaper m olive power than the pa
tent, plodding equine.