Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-21
Why Poison Your System
SOME HORsELEss CARRIAGES.
The Motorcycle New Thing, but tn,
HOrseIess Carriage an Old One.

The Motorcycle New Thing, but tn.
HOrseIess Carriage an Old One.
From the Chicago Times Herald
One would think from all the excitement
over the motorcycle race that a horseless
carriage is new thing. But 1t isn't. The
motorcycle is a new thing. but not the
horseless carriage. There are several of
the latter on exhibition at the Field Column
bia Museum in that very complete trans
portation exhibit which is Director Skiffs
particular fancy. Like those that took part
in the race, they bear a strong family like
ness to one another. Like them, their diff
ferences are rather in detail than in
scheme, but are none the less marked. Any
ole of them could be made without infring-
ing the others patents. 1t is safe to say
that none of them have been patented in
this country. The motive power is the
same in all. 1t Is not electricity, or even
steam. 1t is man.
The first one the visitor notices as he
turns into the hall marked Human Bur-
then Bearers" is the horseless carriage as
1t exists in South America. 1t Is a chair of
the simplest possible construction, with the
addition of a foot rest The frame, though
no one would guess ii, is probably made of
mahogany, for it comes from country
where the native, to the Indignation of pisi-
tors, makes his snake fences-or whatever
corresponds to them-of mahogany rails.
The seat and back are of rawhide. This is
StretcneQ over them while still SOFT ana
damp and flexible with the life of its orig
inal owner. As it dries it shrinks until it
Is as taut as drum head. A band of
rawhide is fastened to both sides Of the
back about six inches above the seat. This
passes over the carriers forehead. Two
more bands start at the seat itself and fas-
ten about at the rung. Through these the
human motor slips his arms, so that the
weight Of the burden falls on the shoulders.
A little further along is the palanquin in
which Mrs. May French-Sheldon made her
trip into the heart of Africa. 1t is woven
wicker affair." hardly of African construc-
ton. We can well imagine that she made
in it a sort of royal progress. leaving the
unsophisticated blacks vastly impressed
with her magnifcence.. In shape it is
short section of cylinder, resting on its
edge. The lower half is of basket work,
supported by four strong wicker feet. 1t has
a little door and seats like carriage. Ach-
ing over it to complete the circle is cano-
py of pale blue duck, with curtains to
match, made glorious with gold fringes. 1t
is the lovelest shade of robins blue.
and must have been vastly becoming to
Mrs. Frenc -Sheldon's copper-colored hair.
Equally becoming, doubtless, WAS the pale
yellow silk with which canopy and curtains
are lined. The big down cushions piled on
the seats inside are covered with the same
silk, and furnished with cord and tassels
of a darker color. Lying among these, as
il the owner had but just for moment
quilted her luxurious nest, is white duck
cap.
oulSlut dTe SlTOAS lTOH supports anu
sockets into which the poles fitted. Outside.
swinging along under these poles, were the
savage black carriers, inside in ner nest Of
yellow cushions the lady explorer.
On the opposite side Of the hall. hanging
high above the cases, are two samples OF
what Mrs. Fren ch-Shelion would have had
to put up with had she relied on African
home product in the line Of palanquins.
TIE ''maxilla" carrying chair of Angola
has calico-covered canopy. edged with a
valance about foot deep Under this can
opy passes a single heavy pole, it's ends
covered with buffalo hide, to which the fur
still clings probably for the comfort Of the
carriers. From it. suspended by ropes,
swings frame perhaps four feet long by
two wide. Boards are nailed or rawhide
stretched across this. At one end a back
and arms add little to the comfort of the
unfortunate occupant, who apparently
sways and jots along. seated fiat on the
floor, his feet stretched straight in front Of
him-a position which must, in a short
time. become intoleTabe
In Madagascar they do things a little be-
ter Their horseless carriage is a rough
sort of hammock chair, covered with the
Madagascar grass curtain with which the
dry gods stores have of late years made US
familiar Below il swings a foot rest Over
head, protecting the occupant from the
tropic sun, is an arrangement not unlike
the hood of a buggy, covered with dirty
white canvas. The whole is set between
two poles, after the fashion of Turkish
sedan chair.
And so, after all. in the norseless car
riage we are returning to first principles
With difference, Of course, even with a
But the fact remains that, though the
motocycle may be a new thing under the
sun, the horseless carriage Is not.