The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-12-10
The Horseless Mail Carriage.

II is rather surprising that the mo
tor vehicle. which attracted so much
attention in Europe and this country
a year ago. has entirely failed to take
with the public There were public
competitors in Paris and Chicago, riva
makers advertised the merits of thei
designs largely, and it was freely pre-
hicted that the horseless vehicles would
soon be common on our streets. 1t ap'
pears that the obstacle is in the cosl
rather in the merits Of the new vehi'
cles. The present prices for motor
carriage range from $4,000 to $4,000
and it is needless to say that the cost
is practically prohibitory. 1t is prob
able, however, that the motor vehicle
will soon begin to mote" Manufac'
tnrers have seriously taken hold of the
problem of producing a cheap vehicle
4 Brooklyn concern promises to soon
have a practical carriage on the mar.
ket at cost of $500. 1t is also stated
that Second Assistant Postmaster.
General Nelson, who has made a spe.
cial study of the subject, has scheme
to use a horseless mail carriage in this
city. One of the vehicles is now il
course of construction, and il it should
prove success, it is proposed to have
q number of them, and mail matter
will be taken directly from the street
boxes, sorted during collection from
boz to box, and then carried directly
70 the postal cars at the various rail.
road stations. This change would re.
heve the pressure at the branch sta.
lions and at the General Post-office.
Rumors of changes in the excise lave
this winter are exciting the liquor deal.
srs of this city. 1t may be said thai
the Raines bill contained no serious OBJ.
stacle to the prosecution of the usual
saloon trade. Under the hotel features
of that law, the saloons were all rap
idly transformed into hotels" and in
this way secured an immunity for all
night and Sunday selling such as had
not been enjoyed in years. President
Roosevelts police spies ceased to be
a terror, and a wave of peace and con-
tentment spread over the liquor-dis-
pensing fraternity that obliterated the
recollection even of the big State tax
fee. The Raines law hotel has become
feature of our city life. 1t abounds
everywhere. But it is only fair to say
that never was the traffic more quietly
anu lucIt udS Uteu llIllt
evidence from the outside of the evils
which certain aggressive reformers de-
clare the new law has produced The
threats that the law will be so amend
ed this winter as to wipe out most OF
the present hotels" as we'll as in.
creasing the tax, has produced no little
eommotion, and it is probable that the
strange spectacle will be presented OF
the saloon interests arousing them
selves to fight as earnestly for the pres.
ervation OF the present Raines law as
hey did against its passage last winter
Senator Raines is said to favor re-
form of his own law. He is chairman
Of a special Senatorial committee, ap.
pointed last year for the ostensible
purpose of studying the operations oi
the new law. 1t Is reported that the
committee will soon begin public ses'
sions. Among the changes Senator
Raines is said to favor is one increas'
ing the number of rooms necessary tc
constitute a hotel. The present law
requires only ten rooms even in large
cities. 1t is proposed to require at least
twenty-five rooms for each hotel in
cities of the tirst-class, fifteen in cities
of the second class and ten in all other
places. Such an amendment would re
suit in closing hundreds Of places in
this city and Brooklyn, some of which
existed as bona fide hotels years before
the Raines bill was ever dreamed OF.
There seems to be no limit to the de-
yelopment of the bicycle idea. In the
dreams of the enthusiasts, human mus
Gle, with the aid OF crank and sprocket
is destined to rival all other kinds o.
power as applied to speed. 1t is seri'
ously proposed to apply the bicycle tC
railroad traffic. The inventor Of tht