The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-03
The H0RSELESS CARRIAGE
Scranton Possesses One, but It's Yet
Dark Secret.
c. r. JADNlX IS INTERESTED
lie Has Had Expert Mechanics at Work
ON His Sons Inventiou-An Ex.
pscted Speed OF Forty
Milcs an Hour.

Before many days there will be roll
ing along the streets of this city a
horseless carriage, and what is equally
interesting. the machine will be the
product of Scranton in idea and manu-
facture. Ordinarily such an announce
ment might be received with a certain
allowance for the visionary enthusiasm
OF the inventor and workmen. but in
the present case a man so well known
as c. p. Jadwin. the real estate dealer,
is largely interested i'm the carriage
which is the invention of his son who
is connected with the Scranton Drop
Forge works.
AS long ago as last November young
Jadwin began work on a horseless car
riage and as soon as a model was prop
erly developed it was sent to the patent
office In Washington, where the patent
is now pending. The first effort to con-
struct the vehicle was in order to test
the principle of the thing, and the sue
cess has been so great that Mr.. Jad-
win and his son believe the carriage
will equal in speed and power any of
the latest inventions of the kind and
that 1t Is the most practical yet con-
structed.
The first carriage built was aban-
doned as soon as 1t was found practical
and work was started on another which
Is now housed away from prying eyes
in the Green Ridge section Of the city
where 1t Is receiving the finishing
touches of competent mechanics before
1t Is given a road trial.
KEROSENE MOTIVE POWER
Kerosene will furnish the motive
power. but the particulars of the me-
chanism Is not known as Mr.. Jadwin,
his son and the mechanics who have
been employed by the former are eXtre-
mely reticent and refuse to discuss the
matter. 1t Is known, however, that the
driving power Is created by the con-
stant dripping of the oil upon flame
within confined space which creates
a perpetual but mild series of explo-
sions. The explosions drive the piston
back and forth, the piston being at
tached to crank on one Of the axles.
In building the second and present
carriage nothing but new material has
been used. The wheels are fitted with
rubber tires and are much the same
as those seen on cabs manufactured by
makers who cater to fashionable pat
ronage. In adopting body and seat
for the vehicle there was a departure
from other horseless carriage inven-
tions, nearly all of which include the
body, wheels and seat of some aban-
doned buggy.
| A Tribune reporter found Mr.. Jadwin
in his Office In the old postoflice build
ing yesterday afternoon and asked him
for some particulars of his sons inven-
ton. Mr.. Jadwin declined to discuss
the matter in detail but said the vehicle
could be made to attain speed of
about 40 miles an hour and to climb
the steepest hills in and about the city
ON THE ROAD IN TWO WEEKS.
He said its parts were pactically put
together and within fifteen days IL
would be painted and run on the streets
of the city. His manner and words In
dicated that the carriage had in some
way been given u practical trial and
test. He did not say this explicitly but
he had some strong motive for being SC
sanguine of success
Mr.. Jadwin expressed his firm belief
that within very short period horse
less carriages would take the place OF
the present means of road transporta-
ton for pleasure and he explained his
great interest in his sons invention by
saying that he was particularly anX-
ious to possess the first of these modern
carriages in Scranton. In order tC
guard against failure because of poor
workmanship, he said several expert
| mechanics from Scranton shops had
| peen employed and the carriage would
be perfect in It's mechanical construc-
! ton.