The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-05-29
CHAT.

The horseless carriage. or motocScle
contest in New York tomorrow under
the auspices of and for valuable prizes
given by the Cosmopolitan Magazine, re-
minds me that perhaps the first horseless
carriage invented was built right here in
Rhode Island.
1t was built by one OF the Herreshoff's
and so long ago. as 1880, or thereabouts 1t
was abandoned in an old loft in the Her
reshoff.factory. 1t was curious produc-
ton. Electricity cut no figure in those
days and the horseless carriage was a
steam carriage. The carriage itself was
a light buggy and the engine was under
the body between the wheels. Between
the thills stood an upright boiler of con-
siderable size-a veritable steam horse
and the steam connections led back to the
cylinder under the carriage body.
Under the buggy seat coal was stored,
and sitting there the driver OF this horse
less carriage was able to shovel coal into
the furnace OF the toiler and SO fire up,
while the throttle valve to the engine un-
dernoatb was right at hand. The whole
thing was solidly. built and 1t is said was
capable of running twenty miles an
hour along common road.
/ have been informed that II made one
trip and only one-through Darlington
and Bristol That it created sensation
have no doubt. To benold that demoniac
boiler putting and prancing along the
highway and dragging that buggy, lum-
bering and thunoering with jangling
bell and footing whistle, likely enough,
must have been a spectacle TO put ordi-
nary mortals into fits. Whether the Town
Council prohibited Its further excursions
or whether the people along the road
held an indignation meeting, / don't
know. But that Herreshoff horseless
carriage was retired to the loft.
Maybe it is there now.
Philosophy is very good relish bat
when you have TO make three meals
day from II IL is not sc easily digestible.
The humblest congregation can afford
to furnish the parson with a bicycle,
even II IL cannot send him on a vacation
trip to Europe.
IL you are looking for trouble, suggest
a regular perusal of tho Arena magazine
which il the organ of about everybody
who Is bothered in his mind by the way
this world Is being run.
About the most attractive aud artistic
"four corners in town is that made by
the crossing of Westminster and Mathew
son streets. That elegant pieco of Gothic
architecture, Grace Church, tho ornate
Tilden-Thurber building, the stately
Gladding block, and the dainty Tilling-
hast building make group of positive
relish.
Take them all i'm all, think that &. @.
Bush OF the New York Herald is about
the clcverest cartoonist in the country.
The amount OF work. he turns out is
amazing, his workmanship is never slov
enly, and his cericaturrs are full OF
ginger. When I was a boy Bush wa.
illustrating the youthful Action that
used'to read. -
II strikes me that after all II is OF less
imnnrtance- -ihnt Xe-a -ahnl.ld- -La-risAt liz
| our convictions aud opinions~ than that
we should be honest.
And that reminds mo Of what Tom Heed
remarked 10 the statesman. who quoted.
az thousands have done, with fine feeling,
the famous declaration OF Henry clay:
81 would rather te right than be prosi-
dent" "Don't give yourself the slightest
uneasincss." said the Car; you'll never
be either" The CHATTEEER.