The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-12-02
TO TAKE THE PLACE OF TIE
BICYCLE.
Horseless Carriages to be Made
Comparatively Cheap.


Comparatively Cheap.
Are the days Of the bicycle suprema-
cy numbered, and the poor horse
threatened with extinction? A Brook
lyn genius, says the New York Jour
nal, has perfected the horseless car
riage, ia which all the objections 10 the
old freak" Of That name have been
overcome. IL is ~ light Is vietoria,
noiseless "a the bicycle, fast - an ex-
press train and can be handled with
ease, he claims.
This interesting invention is now in
a carriage shop in Brooklyn. After
years Of patient labor the inventors
have turned out vehicle cheap enough
TO be made of general use, and thereby
revOlutionize street traffic.
The carriage looks exactly ike any
ordinary horse carriage. the electric
storage battery being completely hid
den. BY merely turning handle bar,
the carriIge can be turned in any di-
rection, and the speed regulated. The
great faul, 81 the old horseless carriage
was the difficulty in turning, but in
this instance this has been successfully
overcome.
Most nUrseless carriages are run by
petroleum or gasoline. These motive
powers gave the passengers the feeling
Of being on an engine, and when not
noisy there is Invariably more or less Of
a disagreeable odOr. But in the Brook
lyn invention electric power viii DO
away with al least the OdOrs.
Then again higher rate Of speed *
attained-the limit being y miles am
hour. There is little danger Of run
ming out Of electricity, for by simply
attaching a drop wire TO neighbOriDg
telegraph or telephone line the storage
battery can be reeharged it would be
difficult to prove that any electricity
had been borrowed. Another method
of supplying the storage battery Is by
an ingenious contrivance which re-
stores electricity To the battery from
the motors whenever the carriage Is 90
ing down hill.
An invention in itself is the combi-
nation lock on the motor lever. II Is
an ordinary lock, 20 far a. working il
goes, but when locked il is impossible
to move the carriage by electricity.
The owner can safely leave the carriage
alone in the street while basking in the
smiles Of his lady friends and feel no
anxiety about losing il. OF all its adj
vantages over the old carriage, what
will most recommend it to the public
Is Its extreme cheapness. When it is
considered that the present prices range
from 5000 to $4,000, 500 is rem2rk-
ably cheap. The mechanism Is light,
inexpensive and very simple. The
wheels are pneumatic tired, and the
springs Of the latest improved inven-
ton. The carriage will have the easy
rolling motion Of "a palace car.
The carriage makers do not intend TO
confine their manufacturing 20 stylish
turnOuts, but will Use the same patent
for the propulsion Of fire engines
brewery wagons, stages and other
heavy vehicles. The firm claims their
invention to be greatly superior TO the
one which the London Omnibus Com
pany has adopted, and by which g2O
omnibuses will soon be operated.
The popular conception Of a horse
less carriage is at present the familiar
article pushed by nurse girls in the
park. Many people have heard of the
real hOrseless carriage, but few have
seen them. They are in the same cate
CORY in the public estimation a. the BIZ
cycle was in the early seventies. But
once fin de steele society takes il up.
the bicycle will have to step out and
the hOrseless carriage will be "king.'
and as popular as the bicycle is at pres
ent. or course, new patents and in
creased demand will lower the price.
Our streets will then present a wonder
ful sight. To the clang of the trolley
and jingle Of the bicycle viii be added
the fire alarm bells and whistles of the
hOrseless carriages. Timid persons
will wait hours before venturing to
cross a street, and mothers whose ten
der brood have gone to school will be
nervous Of their being run over. Then
perhaps bridges will span such cross
ings as Fourteenth street, Twenty
third street and Herald Square.
In the days to come, when the au-
tOmObiles shall Outnumber all other
and means Of passenger and
freight transportation on the streets,
the present laws of the road must be
revised. \ rule Of keeping
To the right aud turning out To the left
would be a necessity. All streets and
boulevards will be divided into two
sharply defined sections, which will be
indicated by line of posts or mar
row strip of parking.
Another thing that may be looked
TO at this session of the Legislature is
the passage of laws regulating the
speed at which hOrseless
carriages will be allowed to run, and
perhaps the greatest boon 70 suffering
humanity that this popular hOrseless
carriage will afford Will be the subiuga-
ton, humiliation and relegation TO the
past of that end-of-the-eentury freak,
the cadaverOus scOrcher.
Rock, Read and Churu.