Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-12-18
The Horseless Carriage.

The horse, the nOOIeSt or all an
finals. is destined. it seems, to have
its real usefulness brought within a
very narrow limit by the horseless
or motor carriage, The bicycle
gave the horse hard hit, but if this
carriage takes the large field Of
usefulness that has been laid out
for it by those in a position to be
posted on the subject, the horse will
have to perform but small part
indeed Of the worlds work.
In this, as in every other impor-
tant project, experiments have for
considerable time been carried on
by scientific men in both hemis-
pheres. but not until recently has
the horseless carriage been consid-
cred thoroughly practical for gen.
eral use. Machines have, however,
within the last year been construct
ed, which upon being tested have
proven that they from this time
forth will be an important factor
in the affairs of men. Some Of the
leading manufacturers on both
sides of the ocean are setting about
to supply demand for these yehi-
cles that, they say, is sure to be
made from year to year.
An article covering several pag-
es on this subject appeared in re-
cent number of McClure'S Maya
zine, in which were set forth MANY
interesting facts showing the wide
spread development of the move
ment. E. ?. Ingersol, editor Of The
.Horscless Age, said that Wall street
capital is being invested in lines Of
motor stages to be run in Cleve-
land and in various parts Of the
South, notably in South Carolina.
In several American cities street
railway companies are preparing to
use motor stages in connecting
trolley lines whose terminals are Il
mile or so apart. A line Of these
stages is being successfully operat-
ed from Sulphur Springs, Colora-
do, through the Rockies. Second
Assistant Postmaster-General Nell
son stated that the government had
decided to introduce motor mail
wagons as soon as the best model is
decided upon.
H. II. Kohlsaat, owner of the
Chicago Times Herald, who is one
Of the foremost promoters Of the
horseless carriage in this country,
say that within five years he ex-
poets to see in the streets Of Chica-
90 five vehicles driven by motors
for one drawn by horses.
In cities a great advantage to be
gained will be the improved SANTA
nv condition. With the horses
gone, not only would the streets
be kept clean. but they could all
be paved with wood or asphalt. in
stead of with cobble-stone, which
would enable vehicles to move
about more easily and quickly, and
on their heavy cushion bicycle tires
would glide about from place to
place almost noiselessly. In France
a speed Of 20 miles per hour on runs
of five and six hundred miles has
been reached. A 54-mile race at
Chicago, on very heavy roads, was
made in eight hours. The price at
which these carriages can be bought
will no doubt he greatly reduced in
a short while after they are gener-
ally introduced. They can be
bought now as low as $500, while
large four-seated stage sells for
$1,000. The power used in the va
rious patterns is gas, electricity,
steam and compressed air. la the
gas motor ordinary kerosene can be
used, which is very cheap and uni
versally accessible, The cost vi
I fuel for the gas motor is about one
half a cent per mile.
By drawing on our Imagination
little we can see a horseless car
rage, comfortably arranged, con-
veying a load of passengers, with
the u. S. mail, from Monterey to
Staunton. 1t will leave Monterey
at 6 a. m. arriving at Staunton at
noon, and return to Monterey at 6
p. M, giving the line a double dai-
ly mail. The expense required in
running it would be less than it is
under the present system, and IN
stead of it taking a whole day to
make the trip it could be made in
half, and with d much greater de-
gree Of comfort.