The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04
RUBBER TIRES AND SHOES.
DETICES WHICH BREAK CoNCUSsIoN
IN CITY

An Artificial Cushion 20 Protect the Foot or .
Horse High stcppcrs aud Fast Ones shod
with Eubber ana steel - Rubber AIso
Used Freely for Carriage Tires Nowadays.
with the increase of stone and asphalt pave
ments on the fashionable uptown thoroughfaros
in this city, rubber is rapidly becoming an inn
portant factor in tho equipment Of both horses
and vehicles for pleasure driving. Rubber tires
on the wheels of broughnms, landaus, victorias,
and other heavy carriages of the higher class do
away almost wholly with the conclusion and
the chatter incident TO the use of tho old steel
bound wheels, so that those who rido in these
modern vehicles may now DO whirlcd over the
rough block pavement OH Fifth avenue MS noise-
lessly and comfortably as though the roadbed
were of soft dirt or smooth asphalt.
Three or four years ago the cushioned wheels
were about as rare as the ho-selcss carriage Of
to-day, but one who now takes note of tho lux
uriOus private carriages which roll along the
well.known drives TO Central Park will count
nearly or quite onc-third or the broughams
thus equipped, and a considerable proportion Of
the landaus, victorias, cabriolcts, and lighter
traps. Some of tho carriage builders In New
York city say that rubber tires have como to be
a standard requisite for high.class broughams
and landaus, and they no longer use steel for
these vehicles except on special orders.
Rubber tires have been used to some extent on
runabouts and light road wagons. such as are
used by the men who drive fast ~trotters. Where
horses arc driven ut speed, however, 1t Is found
that the lighter vehicles bound along on uneven
ground in n way that is anything but comfortable
to the occupant. Tho trotting fraternity, who
drive very light vehicles, accordingly stick to tho
old.fashioned steel tires or else use the new style
pneumatic wagons, fitted with small wheels, such
as are used on modern track sulkies and bicycles.
The pneumatic wagons. however,, are not yet in
general use. Some men who drive on the road
do not fancy the appearance of the low-wheeled
vehicles. while others object to them on account
of their liability to pnnctured tires and other
mishaps. Carriage builders say that the life OF
solid rubber tires is almost equal in duration to
that OF the old-fashioncd steel tires. They are
something of a luxury, as a set costs from $35 TO
500, according TO the tread of the wheels.
What promises to be a moro important inn
provcmcnt in the equipment of driving turnouts
for city use is the rubber horseshoe or heel pad,
which has come into widespread use within tho
last two or three years. 1t is well known to
everybody who has owned or driven a high-class
harness horse in this city of recent years that
the wear and tear incident to jogging or speed
ing over city pavements brings on early un-
soundness to feet and legs. This is particul arly
true of fast %trotters and fashionable high-step-
ping park horses, and, generally speaking, the
better the horse the greater his liability 10 mis-
hap from this cause. In the old days, when all
Of the uptown pleasure drives were soft dirt
roads, a trottcr having sound feet and legs would
ordinarily last for years, although speeding was
much more common than ii is at present.
Nowadays the man who pays 81 900 or s5, o
and unsound at the end of one season, or even liz
less time If he yields to the temptation to step
his t~rotter along on the slippery drivcways in
Central Park & or on the hard. uneven surface of
Seventh avenue. The housekeeping park or
carriage horse is subjected TO still greater strain,
because he is driven over worse pavements. car
ries heavier shoes toforce action; and strikes the
ground with more force when going slow.
The soft dirt cushion having practically dis
appeared from all city driveways, Yankee in
genuity has lately been at work 10 reproduce the
the foot of the horse. All sorts of devices are
trotter shod with a soft rubber boot, incasing
the entire hoof from the fetlock down like a
quarter boot. and having n thick rubber sole.
No steel tip or shoe was used. the horses foot
being bare when the rubber boot was removed.
resented by n steel shoe of the ordinary form
having a channel on the bearing surface which
narrow rubber pad of the form of a horseshoe
which is fitted between the steel shoe and tho
out number. These are either sewed or ccmented
TO leather soles as large as the hoof and are used
of the foot. the tip being just long enough to meet
the rubber heel pad and not quite so thick.
of the horses foot with tar and oakum. over
which is fitted the leather sole and on that the
tip. and rubber heel pad. Between the rubber
and the leather the severe conclusion is almost
done away with. and there are scores Of fash
%trotters now doing service, on the road that
would be of little account without their artificial
rubber heels or shoes. Difficulty is sometimes
experienced in balancing the fast road horses
rubber, and leather taken together are heavier
than the ordinary light steel shoe. In such cases
the thickness of the leather sole and the weight
of the pad are diminished as much as possible,
tip is made with additional weight in the toe. =.
Enrrlprs slk \. that fhp average life of the OrdI-
although it sometimes lasts six. seven, and
two or three time a month, or %oftener. Like the
rubber tires. the rubber pads or shoes have come
for high-aCting carriage and coach horses driven
on the city pavements. and few high-class step
ihc man who used 10 shoe Nancy Hanks and tho
Grand Circuit %trotters says he believes that
SSlne er Kinn Rs Be F useS on shG Track or horses ss
in order 10 break the terrific concus-
Many of the most promising %trotters give way
In their feet and legs each year from this cause
speed. Trainers now use bar shoes and leather
solcs. and pack their horses feet with sponge to
obtain the, same result that is sought in the use
of rubber heels and shoes.
One OF he principal uses of the rubber cushion
is TO prevent slipping on the asphalt p%ayements
Horscmcn have long complained of the dangers
OF The glnss-like d~riveways in and out OF Central
%trot,ing mare Rosclcaf, 2:lii4. slipped and fell
while Major Dickinson was jogging her through
the Park. and so injured her hip that she could
not be CnmpaignCd last season. A good many
valuable road and park horses are now fitted
with rubber pads on the hind feet as well
tho asphalt. When George Starr bought the
black director colt, now known as Central
Trust. for ~, 800, "a few months ago, he took the
promising young %trotter direct from ;Madi-
son square Garden TO the nearest horseshoer'0
and had him sllod in rubber all round. as IA pre-
caution against slipping. before leading the
speedy thrcc-year-old across town for shipment
to TCrro llautc.