The record-union., 1898-11-15
WITHOUT THE HORSE?


That is an exceedingly bold state
ment Of the American Machinist," In
deed "a startling declaration, when it
says that If all the horses should die at
once it would be a blessing to man
kind. Tt is less startling If the Ma
chinist" means that If all horses used
upon roads in thickly settled commu-
mites should be obliterated it would be
a blessing. The reason given for this
bold statement is. that the problem of
street traction would then be solved.
The mechanical vehicle would then be
forced into use and we could build our
roads and streets from the bottom up.
With smooth streets and roads all the
now existing drawbacks and difficulties
Of mechanical traction would be done
away with
OF course, most readers will cry "Ab-
surd! The horse is Indispensable" But
II there were no more horses the ma
chinists would very soon find mechan-
ical traction agents cheaper and bet
ter than the horse, and show them
selves entire masters of the question
OF transportation, the same as they are
now the decisive factor in the fate of
nations. Mechanical superiority rules
the world at this moment, and the
mightfest general falls if he does not
have the best machinists to support
him. Now, since the streets must be
Kept rough SO that the horses may
have foothold we are forced to pave
with stone blocks and to use steel
tired vehicle wheels, because nothing
less durable than steel can withstand
the shock of dropping from stone to
stone, and we are, so far, in great diff
f1culties with the wheels Of nechani-
cally propelled vehicles.
1t is a bold and apparently foolish
statement that the horse Is absolutely
hindrance in securing proper road
ways. 1t is certainly an extreme view,
but it cannot be denied that it is DOS
sessed Of measure Of wisdom, and
that underlying 1t there is a truth. Our
roadways are built now primarily with
the horse in view, rather than the
convenience and comfort Of man. Every
highway constructed now must be so
graded, laid and finished as to accord
in grade substructure and surface with
the foot of the horse, his capacity of
draught and the adaptability of the
road to the very crude draught vehi-
cles we use.
No road or street can now be possi-
bly, better than the uses of the heavy
truck and the power wasting wagon
permit OF that there can be no sue
cessful denial If, however, road and
street builders would cast the horse
and the rude wagon and the uneconom-
ic truck out of consideration, and build
for speediest, easiest and least costly
transportation, with the comfort, con-
venience and general good of man
taken first into account, we would find
that the wagon and truck and horse
situation.
We would then have roads and
streets for man rather than for the
beast. The result would be beneficial
to the animal also, since it would ine-
vitably lessen his labor while enlarg-
ing his powers, and render him less
and less a necessity. permitting him to
be turned to other uses, and so in fact
making him more a pleasure to man
than he now is.
To such an extent the building of
roads with the horse and truck and
heavy wagon kept out Of view, would
justify the statement of the "Afachin-
ist." But that mankind would be ben
Gifted by the total obliteration from
living animal life of the entire eauine
race, as the "Machinist" asserts is de-
sirable, is absurd. 1t probably did not
mean to be taken as broadly as its
words imply, since the horse must al
ways be useful and pleasure to man,
and since there always will be uses to
which he will be put irrespective of
constructed roads and streets.
In wilds and in war he will forever
be of use to men. In thinly settled
| regions, in forest and on mountain side,
he will always be indispensable, though
| the whole country may become 4 net
work Of perfect roads. For speeding.
the pleasures Of the chase and the race.
he will never become less valuable TO
| man than he now is