Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-11

| ptiDIe HOW, With some dIHdZe1Heflt, the
| deItness with which four or hve London
| asphalters drive home an iron pin In the
| hard cement. but it was nothing to the
SKIN Of these American operators A
dozen men formed a circle about the
stake that was to be driven in. One or
two gentle taps started it on its home
ward journey. Blows were then rained
| upon 1t with unerring accuracy, and fell
IKE hailstones pattering on a window.
! In an unappreciabe space of time the
stake had been driven home.
For the experiments two handsome
dauSht horses We're harnessed by ropes
TO the machine. The animals apparently
strained their hardest. but some difficulty
was experienced in getting them to pull
together. The first effort probably from
this cause. was rather disappointing; the
| machine only registered one ton. one hum
| "redwelght. Presently a large wagon
was wheeled into position. the horses
were attached to the poles and the wagon
was fastened from the bark part to the
machine. Then pulling strength of one
ton, twelve hundredWeght was recorded.
This was the best of the series. 1t may
he interesting to recall the fact. by way
Of institutmg comparison. that the
term N. D.. as applied to the capacity
OF bolief. means Il raising power of 5000
pounds foot in one minute
Then came the elephant tests 'Man-
DARN was steered into position and was
narneSsed with ropes one of which went
round his trunk. ana was cushioned by
a sack, to prevent flesh injury. He pulled
| lS, tons. Balnum's elephants arc not ac-
customed to pull. Their strength is gen
orally utilized in pushing, and they are
often so employed to move the heavy cars
containing the effects of the show. /, is
Salu that one of these elephants has he
fore now moved six cars at a time .sMan-
DARN did not appear to relish his task.
ana emitted loud trumpetings the while
put the keepers little attentions with
hooked sticks in the region of his trunk
now and again recalled the pondero,1s
brute from elephantine dreams to the ac-
Qualities of the moment. Then the beast
known as Babe did her turn" Though
She ~ the smaller animal she nut more
power into her work. and the POINTER on
the dial few round rapidly to three tons
But there was an ugly incident in her
performance. BABE is of an inquirine
mind, and for the life of her she cotlld
not understand why the thing did not
give when she pulled. She looked round
70 see what was the matter. when the
Keeper reminded her of her duty with
Sundry probs. There was Il mischieyous
CLEAN in her eye. ana she made a wild
rush in an ondeavor to carry away the
whole apparatus. And she nearly sue
eeeded The hitherto impressive phalanx
OF the press became alarmed, and there
was an avalanche of journalists to lower
ana safer regions. 1t was even said
That some of the managers fled and were
heard TO boast of their prudence after
ward. But Babe" was brought M,
III the large flap of her ear, and Babe
submitted After this exhibition Of tenn
per Babe was relieved of further duty
But in her wild rush she had established
the record, up TO that time of tive and "a
quarter tons.
Mandarin" underwent further test.
"A large wagon was placed properly at
tarhed between the animal and the ma
chime. and Mandarin pushed against
the wagon To the tune of two tons 10
hundred weight. Yet another test was
pushing round Il wagon load of men
Then the elephants walkel away quiet
~ tor an afternoon tea. MANDARIN" il
may ne said. weighs Sioo and the Babe"
1900
Perhaps the most interesting of the ex-
perlments were those with teams of men.
1t was astonishing to witness the enthl,-
SiAsm of the nondescrpt army; they
pulled as if their very lives depended up
on II. One half wondered whether Eng
lIsh iaborers would do SO much for pure
kudos, or whether they would not want
and pulled until the rope broke The ma
chne showed two tons fourteen hundred
weight. there Were 81 in the gang A
second venture with the same team
when the rope also broke-showed a
strength equal to three tons four hun
dredweight This number was increased
TO hundred. and the men pulled this
time with double rope. But the strands
parted, ana the men sprawled on the saw
DUST OF the arena. But they were quite
happy in the fact that the machine reg
lStered I'VE tons twelve hundredweipht
Thus the Babe" in her most wiilful
moments had been beaten Even this of
course did not quite represent the pulling
strength OF the team. as the rope parted.
There were some mebers of the team who
drew conclusions from the fact that the
machines, did not break,-Pan Mall
Gazette,