The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-04-23
The Care Of Vehicles.
From the Official Souvenir Catalogue of the Can
riage and Wagon Builders of Philadelphia, Pa.

Inc care OF VenCl6S.
| From the Official Souvenir Catalogue of the Car
riage and Wagon Builders of Philadelphia, Pa.
THE VEHICLE HOUSE.
| With the advancement in the art Of
vehicle construction, the wagon has pro
! dressed from crude methods Of manufacture
to fine. Under old methods the wagon
called for very little attention or care. 1t
was rugged, and calculated to endure rough
usage and to do with IA minimum of pre-
seryative attention. But with the pro-
gress in design and taste and art has come
wagon that needs practically as much
care as carriage, and which is as suscep-
tible to injury or depreciation az its vehic-
MAR cousin.
FINER WAGONS.
The requirements of the times have de-
manded finer and more delicately con-
structed wagons, and, perhaps, no city has
per thousand of population SO many elegant
wagons on its streets. engaged in ordinary
traffic, as Philadelphia. This is especially
true of the wagons used by the great brew
ing industry These wagons, while enor
mously heavy, relatively speaking, are at
the same time models Of elegance and types
of excellence such as will compare favorably
with the finest wagons in the world. The
brewers are entitled to credit for their in
sistence on the very best and tnest and
most tasteful wagons that the wagon build
err art can furnish and the wagon makers
come in for a full share of regard for the
success and skill with which they have
met the demands of this class Of patrons.
Instances are known when the finely
vanished surfaces of Il vehicle have been
destroyed in night by being placed in Il
damp building where there was not proper
ventilation and where the stable manure
was kept in proximity to it. The cost and
delicacy of a vehicle warrant the expendi-
ture Of some money to provide proper quar-
ters for it. The house should be roomy,
well ventilated, free from dampness and
direct sun rays, and as devoid OF dust as
possible The manure pit should be some
distance away. Oak flooring is the best
to use, built for ventilation beneath. In
| LndilN UTSj-CldSS SldplSSt VI NNlhSit
is used and found satisfactory.
WASHING THE VEHICLE.
There is often much to learn by those
who have the charge Of il vehicle.
| Whether idle or in constant use the vehicle
requires care, for it is naturally heir to
moths, dust, rust, mildew and decay, par
ticularly when Improperly housed \ car
rage or wagon should be cleansed as soon
as used. especially when freshly painted
and vanished Having placed the vehicle
in proper position for washing, close the
windows or glass frames; put down the
curtains, and, if an open vehicle, remove
the cushions Spots of mud or dirt should
| be washed of at once, because If they dry
they spoil the gloss, which cannot be re-
stored without reyarnishing. Great care
must be taken in this. Hold a thoroughly
wet sponge over them, allowing the water
to fall in gentle current, softening the
spots until the dirt slips off.
The process known to carriage painters
as the dry sponge follows Take the same
sponge, squeeze it dry as possible, pass it
over the surface two or three times to dry
off the water; then carefully use the
chamois skin to clean off what is invisible
Never move the sponge or chamois skin in
IA circle but always in straight tttes. By
dong So there is less danger Of scratching.
Start at the top to wash, next take the
running gear, and take the wheels last.
The hose is not the best way to clean
vehicle. Too much water is used, and it
gets under the carpet and vets the floor,
sills, rocker and lining, and tends to rot
the wood, lining and lining material under
the lining and Injuries the vehicle.
Never wash the carriage or wagon in the
sun, as the water dries too rapidly and is
liable to spot the varnish Cold weather
or too cold water is bad, but in cold weather
the stable should have some degree OF
warmth Never use warm water, as it Is
as destructive to varnish as the etiiuvia of
ammonia.
| GREAsING AND oILING COMMON AXLEs.
Most axles have two leather washers,
one front, one back of axle box, which
prevent rafting or noise. The axle arms
are always tapered, and, as matter of
course, the thicher the washer at rear end
the more the wheel runs on the front or
smaller end of the axle; it has consequently
more room and is less liable to friction,
heating and difficulty Of turning of wheels.
On new vehicles the back washer should
always be thicker The front one is