Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1899-11-20
OF INTEREST TO AMERICANS.

estlng feature of which appears to have
been combined electro and benzine
motor carriage. In this the problem
OF making an electro-motor carriage
self-sustaining and Independent of
charging from an outside source has
been apparently mastered. The wheels
and tubular frame are of the ordinary
type, except that the front and rear
axles are connected by two strong, rigid
steel braces, on which rest the electr1-
cal motor, accumulation and the device
for regulating the speed. A benzine
motor rests on springs over the front
axle and turns the main shaft, which
extends backward through the cleo
trical motor and connects by mitered
gearing with the rear axle, that con-
meets the driving wheels. There is
thus benZine and an electrical motor
geared to the same driving shaft, and
the kernel of this combination is that
both can be worked az the same time
or either thrown out and the other left
in action at the will of the driver.
When in cities the vehicle would be
used as an electro-motor carriage, with
all the advantages of that system; but
on long journey or remote from out
side electrical supply the benzine mo-
tor is not only efficient to propel the
carriage, but by running the electrical
motor as a dynamo or generator it
recharges the accumulation.
In Down county Ireland, there has
been in operation for sixteen years a
combined tramWay and wagon road
the arrangement of which might be
duplicated on any of our suburban cleo
trio lines enabling farmers to hitch
their wagons to the electric cars and
have them drawn into town. The
Dow county line is built of ordinary
steel rails, outside of and adjoining
which is lower line of steel rails.
The wagons, without 1anges on the
wheels run on the lower outside rails;
the inner rails for the cars, are high
enough above the outer rails to act as
a guide to the wagons, keeping them
on the track. On either end of the
line the wagons are detached from the
train and taken to their destination
over the regular streets and roads by
horses. There is no delay or difficulty
in getting the wagons on or off the
ends of the line.
Inc commercial intelligence branch
of the British board OF trade was
opened last week at SO Parliament
street, London, S. w. The work to be
done by this branch of the Board Of
Trade is to keep British merchants and
manufacturers posted as to trade OPP
portunities in foreign countries, obtain
all sorts of information concerning
competition, ascertain what the princi-
pal competitors to British trade Ger
mans and Americans are offering in
foreign markets and give hints as to
the best way for the introduction of
British products abroad.
The figures relating to the trade of
Italy in the first six months of this
year reflect the activity that has been
mentioned several times and tell
tale of prosperity long IN
precedented in Italian history. The
importation of raw materials for man
ufacturing purposes coal, wood, to-
bacco leaves, cocoons, raw silk, wool,
iron and steel-increased $13, 703 900.
The raw-material exports went up ST.
100000, manufactured articles $685.
900. The total exports in the first six
months of 1899 were $12O, 900,
against $11O,589000 for the first six
months of 1898, or gain of $9,S43,OO
Recent returns show that the United
States is still able to sell little meat
to Germany despite that country's
restrictions. Germany imported dur
ing 1897 1895 tons of meat, valued at
SO, 1876, 200; in 1898, 83,597 tons, costing
SIT ,255, 000 Of this amount the United
States furnished 47243 tons, valued at
SO ,448,600. The meat imported from the
United States consisted mainly of fresh
pork. Since 1894 Germany's meat i'm
ports from the United States have in
creased three and a half fold.
The final shipment of $4,000 steel
plates for the Coolgardie water supply
of Australia was made this week. They
are twenty-eight feet in length and
made from the best steel obtainable.
The weight of the entire $4,000 plates
aggregates $4,000 tons. They will be
shipped to Australia fiat with special
machinery for curving them upon their
arrival there. They are to be used in
constructing steel aqueduct thirty
inches in diameter and ten miles long
to supply Sydney with water.
Demetrio Castillo Duany, civil gov
ernor of the Province of Santiago de
Cuba, was ii New York this week. He
said that the census taking, which is
now in progress, may interfere some
what with business in the rural dis
tricts, as people will not want to push
agricultural pursuits until they find
out what steps will be taken next by
the American government toward the
of the island. In the
large cities the census taking it is
said, will check undertakings and i'm
for the reason that capt.
talists are timid until final decision is