The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1900-03-14
A RIDE IN A RUxABoUr.
The Difference Between Equine and
Electric Traction.

Lie Oluefcuc6 bctHcen 64 dALc anu
Electric Traction.
Charles Barnard pictures in St Mich
oIas for March, in an illustrated article
on "TLe Automobile, the delights Of
long ride in an electric ruDabout
Why, it's really a buggy-on bicycle
wheels. The seat is in front, and there
is closed and covered box behind and
under the seat. Take a seat, please, on
the right, while | turn this crank.
Don't be alarmed; she VIII not start.
This crank fits into socket in the side
of the buggy, and few turns set the
motor going. Therel Now we are
ready, and I'll put the crank inside.
Yes, he does tremble a little, as If eager
to rush away. Now, All ready. III
sit on the left, where l can see the
road.
How perfectly delightful! The run
about is well named; for it can Ger
tainly run. No horse in front; no reins
TO handle; no whip; no big creature
with a will of his own to be guided,
urged, and controlled; and nothing to
obstruct the clear view in front, moth
ing to obstruct the rush of pure air as
the carriage flies swiftly over the as
phalt. Eight, ten, twelve miles an
hour. 1t could be mOre-eOuld be twen-
ty-five miles an hour; but twelve miles
an hour is as fast as is safe in city
streets. We overtake teams, carriages,
and bicycles, and pass them all. We
meet trOIley-car ON a cross-street, and
slow up to let it pass. As we stop we
feel the slight jar of the motor, for it is
working away while we wait. On
again, turning neatly roun 1 he end Of
the car and rushing swiftly forward.
Look pullman crossing the street. He
sees US and stops, and stands frightened
and irresolute. If he would go right
on he would be safe. The carriage runs
swiftly, turns completely round him,
and goes on. Danger? Not the slight
est, because the carriage is under COM
pIete control.
The carriage is steered by this steel
bar in front of tbs seat. Try it, See
how lightly it moves to the right OF
left. The gentle pressure of q finger on
the bar guides the carriage, and, should
you wish, it can be turned round and
round in a dizzy circle on one spot. j.
steers quicker and better than a boat,
much more surely and evenly than any
horse. How far can we go without
stopping? At ten miles an hour, it will
travel ten hours, or one hundred miles.
Then, to return or to go on, we have
only to stop at grocery store and buy
few quarts of gasoline, load up the
reservoir, and travel on for another
hundred miles at the same rate Of speed
as before
We ride on, up hill and down, over
pavement, asphalt, macadamized road,
or plain eountry road, now fast, now
slow, stopping, starting, backing, turn
ing sharp corners and wide corners.
and, if necessary, stopping quiekly-in
fact, far more quickly than a horse can
stop. And all of this without horse.
in absolute safety, certainty, and pre-
cision, at the touch of hand OF a foot.
AS no horse beats the road with iron
shoes, there is no warning of our az
prOach, 50 we touch an electric bell to
warn a. who may be in the road to
look out. At night, electric lamps light
up the road before US and warn other
teams Of our approach. The seat Is
rOomy and comfortable, and the car
riage rides smoothly and with very lit
tie jar or noise. Above all, we have
not to think for or care for the horse.
He must be told, every step of the way,
just where to go, where to turn, and
when to stop. He will stop of his own
sweet will il he wishes to, or if he feels
hungry or tired, or if he wants to so
home. He may be sick or lame, and
that would destroy all the pleasure #
the ride, because We could not be so
cruel - TO make him suffer for our
pleasure Now we forget all that, for
the whirring motor that is making us
hy along the road will never grow
tired, never suffer, never try to go one
way when we want to 90 another.
There is no horse living that could
carry US a hundred miles in five hours.
On clear, good road this carriage
could easily do il, and, in ten minutes,
do il again. Had We used q horse to
take a ride of twenty five miles, we
should be Obliged to give him u supper,
let him rest all night, and give him
breakfast next morning, before he could
carry Us another twenty five miles.
This carriage might run all day aud all
night and all the next day, and several
days and nights, with only stops of a
few moments each to get fresh fuel for
the motor. We should be tired out
long before the machine.
When we return, the carriage is run
into its stable and halts. A touch OF
the finger and the motor stops. There
is nothing to be doue TO it, except wipe
off the dust and see that the motor is
oiled and cleaned. There it can stand
for an hour, day, or a month, and it
Will cost nothing. 1t may rain for a
week, and We may not care to ride. II
We kept horse, he would have to lie
fed, groomed, and exercised, wheth,r
We wished to ride or not. This all costs
US time, labor, and money. The mo-
tcr-carriage costs nothing until it is
used again.
A. r. DE Fluent. editor of the Jour-
naI Dovlaofcurn Ohio e,er.-.1 -