The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1901-07-25

blossoms, II all right. Yet Rocky
Mountain Tea would drive then,
away. 35c. Rittenhouse Pharmacy.
The Automobile Versus the Horse.
The Emergency Hospital in
Washington is makinga a strong
effort to secure automobiles in
stead of alnbulances drawn bv
horse power for its service.
The reasons given for tn e
change are cogent. 1t is stated
that as things are, a horse used
for this work lasts little more
than year, i'll spite of the best
of care and treatment. The
rush orders" in summer are
numerous, and the horses are
often compelled to travel on the
jump for mile or two and
back, in the heat of the day, on
account of the number of heat
prostrations which occur at
that time. The hospital author
tiles say that if they could have
automobiles, the condition of
things would be better both for
them and for the public, to saw
nothing of the horses.
This is a matter which ought
to interest any city govern
ment: and it may y. suggested
that the same arguments would
hold fairly good iii the case of
the horse of the fire depart
ment, though, as fires seldom
occur in the middle of the day
i'll summer, the question of i'll
tense heat does not enter into
the case. But there is no doubt
that emergency hospital work
is extremely hard on horses, as
they are practically required to
play the double role of race
horses and drauglit animals.
Aside from the humanity of the
thing, it might be good economy
to make the change. The
automobile would never be
tired, never have d sunstroke,
cost but little for fuel and care,
last a long time; moreover, it
would do the work of more
t han one horse, because it
would require no rest at night.
1t is true that an automobile,
III the hands of inexperienced
people, is rather dangerous
machine. 1t has on occasion
shown curious tendency to
climb trees; and it would be
anything but agreeable to have
such a development take place
with an unconscious person
severely injured, reposing in
the body of the vehicle. But
it should be remembered that
most automobile accidents have
occurred when people without
special training III the manage
nent of the machines were in
charge of them. For example,
a New York society leader ON
one occasion caused his auto
mobile to turn rapid so,ner-
saults from'the top to the bot
tom of a steep and stony-}leart
ed hill. The society leader in
the meantime had left h t
machine, but followed it's ex-
ample closely, and reached the
bottom of the bill finally on the
back Of his neck. This, how
ever, was due to his having
tried to back the automobile,
while forgetting to- shut off the
current impelling it forward:
and, if he had told ii yoke Of
oxen to "gee aud "haw"
simultaneously, it is probable
that something would have
happened. The hospital auto
mobile would be in tn: hands
of trained and experienced EN-
ployes, and when treated we'll,
the machine is as gentle as the
horse, often advertised, that a
woman can drive.
1t has taken some time for
the public to perceive that
humane measures are, in the
long run, generally the safest
and cheapest. li4here comes a
time when for all service in
volving intense nervous strain
in addition to III u scu r
exertion, or untiring and
unvarying activity, cleo
tricity, steam, or some other
inanirnate agent is employed
instead of flesh and blood, it
will be a happy day and sym
pathetic cooperation are nee
essary. the horse should be
used for draught purposes;
but where simple power is all
that is required, electricity and
steam can do the work quite
as we'll and, as a rule, more
! ..l,.,,,l,.