The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-09
SHAVED THE EGGS
Novel Test Of Skill Of Steam
Roller Chauffeur.
OF THE BARBER ASPHALT CO.
Charles Wolfe Drives the Machine
Through Flock of Eggs
without Breaking One.


Charles Wolfe missed six eggs this
morning. The eggs were not stolen from
him, nor did he evade them by virtue OF
clever lodging. The eggs We're not. in
tended for him in the first place, but
were simply used to test MI. Votes
clear eyes and nerve. He came out a
winner, and the eggs were unframed.
Charles Wolfe is the stalWart young
man who operates the big steam roller.
with which the Barber Asphalt company
is doing its spring repairing of down town
payements. Years of practice with the
roller have given him perfect scontrol,o
the machine and the way he fattens out
the steaming asphalt as fast as it is de-
posted by the colored brigade is some
thing marvellous. He will throw the
throttle over: SO as to back the roller
far enough away from the fresh asphalt
| to get a running start and then come
tearing for the curb lire as though he
was going to knock down the adjacent
buildings. Another deft touch to the
worm" or screw which constitutes the
J steering apparatus of the roller and the
swiftly moving but ponderous mass of
steel nicely parallels the curb line, with
scarcely hairs breadth to spare, but
without touching the stone.
i Again Wolfe will switch off at right
angles from the curb and make Decline
for trolley pole. One holds his breath,
so imminent seems collision. Just. as
a smash-up seems unavoidable Votes
IIstrong guiding hand gives the worm an
other light turn and again he misses
the pole by the merest fraction of an inch
pressing the asphalt down close to the
base of the iron shaft.
1t occurred to representative of T h G
20 u Tn a i. who was an interested wit
! ness of VOlte'S maneuvers this morning
that the true test of his ability for close
! figuring in his line of business would be
i to toy with eggs and see how close he
could come to them without damaging
the property. The result convinced the
man with the doubts that no man in Min
neapolis to-day has better bump of To-
cation than Charles Wolfe.
He who conducted the test secured hall
a dozen eggs from a neighboring butter
store while the roller was doing business
at Seventh street and First avenue S an6
strung them out in promiscuous line
along the asphalt.
This is the first time in my life,' sale
Wolfe, that have been up against this
egg game. But I'm certain they will es.
cape unscathed. It's just as easy
He backed the ponderous roller severa
/ yards away and then, while an interested
4 crowd looked on, the machine weighing
several tons, moved down upon the egg:
under full head Of steam. AS Wolfe
. neared the eggs he diminished his speed
and approached more cautiously. The
front roller is partially concealed from the
drivers eye by the armor which cover:
its sides. So in making nice calculation,
he has to depend largely upon the feel. ,
! But he was absolutely sure of his ground
First one, then another egg was either
just missed or touched so lightly as to be
\ rolled to one side without damaging the
i, shell as the car Of the Juggernaut moved
by.
II think I've established record ant
a precedent at the same time,' sait
Wolfe, as he dismounted. Those mus
be good eggs or they wouldn't have be
haved so we'll: BY your leave I'll hay
4 them cooked for dinner
ii Wolfe has been engineer of a roller 70
the last twelve years.it He is a Kentuckial
and his first experience at pressin
asphalt into shape was at: Covington ii
that state. Since then he has put TIL
; finishing touches on most, of the asphal
!. laid by the Barber company in score o
; big cities throughout the land. He ha
| frightened horses and amused spectator
J on Broadway, New York city, and has ais
, made annual appearances in Cincinnati
Syracuse, N. Y; Utica, N. Y; Milwaukee
; Chicago, Indianapolis, Dayton, Ohio; To
) ledo, Ohio; Terre Haute. Ind; Louisville
!. Detroit, Binghampton, N. Y; Watertowr
Il N. VI Oswego and st. Paul.
p Eight of the colored crew associate
: with Wolfe are in the steady employ Q
l the Barber company and travel about tn
, country repairing or laying fresh ,asphal