Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1903-07-22
THIS IS AGE OF TIE AUTO
THE HoRsELEss CARRIAGE MAY
KILL THE RAILWAY.
Ways in Which the Motor Will Affect
the Fate of the ihdividual and tie
community-A Social and fnaus


trial Revolution.
The automobile is no longer an eX-
pertinent; and motoring is no longer
a pastime or a luxury:
What is the probable iiihuenee OF
he automobile upon contemporary
life? Every car owner has at clce a
vastly increased radius OF movement.
The old coaching ROADS and coac-s
lngs inns will once mere be t.o.onged
with travellers. We shall know the
land we live in-lts rural interests, It's
beauties, its antiquities. The man
who has Il business in the town will
no longer be dependent upon a slow
and rare service of trains. Therefore
thousands of the town dwellers OF to-
day will be the country dwellcrs of to-
morrow. This will bring into the
market at good prices great number
of country places unletable and unsalar
Bile today: There will soon arise, In
consequence All irresistible demand
for better roads. The present absurd
laws regarding speed will soon be al
tered by abolishing all restriction up
on speed, and making every driver re-
sponsible, under heavy penalties, for
inconsiderate or dangerous driving.
So much for the privately owned car
and its future influence. This, how
ever, will be but a minor factor IN
the coming development of motor traf-
fc. The motor vehicle for business
purposes will soon be universal. AL
ready the more enterprising trades
men are using, with greater efficiency
and economy, light motor vans for the
collection and delivery Of their goods.
In New York heavy commercial trans
port is being rapidly absorbed by the
motor. A few years hence we shall
look back with emile to the practice
of the railways and large firms in u.s.
ing horse-drawn vans. Commercial
travellers will take their samples
through the country in suitable motor
cars.
Agriculture Will be one Of the chief
industries to benefit by the coming
revolution. Already company has
been formed for manufacturing an ag-
ricultural gasolene motor which has
proved its practicability. Most OF the
important large farming tasks in the
United States are accomplished by
some kind of engine or motor. A mo-
tor lawn mower already makes it less
costly to keep up those stretches OF glo-
rious sward which England alone can
show. Groups of farmers will COM
bine to serd their milk, eggs, butter,
fruit, and vegetables to town market
If within 80 miles. CT if farther to a
railway. By the return journey the
farmer will get his supplies from town
or rail at fraction of their present
transport cost.
The coming of the motor means an
absolute change Of the nature and con-
ditions of passenger traffic in cities.
Ten years hence there will not De a
horse left in the streets Of London or
New York, except the few kept purely
for pleasure and pride in their beauty
and strength and for police and mill
tary purposes. Their disappearance
will have three results: First, twice as
much traffic can be accommodated in
any area; second, the streets, No long
er subject to the pounding OF their
IRON -shod hoofs, will be smooth and
quiet, and will last incomparably
longer-to the saving of the tax pay
ers' money, and third, there will not
be 5000 tons of manure deposited in
London every day, to be collected and
carted away, filling the air with odors
and the lungs with poisonous dust,
and costing an enormous yearly sum
for its final disposition.
am even inclined to go step fur
ther and hazard the opinion that the
motor will kill the railway. Why
should the community pay a huge
sum per mile for special roadway for
electric cars and huge generating
station, when self-propelled motor ON
nibuses Of equal speed, comfort, capac-
ity and economy can use the common
road and, by their ability to be steered
round obstacles, not interfere with the
rest of the traffic? l am convinced
that municipalities would consult their
own interests by carefully considering
the introduction of motor omnibuses
before embarking upon the heavy init
ial cost Of an electric railway system
which may quite likely be obsolete be-
fore their depreciation fund has been
charged a dozen times.
One great organization alone-the
greatest of all-the railways-will suf-
fer from the coming of the motor The
motor will rob them Of passenger traf-
fic, of the transport Of mails except
for long distances, of the carrying Of
light goods and light agricultural pro-
ducc, and will prevent them from
opening up new districts, which will
be served by light lines and motor We
hicles as today in America by the elec-
trio trolley. To some extent the in
jury will be mitigated by the motor
bringing to them agricultural produce
from wider areas tnan can produce it
proftably to cart to the rail; and, Of
course, the motor engine, or rapid
succession Of motor carriages, as al
ready planned in France and austria,
will replace the steam locomotive for
suburban and light fast traffic. But
on the whole, the stage coach will be
avenged upon the railway by the mo-
tor
There are several other aspects Of
the development of motoring such,
for example, as the motor on water,
where also it will effect great chang
es; and the stationary gasoline motor
for light manufacturing and domestic
purposes. One more matter, how
ever, cannot"be passed over, namely,
the colossal industry that the manu-