The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-09-11
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER H, 1906.
THE COMING WAGON.

Another of the usurpations, if we may so call it. of electricity is thus described by the New York Commer- cial:
 A type of powerful motor wagon for generally utiiizes all four wheels In driving, steering and braking. In brief, the driving is accomplished by connecting the front and rear axies os bevel gears drives the shaft located within the hollow axles. The engine has four cylinders 6 by 6 inches, and is of the four-cycIe type; 1t develops about 45 horse power when running at 750 revolutions, but can be run at much higher speed. rhe ignition s coll and timer, with an extra battery in reserve: but to Insure against fail- ures on the road, due to want of ignl- tion, there Is separate system Of wires connected to a high-tension mag neto with an independent timer or distributor. The cooling water of the cylinder jackets is cooled by passing t through a large radiator at the duced draft through this is caused by two. l9-inch fans placed directly ot- speed of about 5000 revolutions per minute. The wheels are a special feat ure of the machine. being of wood. with a wooden face re-enforccd by
 
 diameter and eight Inches wide and each has two ball bearings, Ii inches in diameter The wooden tire isSbuilt SP or tSe sSer % r0eT af the block. These are glued and nailed together turned to the finished diame- ter, and with shoulder on each side shrunk upon these shoulders. and se- cured by transverse through bolts To reduce the wear of the face, and to prevent slipping, steel wedges 1-4 inch thick and about three inches apart are driven into the tire to depth of 2 1-2 inches.
 There are two points of interest in this connection. the first being tho its application to common uses where now only animal power is used. A wagon with 45 horse power, as tnls one develops, even at its lowest, will be q wonderful object. It would car " the loads of a dozen horse teams. do it much more expeditiously. eheaply and safely-three important points in this day of hurry and con centration.
 But what we consider of much im- portance is the effect that the extension of this movement will have on the roads of this country. It Is plain to all that such a wagon as the one de- scribed could not be operated on the ordinary rough roads so common in many sections of the country. A rough road would be a serious obstacle Tn the way of speed. economy or safety, Now, if we only reflect on how elee- tric carriages have superseded horses and mules In the passenger trafac Of the cities and towns we may fortsce Nwhat Is pretty sure to come. If cleo Tffc motor wagons can be made and operated successfully and economic ally they will come, Just as electric street cars came.
 If these wagons come, good roads must also be prepared for them, or they cannot travel except over the paved streets of the cities. They would be Of comparatively little use, however, if they could not be used anywhere except on the streets. They will be wanted and needed in the country, and the roads must be made ready and safe for them. They cannot. and will not, be operated over narrow roads filled with rocks. roots and gullies, so that the coming of heavy motor wagons will inevitably mean the building of suitable high ways for them. The sooner the better, in many sections