Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-17

was paraded around town, hauling twelve
| wagons crowded with citizens.
few days later, when Mr.. Osborn
started for Denver he broke down nine
miles west OF Nebraska City. He man
aged to get the machine back as far as
| Arbor Lodge farm, where Mr.. Morton lived.
and was permitted to store IL in one of the
barns on the place until he could go to
New York and secure new crank In place
OF one that had been broken. In the mean
time the commissioners of Otoe county,
having been subjected to eternal mortifca-
ton because the machine broke down on
one OF their highways. issued $4,000 In
twenty-y ear 10 per cent bonds to build the
steam wagon road, which bears that name
to this day.
Mr.. Osborn did not return from New
York with the new crank until the spring
OF 1868. and while he was repairing the ma
chine its owner, Gen ]. R Brown, died in
Minnesota, without making any provision
Tor the expenses of continuing the journey.
Mr.. Osborn obtained employment in the
machine shops Of the Council Bluffs and
St Joe railroad and the steam wagon re-
manned in Mr.. Mortons barn until it was
sold for storage.
An Important Experiment.
''1'he Ogerita" is an experiment of very
great importance by which it is proposed
to demonstrate the practicability of run
ming automobiles upon railway tracks In
stead of upon the highways, and the pos
sibilities involved In such proposition will
appear to any one who has Imagination. 1t
Will rot be long before railway officials and
others who are now travelling about in pri-
Vate cars will use private automobiles in
stead to go from New York to Buffalo
from Chicago to Cleveland or from Phila-
de,phia to Washington, just as they now
ride to their offices or to call upon friends.
The next STEP l presume. will be system
OF hiring automobiles for travelling, so that
man can have his train under his own
control. Indeed, one might go on indeh-
niteIV rpDea ting suggestions of this Kind.
which will doubtless be realized sooner
later in this progressive age. We already
have automobiles fixed up for long-distance
travel. with couches. cooking facilities and
other conveniences and 1t is only necessary
to make them little longer and a little
larger TO get the comforts and luxuries of a
private railway car. Mr.. Westinghouse is
having built for his own use ma
chine that will be almost as large and
quite convenient and comfortable as any
railway car that ever constructed 1t
is to have a seventy horse power engine,
rack o top for his baggage and facilities
for cooking and sleeping. With Mrs. West
inghouse and his son, who has graduated
at Sheffield Scientific School, Yale Univer-
s!ty, and is now serving his apprenticeship
In the works at Pittsburg, Mr.. Westinghouse
intends to make a four months tour of the
continent of Europe.
Imports of Precious Stones.
During the last year Q905) the imports of
diamonds and other precious stones were
the largest in the history of the United
States the total value being $37, 279,651. OF
this amount 800 All, 43S represented cut dia-
monds and $40. 103, 591 uncut diamonds,
which were cut and set In the United
States. This industry is growing very rap
idly. One New York house has a large
shop, employing thirty or forty men who
do nothing else but cut diamonds and other
precious stones. 1t does more business than
any single establishment in Amsterdam,
which has been the center of the diamond
trade for centuries.
The value of the other precious stones
imported in 1908 was Sc. $50. sol, and 1913 GIL
in diamond dust was also imported during
the year.
We are told that the Importation and sale
of diamonds is the best barometer known
of financial prosperity. and If you will ex-
an Inc the imports of precious stones from
year to year you can trace the financial
ups and downs OF the American people. In
1903 we imported nine times as many as
we did in 1896. That was the low tide OF
American hard times.
The following table shows the annual I'M
portations of diamonds and precious stones
for the last twenty years: