The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-06
minneapolis GAR MAY
Give Gar 4 HAVEN.
BoMB-PRooF ON WHEELS Is DE-
.s~e ssvIsED IN CITY, .
Mail and Express Car Built Of Steel
to Serve as Fort or Treasure Car and
Withstand Fire, Wreck or Dynamite
Attack, Protect Life and Property in
Transit.

Steel constructed and built to baf-.
he anything from an American rail.
road bandit to Russian red, and with.
stand wreck and attack by burglar, fire
or dynamite. railway car has been
devised in Minneapolis that promises to
result in the saving Of thousands Of dol
lars and many ives-perhaps the life
of q, czar-and to revolutionize the mail
and express service of the United States
and foreign countries.
Patents have been secured, and a
company has been incorporated under
the laws of Minnesota, with headquar-
tiers in Minneapolis and a capital stock
Of $l0,000,000.
May be Built Here.
The directors Of the company propose
to build a plant for the manufacture of
the cars. The promoters are mostly
eating their plant at home They ex-
pect the plant will become one Of the
most important in the country, second
not even to the Pullman factory in
Illinois. Esa.~ -.
The adoption of the car for the
United States mail service seems prac-
tically assured, and even more certain
than this is the introduction Of the cal
into the Russian governmental service
l
| large number of the cars will be pur-
| chased by the czar's government as
soon as they are manufactured. The
fact that the new invention provides
| a bOmbproof conveyance has appealed
| strongly to the Russian officials, and
they have replied to communications
from the company in enthusiastic terms
Of approval and promise of financial
support. Agents Of the Japanese gov.
eminent have also inspected and praised
the plans Of the car.
| Inventor Of Car,
The inventor of the car is W. B
Young, now resident of Milwaukee
but until three years ago Minneapoli
tan and still one in interest. Mr.. Youns
was formerly in the United States rail
way mail service, and while thus EN-
ployed became impressed with the neei
of some safe mail conveyance. II.
conceived the idea of his present stee
: years, of. hard work he has, evolved tn
present car. 49,, .,.- t., ~. Z. !; . .....-..-
4 = He has, turned over. his invention
and the. patents to the Burglar & Fire
proof Mail & Express Car company, tn
officers of which are: j. D. Freeman
president; E. B. Spaulding, vice presi
dent; R. H. harrington, secretary; A
Rudstrom, treasurer. 49,.
E>@g1 Construction Of Gar.
The cars have the external appear
ance of forts on wheels. They will b
built at cost of only a little less tina
$1,000 each, and are Of steel thruout
They are about the size Of an ordinar
, mail car, but when closed are pierce
only with portfolios. f& Lo'e,-< =.
The floor is of double steel construe
:. ton with two sets of springs that tax
!, up the shock Of any dynamite exple
sion. without wrecking the ear or in an
valuable freight. s.7-..<' " -, :
!. - The subdivision Of the car into con
partnents is another important feature
/ A vestibule is partitioned off at eac
!, 4 end of the ear by means Of two vertics
steel walls, each of which is provide
with an outer door. These doors ope
inward and are adapted to being locke
from either side. The space betwee
/ the vestibules lis subdivided into a
: outer; and an inner chamber by mean
Of four vertical walls. The inner chan
9 Der serves as receptacle for the me-
, chandise, mail or money being tram
x ported, and an outer chamber. adapte
AZ to serve as an jante-chamber extend
around the inner chamber. The innt
= chamber communicates with the QUITE
by means of passageways which al
fashioned with vertical sides and hor
| zontal top. They extend thru the outt
chamber and are closed by means {
doors which are operated only by Pc
lookouts or perches from which Il
guards can make observations thru tt
Z portfolios. Stairways provide means (
/ | passage thruout the whole Of the ant
chamber and means of ascent to or d
scent from the roofs or lookouts.