Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1914-12-11
ENGINE TESTS NEAR END.
December I. 1914.
To The Editor.
Maryland Independent
La Plata, Nd.

hAt1u W NtVucflChs H~tae'~ etA@~ eH%Ae
information will be of interest to your
readers, and that the public should be
informed Of these facts, aud shall APP
preciats il II you:can see your way clear
to publish some part. or all, OF il In the
news columns Of your paper.
Very truly yours.
o. Z. WELLER.
Chairman.
Frederick, Nd, Dec 2 = The 100
mile-long denomination that traction
engines with bands over the cleats on
the wheels can be operated successful
ly upon the State roads will be finished
tomorrow in this city, according to the
present schedule. The demonstration
was arranged by the Roads Commission
TO convince the traction men and farm
ers of the State that there lie feasible
way TO move tina engines without doing
the serious and costly damage to the
new roads that results when the cleats
are uncovered.
The demonstration trip proper start
ed at Cumberland on Tuesday week
ago. AS a matter Of fact it began about
4 miles the other side Of Cumberland
near Flinstone, where the owners OF the
engine live, so that the real distance
which will have been traversed when
the engine reaches Frederick is about
ia miles.
Ia covering that distance the engine
probably has been put to the severest
test possible in this State. 1t is now a
few miles to the west OF Frederick and
IN reaching that point has crossed
range upon range OF the Allegheny and
the Blue Ridge Mountains and the hills
Of Frederick county. 1t has traversed
up and down mountain and hill, the
smooth, perfected modern road, and 1t
ha, made IT'S way over soft earth IN two
pieces for distance OF seven miles,
where new roads have not been finish
ed. Finally it has operated in clear
weather and in rain.
The demonstration engine is under
the charge Of three brothers-Charles
william and Merton Morgan--all of
whom live near FIlntstone. Charles
Morgan says that when he left home on
the trip his wife babe him goodbye and
tod him that Il would be the last, as she
never expected him to return from the
trip.
Her fears, IL is said, arose from the
thought that sentiment in favor .of the
use of engines with uncovered cleafs
nights result in violence to her hus-
band as the demonstration Of the FEAST
bility Of covered cleats. However,
there seems to have been no ground for
such fears, as Mr.. Morgan has not
peen disturbed so far.
There is nothing complex about the
ldemonstretion engine. The cleats have
been removed from the front wheels,
leaving a fiat tire. On the rear wheels,
which propel the engine, an iron band,
about one-half an inch thick and eight
inches wide, has been circled around
each tire, SO as to cover the cleats. 1t
is boltsd to the tire In way that per
mits easy fastening and removal. =
When the band is attached the tire
offers an absolutely fiat surface to the
road.
Attached to the demonstrating engine
are sprinkler-wagon and a thrashing
machine. Tho sprinkler wagon and
contents weigh about three tons aud
1.-THE thrashing machine and contents
about four and half tons, making a
total weight behind the engine Of about
seven and half tons. In pulling that
load over South Mountain the engine
had but one Of the rear or driving
wheels at work The other had been
put out Of commission by temporary
disorder In the engine.
Chairman o. Z. Weller and Assistant
to the Chairman Frank II zouck, Of
the Roads Commission. saw the engine
10 operation today just beyond Middle
town and they expressed complete sat
isfaction In the success Of the demon
stration. They said that the haul over
the heaviest grades 10 the State proved
conclusively that engines with covered
cleats could be used successfully and
that the damage done BY cleass to the
roads was ayoidable. The same opinion
was expressed here today by one Of the
leading business men and bankers Ct
this section, man who has kept in
close touch with the controversy as to
whether engines with covered cleats
could be used.
The controversy found It's origin in
the effort Of the State Roads Commits
sion to enforce an act Of the last Legis-
ture forbidding the use OF the new
Estate roads to traction engines with
uncovered cleats. The act had been
passed at the instance OF the commits
sion. The cleats on the wheels Il the
heavy traction engines cut deeply into
, the new roads.
fragrant violations Of the law against
} use Of uncovered cleats led the COM
mission to cause the arrest OF mum
Der of owners Of traction engines in
this county during the last few months
J When they were tried 10 the Circuit
Court here in September, large num-
Der Of owners and farmers testified that
II the law were enforced, it would be
impossible to move thrashing machines
along the State roads from farm to farm
and that, in consequence, many farmers
would be unable to have their wheat
thrashed. The commission put on thr
stand witnesses in rebHttal, but the
Court held against it. The commission
then took an appeal.
In the meantime, feeling that the
traction-engine owners aud farmers o,
the State misunderstood the facts. the
commission decided upon the demon
stration, which ia now nearly at its end