Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-09-22
Plain Implements of Peace Made
in U. S. for British Are Built
Into Land Jugyernauts That
Crash Over Trenches and Spit
Bullets Into Ranks of Enemy.

Washington, D. c., Sept. 21.--A new
terror Of war the land juggernaut,
has been introduced on the battlefield
of Europe, spreading destruction
where neither rifle, gun or cannon
was effective, and army men here
predict this new engine Of death will
play as important part in the world
conflict as have the submarine and
the aeroplane.
This land juggernaut chambers
across trenches and shell hofes, spit
ting bullets into the lines Of the en-
emy, smashes its way through for
ests, crosses sWamps with ease and
craWls along roads that have been
called impossible.
So far only the British have used
the tanks" as they are being called
in the war zone, but army experts
predict that on account of their won
derful effectiveness they will soon be
in general !use, mbWing down the
armies OF all European nations at
war.
Army men hail the coming of the
tanks" as they hailed first reports
Of successful use of the aeroplane
for scouting duty and for directing
infantry advances and as they hailed
first successful use of submarines.
An army of more than 1000 Of these
steel armored caterpillarwheeled en-
gines have been sent against the Ger
man lines, moving down men by the
hundreds and terroriZing well-trained
soldiers into disorganized retreat
Many Somme battle has been won
for the allies by a charge of these
death chariots.
The new engines are made in the
United States-at Peoria, ILL.,, Before
they reach Europe they are simple
farm tractors. At first they were
used to pull munition carts, but the
British have rigged the up with
guns and sent them crashing right
into the lines Of the enemy.
Plants in Peoria are busy day and
night turning out the Machines
ordinary tractor engines the farmers
are using in this country.
Big, clumsy caterpillars they are,
crawling along the ground on two
wide, corrugated belts, one on each
side, running over the forward and
hind wheels.
Along the sides of the belts are
short rails which clutch the cogged
wheels and form the driving mech
anism.
The rails, in short sections, are
laid down with the belt attachment,
gripping the ground firmly and push
ing the 1S,OO0-pound engine along un-
der 12O horsepower.
The body of the tractor is support
ed by trucks with five wheels which
run on the steel rails. About seven
feet of belt and rails is on the ground
at once.
The length and width of the belts
and rails allows the tractor to run
over swamps, straddle
trenches, roll over logs, or climb
across shell craters.
AS ordinary farm tractors the en-
gines are shipped to Aldershot, Eng
land, where they are covered with
heavy steel armor plate and armed
with cannon.
What the Germans see is mon
strous machine, with a triangular
front crawling upon them, crashing
through woods and other obstacles
with its pointed front, coming straight
on over trench and shell hole, over
mound and embarkment. AS it ad-
vances it spits fire from its heavy
guns, while its peculiar shape makes
it possible for its steel armor to glance
off any shells that happen to hit it.
Zeppelins are overshadowed by this
juggernaut, for it has moved down
more men than the Zepps have killed
and has scattered enemy lines to the
four winds.