Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1917-01-20

many centuries of time, in the developm
trated by models gathered by the Sm
mans evolution from the state of bur
The flying machine shown is the first {
Uncle Sam has gathered in the
| Smithsonian institute at Washington
several hundred models which show
in graphic manner mans evolution
from burden bearer to master of the
air.
Man was his own burden bearer for
a long time before it occurred to him
to use domesticated animals to relieve
himself. The early models in the series
show how he finally developed the idea
of using animals as carriers. The llama
was the first beast of burden, then
came the dromedary, the elephant and
the horse.
At first goods were simply piled on
the animals back and it was some time
before anything in the form of pack
saddles was evolved. One step in this
direction is shown by the panniers or
baskets which hang on each side of the
llama. An advance in the general evo-
luton Of transportation is illustrated
by the American Indian ''travois" or
travail" comprising two long poles
or shafts, which were attached to a
dog of horse and allowed to trail
along behind. On these the Indians
and colonists piled thier game, fuel and
| forage and even used such conveyances
IN. tvnr A ladfr
made from the forked limb of tree
and covered with cross sticks was prob
ably the next step. This was attached
to the animal by something similar to
traces and permitted to drag on the
ground. Simple straps like the Esk-
mo dog traces were primitive forms Of
the modern trace. Rough parallel
runners were soon found to make the
sledge slide easier and before long a
platform was built upon the runners.
Thus the sledge was developed and
used by most peoples, whether there
was snow In their country or not.
Enter the Roller.
Having first transported burdens on
his own back, or that Of his animal,
and then dragged them along the
ground, man seemed to- have realized
that cylindrical objects might be rolled.
History relates that rollers with
small diameter were used as such by
the ancients of many nations, under
sledges, and for moving large blocks of
stone with the assistance of lever or
an inclined plane. Another method is
illustrated in the museum by a model
of short stone pillar attached by
pivots in the center of each end to
frame which, when pulling, caused the
pillar to roll, method said to have
been adopted by Ctesiphon when trans
porting the columns for the temple Of
Diana at Ephesus. In Virginia and the
co were rolled along much the same as
the above stone. Two barrels coupled
in tandem within frame were trans
ported in this manner from the forests
to the shipping point, as shown by the
next model in the series. Another mini
allure illustrates scheme Of Paeonius,
who built cylindrical crates around
marble prisms in the first century. B.
O., when moving stone for the base of
the colossal statue of Apollo.
1t is believed that the roller, or this
rolling crate, was the forerunner of
the wheel, which was the first great
step in the art of land transportation,
although the advance was very slow.
with the ages. Phe idea of making the
axle and wheel separate was the sec
ond great step and no greater discov-
cry has ever been made. The inven-
ton Of the felloe and spoke soon fol-
lowed and eventually complete cart
or carriage was evolved. The first ve4,
hicles were equipped with but two
wheels, made of wood. Examples Of
early Egyptian chariocs modelled after
originals dating back to the Ptolemaic
era, 300 B.. O., are to be Seem 10 the
miniatures exhibited. From here on,
many models illustrate the rapid ad-
vances. Among them are "carreta"
or Ox-cart created in Spain and. used
in New Mexico until recently; Per-
sian farm cart of 1870; Red River
cart, common in the United States and
Canada; a conestoga or prairie
schooner" said to have travelled from
Pittsburgh to Philadelphia in 20 days;
an example of the famous colonial
"one-hoss shay" celebrated by
Holmes; a stage coach used between
1926 and 1860, and modern examples
Of tip-carts and farm and army 'wag-'
ons. besides other model eQuipages