The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-03-10

Elwood Haynes. the oldest autOmo-
bile manufacturer in America. the
man 10 whom we as Il nation are IN
Cebted for the gasoline automobile, Is
still d young man, being but SO years
old He was born in Portland. Ind.
and at the age Of fourteen invented
all apparatus for making oxygen gas
and succeeded in melting brass, cast
iron and high carbon steel, using a
furnace and blower of his own con-
struction.
In his recent autobiography, Mr..
Haynes. speaking OF his early eXper-
fences in connection with the horse
less carriage" writes As follows:
Horses Suggest Idea.
Il found that the great trouble with
! the horse was his lack Of endurance.
il accordingly laid plans for the con-
struction Of mechanically propelled
vehicle for use on the highway. The
USE of STAN engine was first con-
Sidered but made no attempt TO build
Il car of this description for the rea-
son that a fire must be kept constantly
burning on board, and with liquid fuel
This would always be more or less Of
menace.
Il next considered electricity but
found that the Highest battery obtain
able weighed over twelve hundred
pounds for "A capacity OF twelve horse
hours. and as this showed little prom
iSr of success. | gave il no further
consideration and proceeded 10 con-
cider the gasoline engine. Even the
lightest engines made at that time
were heavy per unit of power and
rather crude in construction.
in the fall of 1892 I moved TO
kOkomo, Indiana. and the following
summer | had my plans sufficiently
maturcd to begin actual construction
of the 'hurscless carriage. | ordered
one horsepower marine upright, two
cycle gasoline engine. This motor
weighed $50 pounds. 1t is interesting
to note in this connection that an aero
plane motor of the same weight read
lily gives forty horsepower.
weighed $40 Pounds.
The little machine was built UP In
the form OF a small truck. Its total
weight whom completed was SO lbs.
July t. 1924. when ready for test il WAS
hauled into the country for three miles
behind a horse carriage and started OIL
:; level turnpike.
1T moved nfs at n speed OF abou;
seven miles per hour and was driven
about one and one-half miles further
into the country. IL was then Turned
about and ran all the way hack TO
kokomo without making u single stop.
First RIM a Success.
II WAS convinced upon this return
trip that there was a future for tho
'horSclcHs carriage although did not
at that time expect it to bo so brilliant
and imposing.
Tho hest speed attained by tho 1t
tic machine in this condition WAS about
eight miles per hour. whereas nineteen
wears later, the Haynes Sin Mode! -.
on wh!ch | was a MISUNDERSTANDING the
1919 tour OF the Indiana Automobile
Manufacturers Association, from In
dianapoliS to Los Angeles coastcd into
Columbia Mo, over an excellent
stretch or highway at forty miles per
hour"
Now IN National Institute.
Elwood Haynes drove tho 'horSclcSS
carriage" In and around kokomo. Ind
lana. for several years. much to the
amusement OF tho natives OF that city.
For many years following. the little
machine was used BY the Haynes Alto
mobile company for exhibition purpos
es, but due to the severe handling 10
which IT was subjected in shipping it
from point to point ali over the country.
it WAS ultimately gifted by Mr.. Haynes
10 the Smithsonian Institution, Wash
ington. d. c.. where it still stands on