The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1917-02-02

mans evolution from the state OF pui
The flying machine shown Is the first (
Uncle Sam has gathered in the
Smithsonian institute at Washington
several hundred models which show
In a graphic manner mans evolution
from burden bearer to master of the
air.
Man was his own burden bearer for
a long time before 1t 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 or horse and allowed to trail
along behind. On these the Indians
and colonists piled thier game, fuel and
forage and even used such conveyances
to transport people. A primitive sledge
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 Eski-
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 O
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 Oh
his own back, or that of his animal
and then dragged them along ths
ground, man seemed to have realizet
that cylindrical objects might be rolled
History relates that rollers with {
small diameter were used as such b.
the ancients of many nations, undel
sledges, and for moving large blocks Of
stone with the assistance of lever OF
an inclined plane. Another method II
Illustrated In the museum by q mode
of short stone pillar attached BY
piyots In the center of each end to {
frame which, when pulling, caused tht
pillar to roll, method said to have
been adopted by Ctesiphon when trans
porting the columns for the temple o.
Diana at Ephesus. In Virginia and thu
neighboring states hogsheads of tobac
co were rolled along much the same al
the above stone. Two barrels coupled
in tandem within frame were trans
ported in this manner from the forest
to the shipping point, as shown by tn
next model in the series. Another mini
ature illustrates scheme of Paeonius
who built cylindrical crates aroun'
marble prisms in the first century, L
G., when moving stone for the base 0
the colossal statue of Apollo.
1t is believed that the roller, or thi
rolling crate, was the forerunner o
the wheel, which was the first grea
step in the art Of land transportation
although the advance was very sloN
with the ages. The idea of making tn
axle and wheel separate was the SCI
ond great step and no greater discoN
cry has ever been made. The inver
tlon of the felloe and spoke soon TO
lowed and eventually complete car
or carriage was evolved. The first W
hicles were equipped with but tw
I wheels, made of wood. Examples {
I. early Egyptian chariots modelled afte
originals dating back to the Ptolemai
era. 800 B. c., are to be seen In tn
3 miniatures exhibited. From here OF
many models illustrate the rapid az
I yances. Among them are "carreta
or ox-cart created in Spain and use
in New Mexico until recently; a Pc
sian farm cart of 1870; Red Rive
cart, common in the United States an
Canada; conestoga or "prair
schooner" said to have Travelled fro
Pittsburgh to Philadelphia in 20 days
an example of the famous coloni'
"one-hoss shay" celebrated |
Holmes; stage coach used betwee
1925 and 1850, and modern example
of tip-carts and farm and army wa
ons. besides other model equipagl
from Greece. Italy,. East Indies, Burn
China and Russia.
Land Carriers Shown.
Some full-sized examples Of lar
\ carriers are also shown. They inclut
III n Japanese sedan chair Of 1888,
l French sedan chair, sled with {
, attached basket-iike body from Kal
4 chntka. one-wheeled Korean passe
, ger vehicle, a primitive Mexican freig
. cart and a native cart from the Phili
. pine islands.
A number Of interesting locomoH
models illustrate mans continued G
= nar,mantatfon with wheels for trar