Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1920-02-03

IS SUCCESS

lie ATfTlStedu SnOWfnotor, Quit
at the Union Iron works, Spokane,
dragged a seven-ton load of concen-
trates out of the hole at the loading
station yesterday and has been run
ming up and down the road between
the mine and the flume station, Ia
miles apart, for the last Is days."
said A. Hickman, manager of the
ldoho- Continental mine, at Porthill,
Wednesday.
up to this time we have tested
the machine without a load, except
trailer, the skates, as the spiral
flanges are called, being of the type
used in passenger service. At the
time of the trials there were six
inches of snow at the flume station,
which is about half way down the
mountain, and four feet at the mine.
The road has grade of to a per
cent except on two pitches where it
is 8 per cent. The machine went up
the grade and over the pitches at the
same pace as it ran down the hill and
apparently with no more effort.
In passing over undisturbed snow
1t made a depression but six inches
deep The burrows that it left tickled
the drivers hauling ore by sleigh, as
the burrows were the same gage as
the sleigh runners, so provided a
smooth road for the sleighs.
We have spent thousands Of dol
lars every winter in opening the road
with rollers and by other means in
an effort to provide an outlet for
our ore, but the snowmotor is the
first thing that has performed the
service properly. If for no other pur-
pose it would pay us to use it day
and night to keep the road open.
The machine makes trip in about
the same time as is consumed by
horses in making three trips. 1t is an
unqualified success and I have no
doubt that it will take the place of
the automobile in Washington, Idaho,
Montana, Alaska, Canada and every
other place where there is snow. 1t
runs over ice with equal facility and
should prove a great boon to rural
mail carriers.
"The tests were witnessed by +. r.
Burch, the inventor, Major H. II.
Armstead the chief owner, and others
for several days. Manufacture of the
machines will become a big business
some day.
Nine more Of the machines are be-
ing constructed at the Union Iron
works and most Of them are nearly
complete" said Frank J. Walker,
chairman Of the industrial committee
of the chamber of commerce Of Spo-
kane. IAN effort is being made to
interest Major Armstead in the con-
tinuance Of their manufacture here.
Their manufacture is feasible In any
boundary or machine shop.
After getting Mr.. Klockmann's
views | am convinced of the practi-
cability of the snowmotor. | have
no doubt they will be used in mining
and lumber camps and every place in
the mountains where horses struggle
to disadvantage today.
"The establishment of factory
here would add to our industrial pay
roll. The west will become a big
user Of the machine and it would be
cheaper to haul the raw maerials
here for its manufacture than to shin
the finished machine. The snow
motor is equipped with a 5o-horse-
power Liberty motor and costs about
$500O."
The machine used by Mr.. Klock-
mann is the first successful snow
motor for commercial use made un-
der these patents, the machine built
last winter having been only a model
Of seven-horsepower and was used
for testing, it is said. The skates
used by Mr.. Hickman are 5-8 inch
deep as compared with IA or more
for freight haulage.