Evening star., 1925-09-06
PROGRESS IN TRANSPORTATION
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN

The Smithsonian Institution is con-
tinually adding to it's already impor-
tant exhibit of models showing the
evolution of methods of transporta-
ton. At the present time there are
shown methods of transporting goods
from the time of the earliest burden
bearers to the latest and most highly
developed motor trucks.
In one case are models of four ami
mails used for bearing burdens-man,
represented by an old Chinese bent
under the weight of his burden. the
elephant, the camel and the horse
We, of course, in this country are
not so familiar with the human burden
bearers, if one excepts the Southern
darky who totes the family wash
atop her head. While these burden
bearers are not now so prevalent,
even in China, they are still found
there and may be hired for a few
cents a day. 1t has been estimated
however, that even with the very low
| rate OF pay for these unfortunates the
cost of hauling a ton mile is much
greater than it is in the United States
with its costly trucks and we'll paid
drivers
The evolution of the wagon and the
cart wheel is brought out in a most
interesting fashion. The first con-
| trivance shown for hauling is that
used for dragging the load. This was
made from the crotch of tree. Next
came two logs placed on a sledge.
This was propelled on unattached roll
lers. When the back roller came
completely from under the sledge it
was carried around and placed under
| the front. In this tedious fashion 1t
| made its slow progress.
The first wheels shown were made
of a solid piece of wood taken from
| a circular section of tree. 1t was
| found that these one piece wheels
| were apt to crack, so a composite
| wheel was made, composed of two
| sections, in such fashion that the
| grains crossed, or of several pieces
held together with a peg.
First Puncture-Proof Tire.
Mention Of the last named brings
to mind tale told by one of the
| officials of the museum. 1t appears
that the barker on the sightseeing
busses before turning their patrons
| loose into the museum give them a
| harangue in much the following
| fashion: Inside this building you
| will find the first automobile, the
| first locomotive, the first airplane,"
| etc, ETC., always emphasizing the
first" One day a wag pinned on
/ the wheel of an original crude Mex
( lean cart, having a solid hand-hewn
| wheel, a tag bearing the inscription,
''The first puncture-proof tire"
Finally was evolved the wheel hav-
| ing spokes. The early ones had from
| four to six. More and more were
added until the most highly devel-
| oped wagon wheel contained from
Is to "a, while the most usual num-
Der in automobile wheels and those
| of preSent-day wagons is IL.
| The wire wheel has also been much
| used. This differs from the wooden
wheel in method of transporting a
| load, in that it carries it by tension
| from the top of the wheel. while the
! former carries the load by compress
sion of the spokes from the hub to
| the ground.
| There is a model of an ancient
| chariot, the edges of the wheels of
which are wrapped with hide. This
/ was done when the hide was green,
and then after it dried it shrunk and
| held firmly. 1t has been said. that
| during the. Santa Barbara earth
| quake, which destroyed SO many mil
lions of dollars worth of property,
| an old mission the joints of which
had been wrapped in this fashion re-
/ mained firm. This goes to show that
1
| two, for all our vaunted progress and
much advertised modern improve
/ ments.
| 1t is interesting to note that in the
! modern disc wheel used on so many
| smart passenger automobiles, there
| is tendency to revert in a measure
/ to the original idea of making wheels.
| The Conestoga wagon has very
| important place in American history.
| This was named for the locality oc-
! cupied by the Conestoga Indians in
| Pennsylvania, in which section this
| type of wagon reached it's highest de-
| velopment. To it has been attributed
| much of Philadelphia commercial
prominence. 1t was the carry.
| ing wagon used by those hardy
| pioneers who opened up the West,
| the covered wagon being used only for
| passengers and household goods. In
| 1873, during the battle of Lake Erie, 1t
was in these wagons that ammunition
was rushed y ~ fssnh Fer this tact