Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1934-07-21

by $Uk2N X HAEEV#ES
The Concord coach was used and
prized ON every frontier. IT'S pop
uIarity was not confined 30 che
Americas, Il was standard IA Aus
traIia and South Africa and was TO
be found ON every continent. The
makers Of this vehicle had their shop
In Concord, New Hampshire. They
did not advertise; they had no sales
men. Every village had It's wheel
wright and blacksmith, who c0nsAd-
cred themselves competent 10 build
any type Of wagon, but the Concord
coach had no real competitor. Per-
haps Emerson was thinking Of this
fact when he wrote Of the man
who made a better mouse trap. At
all events, purchasers made path TO
Concord.
The first coaches built by the Con-
cord concern were copies Of coaches in
use IN England and abroad, but mod
ifications and improvements we're not
long In coming Before the railroad
had spanned the continent, the Con-
cord coach was standardized and was
as near perfection as American In
genuity and skillftn workmanship
could make It. Their line was varied
from the great six horse overland coach
to the little two-horse "jer1y"
This great line of famous vehicles
has vanished from the scene. It is as
completely extinct as the Dodo. Its
fossil remains are occasionally to bel
seen in street parades, q lettering
symbol Of the past.
II the power Of white magic could
erase q half century Of time, we might
find ourselves In one Of the paint lofts
Of one Of the Concord shops. Here
we would find, ready for delivery, the
various types, the models of 1884 diff
fering In no particular from those Of
1874 Last years coach is not traded
In for something with a longer wheel
base. This standardization results from
the fact that the product is not a new
creation, it Is the fruit Of evolution
continuously at work since that an
Gent day, when man tried to soften !,
the terrific jolting Of a springless wag-
on. Long before steel springs were
considered, the device of the hammock
like thorough-brace was tried and we
have before us the last word on that
well considered subject.
Mark Twain In describing an incident
In his overland stage journey, when he
heard the messenger tell the driver
that thoroughbrace was broken, con-
iesses he thought that 1t must be some
vital part Of q horse. It is possible
that the reader is equally ignorant.
He Is quite sure to be, unless he is on
The shady side Of LIES divide.
Taking advantage Of our visit to
Concord, let US examine this specimen
If the Concord running gear, or as we
would say, the chassis. 1t belongs to
he standard, four-horse coach. 1t is
tainted rich yellow, without stripes
" decoration. The wheels are splendid !
examples Of good design, material, and
workmanship, strong and sturdy, with !
mt clumsiness. Only the best time :
hardwoods are used. The !
pokes are not hand-shaved, but they I
re turned from split billets, which in
res straight grain. The axles are Of :
on, but they are capped and stiffen- :
q by a hardwood bolster, extending =
'om hub to hub. The front axle Is I
lpped by a well designed fifth wheel y
nd bolster, with kingbolt There Is no
ZACH connecting front and rear axle. q
S function is served by four perch a
l." These are hickory timbers about O
lree inches thick and four inches 81
1de, by nine feet in length. These a.