The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1937-02-25
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Mtnu5HRYS
Joys and Tribulations of a Trailer
"Al Aboard"

"An Aboard"
I IMMEDIATELY following my
Il interview with "grandmoth-
err" who left her New England
home with two grandchildren,
anu set out in a rolling home
stead, for reasons by her set
forth more or less infinitely,
and published in this column, I
began preparations for trek
southwark.
I was anxious to know why, after
half century in one section with
all the roots and attachments linked
with the heart and with the mem
ory, a normal human being desired
an immediate and perhaps perma-
nent change.
Perusal of all the available lit
erature convinced me that in order
to know the why's and wherefores,
I must join the procession of trail
ers and get the truth first hand;
in other words, live the life of an
auto-Bedouin myself, for better or
for worse, and record the result.
And so, six days later, travelling
light, and with nothing else in mind
other than this safari into the balmy
South, I boarded New York train,
arriving the next day at st. Louis,
Mo-, and stepped into a fully
equipped auto-trailer, fresh from a
Buffalo factory and already, might
say, house-broken by a young mar
ried couple who quite OPPORTUNITY
invited me to join them on the open
road. May escort you through the
property:
The house complete is 10 feet long
by 6 feet inches wide; headroom
inside 6 feet inches. Two rooms,
one at each end of the trailer, con-
tain adjustable double beds, 4 by Sc,
with cushions, springs and lockers
for blankets, pillows and linen. The
aft apartment is convertible into a
sitting room with dining table and
comfortable seating space for four
persons.
Plenty of Cupboard Space.
Cupboards for a complete assert
ment of pots and pans, canned goods
and cooking utensils are ingeniously
arranged within reach of a spacious
sink, a two-burner gasoline cook
stove for heating purposes. Dress
ers, five and three-drawer types,
and a full-length closet provide am
pie space for wearing apparel.
Dome electric lights supplied with
power from the motorcar and ITO
volt fixtures operating off outside
current that can be plugged in at
service stations, produce rich illum-
nation. A 24-gallon tank of fresh
water supplies the household
through pump action. A lavatory,
equipped with septic toilet and ev-
cry modern comfort, is located
amidships. The room units are di-
vided by sliding panels. Six large
windows, wire-screened, supply ven
tilation. There is but one entrance,
and exit. Everything essential to
housekeeping on small but sani-
tary scale has been installed with
an eye to economy of space.
Davis Writes While Riding.
It may interest the reader to
know that this story is being writ
ten at forty miles an hour on a
portable typewriter occupying
center table that, when the day is
done and the hours for rest draw
near, will be converted into the
mattress floor of a double bed COM
posed of cushions from the wall
settees, snug as bug in rug
every one of the twenty-four hours
that constitute day and night. Over
head and cross-current ventilation
is such that the trailer can be air
conditioned at any time and the
odors prevalent and disagreeable in
many occupied houses abolished be-
fore they take over the rolling resi-
dence.
The better class of rrailers are all
steel, welded construction made up
of channel and box sections for
maximum strength and rigidity.
Brakes and shock absorbers are
part of the equipment, the former
co-ordinated with those of the mo-
torcar and automatically operated
in unison by the driver as the de-
mands arise in transit. The feeling
of security is enhanced by the fact
that high speeding with an equip
ment of this sort is out of the ques-
ton. There is a certain insurance
in this. No man wants to smash
up his motor, his residence and
perhaps some of his family to
crafty a speed mania or play the
role of a road hog. With a vehicle
from 35 to 40 feet over all, the eco
nomic element is bound to exercise
it's influence upon the driver, thus
making for safety to the nth de-
gree. Passing on hills, diving in
and out of traffic and taking a
chance is minimized by the element
of self-preservation.
About five hours out of st. Louis,
over the almost perfect highway
routed &c through Missouri, we
slowed down in the suburbs Of
Rolla, picked out level spot upon
which to camp for the night and
went to housekeeping in the most
approved and up-to-date style.
From our refrigerator, which carries
forty pounds of ice and has three
compartments for provender, we
selected meal of soup, bacon and
eggs, fruit and coffee and put the
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