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About Willamette farmer. (Salem, Or.) 1869-1887 | View Entire Issue (April 9, 1875)
$3.00 per Year, in Advance. WAGON MAKING. A Card from Hon. T. W. Davenport to the State Manufacturing Company. Stemikji Cqpfin My Dear Sir: I had In leaded to urge "Pn the Iloaio Manufactur ing Company tho policy ii ."" "10 necessity of making wagous having Iron wheels, lut now as tbat Company is among the things of the past I desire to call the attention of your Company to the merits of Iron running gear for freight wagons. Passing over tho wooden w heel of sixty years ago, with Its great clumsy felloe (or felly), and section or stroak tire loosely held ty spikes, as boins unworthy of comparison with the neat, well proportioned, lighter and much strougor hoop-bound wliool of to day, and pausing for a moment, only to mention tho fact that tbo conservatives of that period ttnek with tenacity to tho tire that would not stick to the wheel, lot us briefly com pare tho comuiun wooden wheel with the Duval Iron wheel. The wooden wheel is so vtll known that a full description need not be glvon, and it is safe to say that for car riage, coaches or wagons, in all that por tains to symmetry, beauty ami strength, It is well nigh perfect. One quality It lacks, and that Is durability. The physical properties of the two sub- stances, wood and Iron, instead of being ad justab!e to eaoh other iu the wheal, are an tagonistlc aud therefore dostrnctlve to the weaker. Wood shrinks from heat, while irou dilates, and consequently durlDg the summer aud fall, when tho roads, are the best and every othor circuinstanco favorable tor the carrying of heavy loads, the uuadjustlng wood aud Iron wheel Is the weaker member. The shrinking of tho hub tends to dlinln ish the diameter of tho wheel, but the clr cumferenco being formed of the felloes etaudlng ondwlse of the wood grain, docs not dlmiuish In the same proportion, and the spokes are thus loosened at either end. Kvtu if tho wpod did not shrink at all, tbo dilatation of the tire would release tho parts of the wheel from confinement and then the -wheel is not so strong as the old streak tires. In tiie winter and spring the damp ntmos phero talurates the wood, causing it to swoll, while the diminishing heat ontracts the lire which Is unvieldinK to tbo pressure of tho wood, and as a consequence tho spokes are bens or broken or drlvim into tho hub and felloes, thus mashiugthe wood grains, which never return to the lormer condition. Upon the return of hot weather tho wood, hsving lobt a portton of its sobatance In the chemical changes produced by saturation, boat and evaporation, U still more lessened in diameter, thereby giving ample room for the working und wearing of tbo spokes ana their bearinss. The most that could be hoped for such a wheel, is its protection from the ravages of heat end moisture, "by covering the wood with some substance that is Impervious tj vyater and will therefore prevent saturation from without, and evap oration from within. Mauy dovioes have been employed for that purpose but not with entire suicoss. Soaking tho wool wlh linked oils aud keeping the surface cowed with paint has been deemed the best, by expert-sues, but this is expensive and far short or success ful. Por, fue wheel bolng more subject to abrasion than any other part of tbo wflon, Jthe coat of paint M toon removed and the linseed oil by contlcuous-Trettlng'absorbs water aud the inevitable shrinking, and swelling is resumed. to readjust the parts of a worn wheel Is a work requiring more care and tklll than in its construction, as the experience of every wagon smith proves. The tire must be re moved, the wooden rim -redu-ed in circum ference to fit the shoulder of the spokes and the tire cut and welded orswayedto properly lighten the joints. The difficulty doe uot co.)-it in the mere mechanical operations but In the "now much.'' How much an old poke will sink into en old hub and how much Into an old felloe, with the application ot sufficient pressure to make a sound wheel, are unknown aud utkno-vabla quantities, but upon these depend tbe length or the felloe rim aa well a the tire. Tbe sufficient pressure is what the smiths' term the draw of the tire, and tocalculate it for a new wheel Is noli difficult matter, but to determine with any" degree of accuracy tbe draw for an old wheel is a problem out side or pure niatnema;i;, coiolue more roperiynndertne rule ofguess aud allow." 'here Is no great wontler that, after two er three tire settings, spokes aro bent, felloes are douuu ami sinuous, nnu mat sttengtu, beauty and durability- are lost in the extrav agant and unequal dl.h of the wheel. 3"o AVo'.dtborvp:dAndcisly ie:lluoof tiiHr A Four-Page Supplement with the Farmer this Week. wagons, farmers are in the habit of putting leather cups between the folloe and spokes, a strip of duck cloth around the circumfer ence of tbe felloe, and setting the tiro whilo hot, without cutting and welding. Others havo found by experience that well made hard wood wedges driven alternately be tween tbo (ire and felloe is the cheapest and best mode of pressing tho strength and durability of their wagot! wheels. All shi" nnd methods, however, Lve provod unavailing In extending, very much, the durability of tho wcodeu wheel, which is, at tho best, n heavy draft upon the purso and attontion of the ownor. The Duval wheel Is made of iron, hub, rim aud spokes, and whatever contraction or dilatation thero may be, from unequal torn perature, does not change in any appreciable degree the adjustment of the parts. In hot weather or cold, In wet or dry, it Is still the same. Tho parts aro naturally ad justable iu theory and in fact. Besides Its superiority to the wood and Iron wheel us It respects the ravage of tho elo inents and tho antagonistic qualities of the two matoriils, it has others v hlch ought not to bo overlooked. The strength of tho wooden wheel depends upon the stiffness of tbo spokes and not up on tbolr tensile btrengthwbich is far greater; whereas the iron wheel depends entirely upon tho tensile strength of tbo Iron, which Is vastly In excess of any thing required of it in tho wheel. The tensile strength of a '; Inch rod of Swedish Iron is greater than the load of a two-horse wagon. Ten tons will not tear it asunder. Tho wooden whBel by reason of tbo dish, has three-fourths or more of the strength upon the outsldo In the direction, certainly, of its severost trials, but tho inside weakness serves as ef fectually to loosen the spoke and destroy It. On the contrary, tho iron wheel is conical both ways from the tire, having a base of about eight inches, nnd is therefore equally strong to resist force from either end of the axle. If a wooden spokn is required from any cause to be removed, tbo tire must bo tskeu from tho wheel, tho folloe driven off, and tbe tiro re-set at u cost nl dollars and hii Injury to the whoel. An iron spoke cm be runowod in ten minutes at a cost of thirty- five cent". Hut tho proof of all theory is in practice; ana altuougn tbo iron wliool bus not bad a fair (rial, yet qnough is kuown to verify tbe predictions of philosophy with regard to Ho construction. The valuo of every wheel depends upon tbe quality of the material entering into its compositlou,and to judge the common wood' on vi heel, from one mado of white pine or bass wood, wonld bo' extremely fallacious aud unjust. So, too, with regard to the Du val iron wheel; its strength and durability depend upon the quality of tbe iron, wnich differs as much as plno and oak or hickory. The ratio of the strength of common Iron rods aud tho Swedish Irou of best quality is as six to seventeen, as found by actual expe riment; aud as the iron wheels that havo boeu mado contain common Iron spokes, we can say with certainty th.it only an Inferior Duval wheel (No. (!) has been compared with wooden wheels made of tho very bast tif ma terial and by the most skillful workuion, who havo been educated by the accumulated experience of half a century. if the cake had Ucii rev nod. Adl ;;J wheel tnde Of Swedish iron spokes (No. IT) had stood In competition with a bass wood wbeeJ, tbcre would be no caw ror any, Dut icon wheels aud Iber'o would be no question asked as to the quality of the iron. Sererul wagons with Duval wheels have been made, all of iuferlor Iron, by work men without experience in tbe critical points of their structure, and wo need cot be sur prised, therefore, to hear them condemned in unqualified terms. One case which fell under my own observa'ton is very sugges tive. A wool grower loaded forty-tight hundred pounds of wool, etc. upon a new Iron wheel v-agoo, which be hauled with fonr horses, twelve miles over a rough and hilly road ; during tbe passage one of the spokes wan torn off at the nut, and ths Duval wheel, i. e. tbe principle, is condemned. Here is tbe explanation : Before tbe wagon started a neighboring farmer went around thumping tbe spokes with a little stick and when he came to the off bind wheel, he call ed the attention of tbe owner to the fact that the spokes were loose, and predicted with positive manner that "one or more must break with such a load over inch a road." Five or ten minutes' work would have fix ed everything, but, from neglect, be lost a spoke aud tbe iron wheel had to sutler in reputation, ' tr'uma wagon makers assert very positively "kL, Qr- -W? ,yrh( " ft j -" v & . h,. i MM MSM. - !!! SALEM, OREGON, APRIL 9, "that the Duval wheel must prove a failure, becauso.tbolrou, being unelastic,can never re cover from the stretchings which it must con stantly receive from severe shonks, and these stietcblngs, howeyer slight, continually accnmulatlug,wlll effect Its rapid destruction. Especially will this be so when we take into account tbe rusting of the conical beads of the spokes, whero they pass through the tiro, any littlo diminution of which would loosen the tiro as efftctually as tbo shrinking of tho wooden hub." Tlifc' objections ssem quite plausible and cauuot b.) satisfactorily answered wi'hont au appeal to exporirrout. It will avail W littla (6 siiy", rfhat Is scientific truth, that these stretchings they talk abou' ure luclplent tearings which do not hnppon until tho maximum strength of the irou U reached, n point far cbovo the practical requlromouts of the wheel, as wo have boforn shown; and ulso that a coat of rust will protect from further rusting better than a coat of paint; and that rust will occupy more space than the Iron of which it is made, and therefore will not loosen on iron until it is worn off. Tbe fault In tho argument is that the loosening must como first, but this will not suit the objectors. If these faults aro roal they should begin to show soon after tho commeucemcut of hard service by a tvbcol, for the baid knocks and consequoutsttetobiogs are an likely to occur the first day as any In thr j onr. Three or four rears' hard usage and exposure 'to suu and frost and raiu ought to dovelopsnch objections Into visible realities, but In tho case of Calyiu Qcor's wagou it has so far failed. I understand that his wheels did not nood rcadjuitlng duilng tlmt period, although they were subject to very sovero trials. It was made for a two-horso wagou. but the only question asked, Iu loading It, was "how much will tbe axles bear? 'iiie wheels would bear anything.'' Tbe spokes In Mr. ueer'e wagon are of corumou nou ana luoreforo much interior in strength to the best Swedish irou, mobablv standlugas five to twelve, accuiding to tho experieuce of tcioutlsts. Three years ago tho Highland l-'armcis' Club examined critically tho u agon wheels of Mr. Guer, and afiurwelghtng and testing them in comparison w lth woodon wheels and hearing from Mr. Ueer tbe manner in which tho wagon had been treated summer and winter Jor veara, thoy passed unaui- tnon-ily a mot 11 lion endorsing and reuun mendlug it as superior to any wend en wheel known for freight w axons, lhey said freight wapous, bei-Hiito thuirouwiru t-poUesol 1I10 Duvalt wheel do not appear to be as taste lul as the shapely' woodon spokes to which we are accustomed, and for carriages you know wo wo'ild sacrifice stiength or dura bility for tbo ike of beauty. Now, friend 0., I believe that the Farmers' Oiub was right and that u good Duval wheel Is worth two of the best wooden wheels, and that when the finning community ha-s bad a little experience With tliMn, Ibsr-a will bo no trouble In Helling all you can make. I uaut a set, nnd I have been waiting along lor two year, wedging up the I'dnUoi my old wagou wheels in expectation of (ho good time coming when I could get some wheels that would and through au Oregon summer and winter without costing ii of their alue. Please give this matter our serious atten tion. Your truly, T. W". DAVKXi-onT. Tukmuy, April a, Dinn. Yeeterdav, al f he family residence, n-ar I1-1U0 Labish, Georgo L , ouly son of Edwin and Carrie Cartwrlght, agtt? thirteen years. The boy had been down with t'carlet fevor and was recovering favorably, but ex posure during convalescence caused him to .i. ',1 which resulted in bis death, Tho service of the flinorgl will ho lidM atilr. Carl right's reildotico to morrow, at 10 a.m. Itnv. I. M. Starr will officiate. Tbo burial will beat OJdJellow's cemetery, this city. At the election, held yes-erday1 for School Dlstilct No. 21 the Directors elected wore Paul Grandall and Dr. l'ayton, and L. V. Williams was reelectod School Clerk by a vote of 2TO o 122 tor his opponent, almost two to one for ths independent oindldate. Aa Dr. Peyton ronelvea tho most votes he will serve the full term and Mr. Craudall till tbe vacancy. A gentleman from Needy was In town this morning, and having finished smoking his pipe he put it In the pocket of bis sack coit. When we saw him that pocket of his coat was rretty thoroughly burned out 'he pine bad done it. , Mr. W, It. Wade, tbe nation respected mer chant of North Salem, whom a serious ac cident befell several dsys ago, Is now consid ered out of danger, but remains in a state so reeuin ana precarious mat no vititors are al lowed. A XoTAniEM Fujimc. The Governor to-day appointed Hon. John M. Gearln, a Notary Public and recomm!s!oned Wards, Stevens to the same ofllcebotb of Multnomah county, Oregon. Dr. Payton Informs us that President Catch U making slow but permanent Improvement. 1875. Experience Keeps a Sear School, &c. AUM8VILI.K, March 20, 1875. Mn. KniTort: One 3 tar ago some of my owes had their lambs nbont the 15lh of March aud they did well, tho weather being pleas ant at that time. The prosent year they be gan to have lambs tho same time iu March, and, notwithstanding extra good care, nearly half tho lambs aro lost; somo from exposure to rain, but the greater number for want of tho necessary noutishmcut from the mother. My sheep look belter than average to bo found In M.uion county, but too much ex uroto ralu lias nncig U'9 0fles thin In llesli, The lesson I havo learned U Uih: Fuim ors, who keep teep or tnttlG, should put up their oats aud barley in tho shoar, oxcept ounugh for seod. . With a suitable machine, cut a portion of tho sho.if lor tbe horses and throw tho remainder aside to be fed, at a proper tlmo, to the sheep nnd milk cows. Select nnd Inclose live or ton acros of dry laud, as much protoctod from tho rain and wind as possible. In this inclosuro construct a building In which yon can confine and aud shelter tbo owes. Koep tho rams from tho owes till the flrstof November. Early In the winter begin to feed tho ouessomo, Some weeks beforo the time for lambs to come, separate the owes from the other part of tho flock and put them into the lot prepar ed for thorn. A sopniaie place might bo made or pioperly provided for feeding wethera aud old on es for mutton. Dean hulls are good food for shoep and co-as. For threshing grain, that would bo belter fed In tbo straw, farmers genorally pay enough to feed their owes well through tbe winter. I fear wo aro getting too many labor-saving machines. Most of our farms are on a small scale, and whon tho threshers, with many horses, swoop down upon one, vory littlo is left for the cowa and sheep. Wit, PoniEii. COUNTY COURT. Al Coolodgo vs. I.gwis Crouv; Jury re turned verdict in favor of plaintiff in the sum of 3118 "2, costs and disbursements. Kla'.oofTUoH. Davis, deceased: Win. Da vis appointed executor, Win. Potior, Joel Stnford and Geoigs Kahler appointed ap praiser!.. Ksttlo of Thomas S. Townscnd, deceased: Geo. M. Tounsend, administrator, filed semi annual account. Turner Items, Messrs. W. M. Hlllery, N. O. Parker and W. H. IUkerweroln town lo-dsy an repre sentatives of Turner Grange, and tllort tho artlclos of Orango Incorporation with the County Clerk and Secretary of State, The Farmers' Warohonso will bo built at Turner this soasou aud the wmk will coni menoj as soon as settled weather will permit. Mrs. Win. Steel, of Tumor, is iu a very low coudltlon from an attack of lung fever. 1 IlAmtlsntino Canal J. W. Webbor has Just returned from making a piullminary survey of tho IlarrisburgASpoiv. Iferry Can al. Ho reports the euterprisu tuttroly prac ticable. Tbo dlstanco Ix-twemi the points named is Wi rallss, and the fall 47 fnt. Tbe propoftitiou is to inakn the canal thirty lent u the bottom, and use It for navigation aa well as water power.. Just what tho pro-peo-R of success aro, wp cannot sy, but the enterprise Is, a worthy one, and wo V'Jsh it success. (Jranyrr, Fl.AX. iuiiii. The cultivation of Hu:: by (ho ....Minimi liro-j. in thl-j community, liitt year, hfW provunn grand ,-iUecci;s? liieso gentleman nnvo tnipnui input! 'to STew (I flax, to' Jp York ton ton-J of drHwti som 111 niui marital, a .small lot was Hiiippou in ireluiul,aii(I thoy li.tvo oomo tnlnt; over ten torn loft, xnnu of which Is not yet droned. Thrvo weoka more time will Ik) required, to cIq-;o -tip the labor. Thoy lmvo fomo flvo tons of t-holcn low nbont ready for shipment to Now York; where it will ho worked up Into towel crnsh, nnd other similar tex tures. Contrnets havo been mado with somo of our farmer for the hcedlnjrof &00 aere-i the coming sea?on, and small portion" was seeded heforo tho lato rains. Tho price U $1.' per acre, and tho labor to bo performed U m follows : Plow In tiio Fall and rejilow iu tho Spring; sow tho flax and harrow thoroughly, then roll. Williamson Bro. fumMi tho seed, nnd gather or pull tho flax. It would seem that farmers could do well culti vating fltix ut that figure. Should the crop prove as good the coining scit;oii as U did la-st, wo may confidently look for ti wide acreage in libroui flax hen: after Granufi'. Tho ofllco of Surveyor General Shnpkou has botu removed to Portland, Mr. ii. P. IJtrhartcoutlntiss in the office as chief clerk. Volnmo VIT. Number 8. WKDXFbDAY, April 7. The Onto at Kuoknk. Tho steamer Ohfe returnod last evening from llugono, her f ec ond trip to that pilnt this winter, no other boat having gouo thoto. Sho will make anothor trip soon to tuo stme place. It was only soven hours run from Ilarrlsbttrg up, tho river being at excellent stngo. The sound cf-tlio hoarse whistle of tho steatnor brought a large portion of the population to. tho river bank and tbo people of that dintiut region seemed to quite enjoy hclnR uhiteuT by Mich glimpses of civillzntion. Tho Ohio had some Rood m-jn on board In the persona of Capt. U. U. Scott, Mr. Fatob, tho purser, pud Mr. feeloy ono o tbo owners, who iv also the oilluleut Snporlulendout of the Os-' wego Iron works, aud was improving a lelsuro opportunity to visit tho upper waters of tho "big Wlllametto." KnronTKD Dovni.d. Wo hear from two sources n rumor that Sam Newman, woll known heie In Salem, was deowned In tho basin at Oregon CItycu Monday. Tho ro port is that ha was employed on tho Dayton, and that boat was starting out, tho water ba tng high ud making it Oilllelilt to hatidln tho boat. l!y somo accident tho captUn, nhilo belug wprkod, low bnck aud knock ed htm overboard and ho was suokfld under the boat and drowned. Ills body was not rccoered when tho (iio vor loft Monday, nnd tho Htory wits told lu ,lou by tho hands on thut boat. Newman used to bo a member of tho Congregational choir hero. Wo hope tho story will provo unfjundod. Ho wna married, alter leaving hero, nt Oregon City.- - Htow.N Ui Andy Henderson, whoblasts rock for Joaep'j Bt others, near the South Salem school house, put in a blast that didn't go oil; and while trying to withdraw the charge it exploded suddenly and it was fear ed ho was badly injured, Ho camo to towu with ills faro blacked aud his hand iu agouy, but Dr. Pay ton diasscd tho hnud and finds tho tlamago can be repaired with threo or four wooks tlmo and rest, and when his faco was washed it was found thoro vtcio no pow der burns to dhllvuro It. Andy la in luck at'tur a left hand taihlou. Imi-uovkmknt or Or.itonjj P.tvnus Our Senators lmd llepresontall vol have miccecded In gottlng au appropriation of 310,000 for the lmptovouient of tho Upper WllUmoltn and ?;!.,000 for tho Improvement iof tho Upper Columbia. That Is vory uood. 'Wo Bravery thnnkltil for these favora. Now, lot us havo eolne ono spend tho appropriation economi cally aud judiciously. It us haye a littlo bettor manageinent of their things In the future, then lu the ptst. Oooi) Yisak ron Wim.vT. John Martin, on tiiicm Prattle, lufortiis us that ho has 10 sens of wheat groning hnt he ocusldera tho bpst he over raised. John says he cultivated the hind list years lu corn, potatoes, pump klus, eto , nnd inAds enough offlt lopny well for his trouble and the crop this year Is actu ally bolter than afUir a suujinor fallow. Ho cou bldors that tho host way to Hummer fal low, or 1 est land and prepare to ronow It u wheat IKAiio7 l'nnnv. Mr, lwls Poltylohti, who owns what Is known as the l.oabo ferry Jnforms us that during tho riso of the rivers (bpom broke loose In which ho had set o4 gunwales for a now ferry boat and he hu thoreby detained from building a new boat h? 2n1 1" pw fvr nocomodatlou of truvel on, the IuJoiUjeiiro route. Coat, in CiIkiiam:m Vat.i.kv. A vein of coal has brcn dUcovorcd In Chehalem Val loy on the placo of Peter Shuck, situated about four miles from tho Willamette river. It is suit! to bos fair artlole and for nto hi ?,r.v!e-s and stoves. t A Sipk Hill tJuvirio.v. How much wood is there In a pile S feet long, 4 foot high, and i feet wide, when piled on a bill side, with stakes sot perpondlcular to tbo plane of the horl.on, tbe bill side to have an Inclination Vo'1 A young German, aged about nineteen years, whoso name wo have not been sble to learn, died very suddenly at Oregon City n few evenings since, ile was In perfect health up to a few minutes of his death. The young man stepped out nf tbe bouse ands fou min utes later was called by his mother to come to supper. Itecclvlng no answer the mother opened the door, and dUeovered her son lying on tbo steps quite dead. He la supposed to havo died from heart disease or apoplexy, Frnfn (he ,Vvttit((iiecr: A psny arrived in town last week with a -.mall band or mutton sheer) fur whlJli Mr. John Mkhelbash ollere-1 tr 1 er head. Tl-o atock man thinking ho nonld do better took hia sheep to Portland, and at lakt accounts, wo are told, was tillered $4 per head, Taking live htock to I ho Portland inarkot looks l? us as rather ft prtcarlotis 1 uslnevs.
