Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 88.djvu/563

 Popular Science Monthly

��535

��Walking Backwards Across the Country

A WALK across the continent back- wards is the task set himself by Patrick Harmon of San Francisco, who expects to reach New York in July. Mr. Harmon is fifty years old, and is making a schedule of fifteen miles a day. He walks the whole distance to the East with his face to the setting sun, and the traditional wager of some $20,000 is to be won on arrival in New' York within two hundred and sixty days set for the trip.

The whole route of his walk, 3,900 miles, is to be made with his face to San Francisco and his feet moving toward New York. Mr. Harmon uses a mirror, hung on a special frame, to guide him on his way, and is accompanied most of the time by walking companions.

A Convenient Flashlight for the Automobilist

A STURDY electric lamp which ob- viates the difficulty of searching for special shapes of batteries to fit it, has recently been placed on the market. An ordinary dr}' battery furnishes the cur- rent.

Two handles are affixed to the battery box, one of which is similar to the handle found on the old-style oil lantern. The other handle is close to the side of the lantern, and enables the user to manipulate the light in limited spaces. As shown in the illustration, this handle makes the lantern very serviceable as a motorists' "trouble light." In the side of the handle is cut a slot, by means of which the lantern mav

���This man needs the mirror to see where he

is going, for he is walking backwards from

San Francisco to New York

be readily hung on a nail or hook.

This light will be found serviceable especially for watchmen, farmers and others who formerly employed a smok- ing, flickering kerosene lantern, which is liable to go out when most needed, and which always carries with it a certain amount of danger.

���The new electric lantern is more dep>end- able than the small flashlight

�� �