Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 89.djvu/910

 89G

��Popular Science Moiitlili/

��What? Tail-Lights for Mules! Yes, Here They Are

���Above; How the tail-lights assist the mule-driver behind his pack train. At right: The light attached to the tail

��THE usee

��iiiiik-, the most L-(l and abused of pack animals, doesn't know- much about hitching his wagon to a star, but inven- tive man lias come along and has hitched a star to the mule's tail. All this has been done to protect the mule's life, and to pre\ent him from losing himself and making trouble when he is but one mule in a drove of mules.

Recently a disastrous accident occurred near Los Angeles when a woman dri\Mng an automobile along the highway ran into a drove of mules. The automobile was wrecked, the woman was injured, and two of the mules were killed. A court action was later filed against the owner of the mules, and the woman was awank'd substantial damages.

It would seem at first thought that the owner of the mules rather than the auto- mobilisl was entitled to damages; but the judge must ha\e known something about mules and undiTstnod the odds.

Asa risiill nf the accident the mule owner flevised a tail-light to be worn b\' his animals after dark. It is a light of ih<' simple rellecloxope type, such as is used by bic>clists. When a pack train of mules is driven along at night each mule is adorned with a light. This eii.ibles the flri\er, far in the riar of the lead mule, to note the position rtf e.ich animal in line and the direction he is taking.

��The Tiniest Motorcycle To Be Used in the Army

SOMK interesting e.\perinient- Were made recently by t'aptaiii Irank E. Kvans of the L'nited Slates Marine Corps with a view toward establishing the practicability of a small motorcNcle designed by Hugo C Gibson.

.\ private, equipped in heavy marching order, tried out the ma- cliine. He had had no previou- experience with automobiles or m( - torcyclcs. Vet his success in operat- ing it has led to the belief that it would lie a welcome addition to the hglning ecpiipment of our soldiers. The machine will carry as much as three hundred pounds and attain a speed of iwenty-fi\e miles an hour, although its weight is but fifty pounds. It takes hills easih'. Private I)a\is, who tried it out, found no difficulty in ascending a fourtcen-degree incline.

The machine is so small that it will turn around sharj) corners without danger. It is so light that it may be lifted o\er any ordinar\- obstacle. One of the tests consisted in riding it up to a four-foot fence, stopping the engine and lifting the machine over the fence, all of which was done with ver\' little delay. If the man who delivered the famous message to Garcia had had one of these his task would have been easier.

The dimensions of the little machine are forty-eight inches b\- nine inches In eighteen inches. It is almost small enough to be a plaything. Vet it will carr\- three lunidred pounds for fifty miles at ,wi operating expense of ten cents.

���It looks tiny, but it will cnrry three hvin- drcd |K>uiidti at twenty five miles an hour

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