LOCOMOTION. 75 



and seven tons at a load: such loads, at least, should be 

 carried on wide-rimmed wheels. Many now use them 

 voluntarily, and contend they are easier drawn ; but 

 this is questionable, when the road by narrow ones is 

 cut up into ruts, though there can be little doubt, if all 

 loaded wheels were wide, they would run with more 

 ease, the surface acted on being rendered perfectly 

 smooth by the action of the wheel itself. Then it 

 should be considered that one half the expense of 

 mending ou7^ ivays — a mighty task ofttimes — would 

 thus be saved. Every road-maker and mender knows 

 that it is the narrow wheel that cuts out gutters 

 which invites the waters to rush in one channel, and, 

 like a mob, harmless when separated, do mighty mis- 

 chief with their concentrated forces if allowed to act 

 together. 



But we must bear with our rough and mangled 

 roads till we have legislators who may think it as im- 

 portant to prevent a somerset in a cart-rut, as a reeling 

 from a public house ; who will prevent the tripping of 

 the feet, as well as that of the tongue ; and who will 

 not spend so much of their brains — or breath — in 

 directing what we shall eat, or drink, as in providing 

 wherewithal we may travel with ease. 



A difficulty arises in setting a wheel properly, from 

 the supposed necessity of making the inner box larger 

 than the outer one. So long as this fashion continues, 

 we know of no rule for setting the wheel on the axle 

 that is not objectionable. Indeed, there is no gene- 

 ral rule, and we find- wheelwrights guessing at the 

 proper declination of the wheel from a perpendicular 

 posture ! 



This should not be. It is obvious that the axle 

 must not be made of a true taper where it enters the 

 hub, for the load would tend to crowd it off", and the 

 draft of the team also would have the same tendency. 

 It is therefore the practice to SQt the wheel under, and 

 make the under side of the axle in the wheel range 



