Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 63, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 April 1898 — Wide Tires. [ARTICLE]

Wide Tires.

We need a law placing an annual tax upon narrow tired wagons intended for heavy traffic. “Narrow tires are road destroyers; wide tires are road builders,” and that statement applies w’ith more force to gravel roads than to any other. Over one-half of the wagons in Indiana are fitted with narrow tires; the demand for them has decreased, however, until today very few of our dealers ever sell wagons with tires less than two and one-half inches in width. But there are always some that will insist upon having the narrow tires. The only advantage is in the cost price. The wide tired wagon costs about five dollars more, but it is stronger than the narrow tired vehicle and will outlast it. It has been proved time and again that for all roads except when very dusty or very muddy, the wide tire pulls more easily than the narrow tiro under the same loading. And after having passed over the road three or four times it has so improved it that even if it be muddy or dusty, the broad tire has a decided advantage. It draws more easily upon sod, and farm teaming will in general be found more effective with the wide tired wagon. RECIPE FOR BAI) ROADS. Mix equal parts of clay and water and stir thoroughly with a narrowtired wagon.