RELIABLE RAILWAY, FIRE EXTINGUISHER

A RELIABLE RAILWAY FIRE EXTINGUISHER.-PATENTED BY JERRY KINNEY AND GEO. W. HUNT OF POCATELLO, IDAHO.

and crescent shaped in cross section, as shown in Fig. 2, conforming to that portion 4, of the top on which they are supported.

The ends of the tanks are gradually reduced or tapered at 5, as shown in Fig. 4, to reduce friction.

Straps or bands are secured to the car at opposite ends and on opposite sides of the tanks, to secure them to the car.

The tanks are supported by transverse strips 7, to allow cinders or water to roll off.

The tanks are to be made of wood fibre which is tough and strong during ordinary wear but will break and deluge the car in case it is wrecked, putting out any fire at the start.

To fill the tanks they are provided with a box shaped opening 12, in the center of the tank as shown in Fig. 4.

19, is a hose box just back of the opening 12, and between it and the transome windows or deck lights. These boxes will carry three hoses each.

The hose 18, as shown in Fig. 1, will be fitted on the upper end with the male member of a push plug connection, the connection automatically turning on the water, and dropping it to the lower

end of the hose which will be fitted with a quarter turn angle cock.

Thus the water can be drawn by passengers or crew from six places at once from each car left in an upright position. 11a, is the female member of the connection, in the tank.

16, as shown in Fig. 2, is a hose bracket. On this will be coiled a hose for use inside mail and baggage cars.

20, as shown in Fig. 2, is a drain valve, and 21, a drain pipe leading through the floor of the car. This valve is to be opened to drain the tanks in case the cars should be set out at unusual places where no steam track is available, in very cold weather to prevent from freezing.

In case a solution is used the steam connection could be done away with.

To sum up in a general way, the entire scheme: First, the tanks are designed to crush and flood the debris in case of a wreck. Next, in case this does not entirely extinguish the fire, there is available 300 gallons of water to the car left standing, with hose, buckets, etc., all on the outside of the car where they are easily seen and most available.

A philosopher has truly said "we take no note of time but by its flight. The year begins and the seasons come and change and go and another year is dawning hardly before we know it—in 1900 it seemed as if 1906 was almost too far away to think about much, and now it is gone, its record is ended; we can rejoice at whatever was done for the good of humanity and we can sorrow for those deeds which from ignorance or intent were done otherwise and left as a legacy for future indurance. As it is natural in the young to look with hope to the future, so there is a common feeling and expression at the beginning of the year that it will bring better things and more of them than the year just passed—that our life and the life of those we love, will be filled with a larger portion of goodness and pleasure and profit.

The formation of New Year resolutions does not seem to be as much talked of as it was a few years ago, but we still think it a good practice even if the resolves are kept only a short time-on the theory that every little helps, and further it shows that he who makes resolves is probably conscious that it is in just that respect he falls short of his duty as it is given him to see. It

also shows that people who make resolves have ideals, or visions of a state or form of better living which in itself is encouraging; indeed those people who are without ideals, without visions, are in a state of stagnation, and stagnation is akin to death. Of course we would

not mean to suggest that if a bad habit is in course of formation along in March or July that it is well to wait till January in order to resolve to quit it-the time of the year is not particularly significant -quitting is the significant thing.

In the hurry and rush of the times it is probably true that few people spare the time for retrospection-they take a day off for other things occasionally, but the log book of life is rarely inspected -they are satisfied if they are sailing along in the regular chartered channel and take no worry to themselves regarding the possibility of derelicts, unchartered rocks, or other hidden dangers. Possibly our best resolve for the future should be guided by our past experience, by thinking of what the last year brought us, what we put into it of our better selves that may haply make it a mile-stone in the distance as the shadows lengthen. If happiness has come to us, happiness of the genuine kind, let's see if the tree which bore such fruit

cannot be made to yield a larger cropperhaps we can fertilize it with a little more unselfishness, more solicitude for the rights of others, a better concept of our duties to each other, a broader humanity. It may be we are living in a rut-it may be we have taken the valley road where the ruts are easiest made, if so let's climb the hill where our vision will not be circumscribed, and ruts are less liable to be formed, and where the sun-rises and the sun-sets will show us the transcendent beauties of earth and sky and starry depths. And also if we have been thinking in a circle, with self as a center, then for the coming time let's largely eliminate self and think more in tangents, for generally speaking we reap as we sow, if we think of self we are necessarily selfish, if we think little thoughts we are apt to be little, if we think big thoughts, of big things, we are apt to grow larger-by reaching for the moon we may not touch it, but we will come nearer to it than if we did not reach.

In wishing our friends a "Happy New Year" we perhaps generally do so without thinking that happiness is more apt to come from within than from without --that it is a state of mind, of mind action, quite as much as the influence on us from external circumstances and conditions. Probably we could in many instances let our wish of happiness be followed by doing that which we should know will bring pleasure to others, for it is probably true that there are few people who could not with great good to themselves and pleasure to others inaugurate reforms in their habits of life, both as to acts and thinking, which would largely influence for the better those with whom they come in contact. "You never can tell what your thoughts will do In bringing you hate or love;

For thoughts are things, and their airy wings
Are swifter than carrier doves.

They follow the law of the universe,

Each thing must create its kind;

And they speed o'er the track to bring you back
Whatever went out from your mind."

We are living in a time of wonderful commercial and industrial turmoil, of infinitely complex relationships and corresponding obligations, and the finger of destiny is not only pointing this

nation to still more strenuous, complex and difficult relationships in its internal affairs as a test of its ability to perpetuate self government, but also in its relationships to and dealings with other peoples of the world. The telegraph, the railroad and the swift steam-ships are practically eliminating space as a factor in the dealings between nations, and more and more is being wrought out the fact that we cannot live unto ourselves alone that we have neighbors, that in no uncertain sense we are our brother's keeper, that the brotherhood of man is no idle dream or fleeting fancy of the imagination. The idea, that the accumulation of money is not the chief end of life, is gaining ground all the time and we believe the future happiness of many people will be very materially benefited by it. It is probably true that there is more genuine happiness among the independent poor than among the dependent rich.

The past year has been one of greater prosperity for the business interests of the country than any in its history, and while we do not think labor has enjoyed its share of the material benefits of this very remarkable prosperity, we feel that our interests will soon be recognized by our employers. In our own line of work the prosperity is perhaps, more marked than in any other, or its influence is felt more quickly than in other lines of industry. The cry of carshortage goes up from all over the land, and the Inter-state Commerce Commission is taking a hand with the railroads to try to relieve the situation. It is to be hoped that the situation is a sincere one and not that there is double dealing in any quarter which could be relieved by a fair and honest attempt to grapple with the difficulties.

As an Order it is well for us to look back on the year just passed in order to realize what we have accomplished and to be thankful for the dangers we have avoided. As an Order we have had a steady, healthy growth, and there seems to be no cloud on the horizon which indicates anything but a continuation of our prosperity. We fancy that Our numerical increase is not as large a fea