ne on outriggers and so adjusted that, if the machine should
lift one inch clear of the steel rails, the wheels at the ends of the
outriggers would engage the under side of the pine trackway.

The first fully loaded run was made in a dead calm with 150 lbs. steam
pressure to the square inch, and there was no sign of the wheels leaving
the steel track. On a second run, with 230 lbs. steam pressure the
machine seemed to alternate between adherence to the lower and upper
tracks, as many as three of the outrigger wheels engaging at the same
time, and the weight on the steel rails being reduced practically to
nothing. In preparation for a third run, in which it was intended to use
full power, a dynamometer was attached to the machine and the engines
were started at 200 lbs. pressure, which was gradually increased to 310
lbs per square inch. The incline of the track, added to the reading of
the dynamometer, showed a total screw thrust of 2,164 lbs. After the
dynamometer test had been completed, and everything had been made ready
for trial in motion, careful observers were stationed on each side of
the track, and the order was given to release the machine. What follows
is best told in Maxim's own words:--

'The enormous screw-thrust started the engine so quickly that it nearly
threw the engineers off their feet, and the machine bounded over the
track at a great rate. Upon noticing a slight diminution in the
steam pressure, I turned on more gas, when almost instantly the steam
commenced to blow a steady blast from the small safety valve, showing
that the pressure was at least 320 lbs. in the pipes supplying the
engines with steam. Before starting on this run, the wheels that were
to engage the upper track were painted, and it was the duty of one of
my assistants to observe these wheels during the run, while another
assistant watched the pressure gauges and dynagraphs. The first part of
the track was up a slight incline, but the machine was lifted clear
of the lower rails and all of the top wheels were fully engaged on the
upper track when about 600 feet had been covered. The speed rapidly
increased, and when 900 feet had been covered, one of the rear axle
trees, which were of two-inch steel tubing, doubled up and set the rear
end of the machine completely free. The pencils ran completely across
the cylinders of the dynagraphs and caught on the underneath end. The
rear end of the machine being set free, raised considerably above