After the wagon crossed Eighth street and was beyond the business houses, Higby turned on more steam, and the monster vehicle made about eight miles an hour, cavorting around on the bottom, there being only a few scattering buildings then west of Eighth street. To test the practicability of the machine, it was run into hollows and gullies, and, where the ground was soft it was found that the ponderous wheels would sink into the mud when standing still in soft ground. The result of the trial, witnessed by hundreds, was disappointing to most of those present. The inventor, who had spent a large amount of money and much time in trying to perfect his steam wagon and solve the overland transportation problem, was the worst disappointed. He was thoroughly disgusted. He saw at once that the use of the vehicle was impracticable and that it would never answer the purpose. That trial trip was the first and only one the “overland steam wagon” ever made. It was accordingly abandoned on the bottom where the tracks of the Central Branch and Santa Fe roads are now laid, and was never afterwards fired up. Those who had crossed the plains with mules and oxen, knew it could never be used in overland freighting. There was no use for any such vehicle and the anticipated reduction in prices of ox and mule teams did not take place. The timbers used in the framework of the machine that were not stolen finally went to decay, and the machinery was afterwards taken out and disposed of for other purposes. MODERN TRANSPORTATION.