In 1904, most of America’s roads were little more than dirt paths that became impassable in bad weather. Automobile tires were large and narrow, which limited their traction. Snow was a particular problem. Many drivers in northern states simply put away their cars and traveled by horse-drawn sleighs until a thaw.
According to family legend, Harry D. Weed of Canastota, New York, got his idea for chains when he saw drivers wrapping their tires with ropes to improve their traction. He used his experience as a machinist to create chains for the same purpose. His original versions required drivers to deflate their tires, wrap and secure the chains around the tires, and then reinflate.
Weed Chains was quite successful, in part because the company was a long-time advertiser in the Post (from 1910 to 1963), and partly because of Harry Houdini. In 1908, he had himself wrapped in six sets of Weed chains before an audience. (It took him 30 minutes to free himself.)
Tire chains have come a long way since then. Some trucks are even fitted with automatic chains.
This article is featured in the November/December 2024 issue of The Saturday Evening Post. Subscribe to the magazine for more art, inspiring stories, fiction, humor, and features from our archives.
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