Motoring Magazine and Motor Life/February 1915
agazine
Published Monthly by the Proprietor Frederick Marriott, at the Office 21 Sutter Street, San Francisco, California
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OPENING FEBRUARY 25th
JOHN G. BARKER, Managing-Propietor
Don't Be Misled
All Automobiles are Perfect
On Paper
On the Road There's a Difference
More than a quarter million 
owners are aware of this. That's why there are more than a million Boosters.
popularity and success are based on the strongest foundation—the satisfaction of owners, and their satisfaction is your best guarantee.
So Play Safe — Buy a Buick
Six Models
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Pacific Coast Points
Howard Auto Company
California Street and Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco
PORTLAND LOS ANGELES OAKLAND
Views of the Panama-Pacific Exposition
Which is the World's Greatest Fair
A Strong Grouping. Panama-Pacific Exposition—Genius of Creation, Western Plaza facing Palace of Machinery.
Beautiful Statuary to he Seen at the Panama-Pacific Exposition
Detail of the Fountain of the Earth in Court of Abundance—Robert I. Aitken.
Detail of Fountain of the Earth, showing figures "Faith", "Sorrow" and Sleep."
This month Motoring Magazine presents to its readers some of the racing history of those who will take part in the contest for the Vanderbilt and Grand Prix events,
It had been proposed to have at least given in this issue a most complete history of the contest for the Vanderbilt Cup this year, but the event had to be postponed on account of the weather, and the presses could not be held until the events took place.
Our next issue will be a most complete record of these two classic contests. Special arrangements have been made for special articles by some of the best known men in the automobile industry.
Our special staff of photographers will record some of the stirring scenes when these two races take place.
The general news to be found in this umber will be of interest to all owners of motor cars.
Kill A Liability, Create An Asset
Use of Convict Labor Will Complete Our State Highway System and Unlock A Treasure House of Scenic Beauty
A family secret is out. Jack Neylan, of the Board of Control, let it out. He says that "Stern has gone nuts on convict labor." This classic phrase carries good news to automobiledom.
Commissioner C. F. Stern, of the California Highway Commission, has a bill before the Legislature to allow convicts to build State roads, more especially mountain roads. He believes that this is good business and sound statesmanship. He wants everybody to think as he does about the matter. Stern is contagious, and if you stop to listen to him you catch his enthusiasm.
As we are firm believers in this doctrine, and are willing to see all automobile owners "go nuts on convict labor" in road building, we print the essential paragraphs of Assembly Bill No. 547:
Extracts from Assembly Bill No. 547.
Section 1. The department of engineering of the State of California may employ, or cause to be employed, convicts confined in the State prisons in the construction, improvement and maintenance of the State highway system, provided for in the "State Highways Act," approved March 22, 1909, and in the construction, improvement and maintenance of any other State roads in California.
Section 5. The State Board of Prison Directors is hereby empowered and directed to adopt a special rule applicable solely to convicts employed as herein authorized and contemplated, whereby convicts so employed shall be granted additional good time allowance conditioned upon their loyal, obedient and efficient co-operation with the State, but such additional good time allowance shall not exceed one day for each two calendar days that the convict is absent from the prison.
Section 7. This act is hereby declared to be an urgency measure within the meaning of section 1, article IV of the Constitution, and is deemed necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety.
The following is a statement of the facts constituting such necessity: It is necessary for the earlier completion of the State highways now in course of construction, more particularly of those portions thereof which will render accessible the isolated sections of the State, for permitting the department of engineering to materially reduce the cost of the improvement of the same by the use of a class of labor which will not replace free labor, but will enable the department of engineering to proceed at once with extensive work which would otherwise be impossible for lack of sufficient funds, and, finally, for the prosecution of such work during the spring and summer of 1915, which, if postponed until ninety days after the final adjournment of this session of the legislature, would be delayed another year on account of the winter season in the mountains.
In a recent note. Commissioner Stern quotes competent testimony in support of his bill, as witness:
Dear Mr. Briggs:
Herewith is a copy of my Convict Labor Bill—also a brief discussion of same, which may interest you.
I have a letter to-day from Warden Tynan of the Colorado State Penitentiary, probably the best informed man in the country on this problem, in which he says: "Your bill is more liberal than ours—and thereby will get far better results than ever we have had. This is the prettiest law that was ever introduced in any legislature."
Sincerely yours,
C. F. Stern.
Reasons Why this Bill Should Pass.
Assembly Bill No. 547 authorizes the use of convict labor on State Highways.
The work is to be designated and directed by the Department of Engineering.
The convicts are to be controlled, guarded and disciplined by the Board of Prison Directors as at present.
All expense incidental to the project is payable from the fund provided for the particular road under construction.
The bill proposes to turn a definite liability of the State into a definite asset, for the solution of the mountain road problem of California, both as applied to the State Highway system provided for under the Eighteen Million Dollar Bond Act, and also the special appropriation roads of interest to all parts of California.
The funds provided for the State Highway system are sufficient only to build
Looking down over the old Mission Trail of the Padres. —Photo Arthur Spaulding.
Touring scenery to be found in Marin County across the bay.
Reconnoitering along Shasta River. Commissioner Stern in center.
the main trunk lines. The thousand miles of mountain laterals leading to the county seats in or east of the Sierras must be built at the expense of uncompleted portions of the main trunk line. Nor is the State justified in expending the large sum necessary to build a permanent type of tourist or commercial road through these mountains, where the population and assessed valuation to be served are so comparatively small, and where the cost of building an ideal type of road is the greatest.
The bill was drafted by Highway Commissioner Charles F. Stern as the result of a year's study of the road problems of California, and intensive study of methods and results in other States, where convict labor has been employed for road work.
The proposition presents three aspects.
First as to the State: California is today supporting four thousand convicts as a daily liability. The economic value of such labor is definitely expressed in the experience of Colorado. We quote from the 18th biennial report of the Board of Prison Directors of this State, which is probably furthest advanced in this problem:
"Our largest item of labor performed by the convict was, of course, the road work. The prisoners … have built 157 miles of good roadway, and a great deal of this has been blasted out of solid rock.… The average labor cost for the 157 miles was $298.12 per mile. It is hard to estimate the immense value of the roads, for the reason that the work in Mesa County alone would have cost with free labor not less than $25,000 per mile, as the rock in places had to be blasted for 75 feet in order to get a proper road bed.… The difference between what the free labor alone would have cost the public—namely, $270,285…and what the labor of our men actually cost them, shows a labor profit of $223,479.56. However, this labor did not compete with the free labor of the State for the reason that the counties could not otherwise have afforded to do this work."
For every thousand men employed on road work under the conditions suggested a definite State liability of $600 a day can be turned into an equally definite State asset of not less than $1,500 per day. This change can be translated into many miles of road not otherwise possible, or into a higher type of road than could otherwise be contemplated.
Wherever convict labor has been tried under an intelligent plan, intelligently administered with due regard for both parties at interest, the State and the convict, the plan has been uniformly successful. The economic advantage lifts a burden from every taxpayer in the State, be he union or non-union, laborer or capitalist.
The effect on the convict himself is equally definite and beneficial. Constructive work instead of deteriorating grind on the rock pile or in the jute mill, better working conditions and better living conditions, and outdoor life and as large a measure of freedom as he will demonstrate his fitness for, and the tremendous incentive provided for in the bill of one day's reduction of sentence for every two days' efficient, loyal work—these things must necessarily make for the physical and mental and therefore moral betterment of the convict.
The work will be begun with a sane nucleus of trustworthy men, and developed as fast as it will justify itself. Guards will be employed insofar as necessary, but the elimination of "Gatling gun" government will be the ideal sought.
The proposal carries no antagonism to organized or other free labor. Its object is to build roads in localities and of a character which could not otherwise be contemplated by the State. It proposes to do work for which the unemployed taken from the streets of San Francisco demonstrated their unfitness and unwillingness in the Highway Commission road camp in El Dorado County last spring, as set forth in the Governor's message to this legislature. It proposes to make possible commercial roads, to open the undeveloped empire in the mountain counties east of the Sierras, to add to the •assets of the State millions of acres of cheap land that needs only road transportation to become a practical solvent of the unemployed problem of California. For every job thus done by a convict which might otherwise have possibly been done by a free man, the way is opened for many free men to get back to the soil and raise the bread they are demanding of their State.
Thus the necessities of the State and the welfare and ultimate redemption of the convict are united in this solution of the problem, a solution which, without injury to any, will result in the betterment of all concerned.
OREGON BEACH ROAD CUT.
By the action of the County Court of Tillamook County recently, and previous action taken by the Polk and Yamhill County Courts, a road to the Tillamook beaches that may be traversed from Portland in four hours by easy riding is rendered a probability before summer.
Broad turn near the grand stand of race-track at P. P. I. E., where the big auto races will be run.
THRILLS DELAYED
Vanderbilt Cup Contest Postponed Until Next Month
The lovers of automobile racing have been greatly disappointed in the Vanderbilt race this year. It was hoped that the contest would take place as scheduled, but the weather was such that it would have been folly to have started the racing cars.
The officials of the Exposition did everything in their power not to disappoint the public and the contestants, even going to the great expense of boarding over the part of the course which runs on the trotting track.
It cost some $20,000 to do this, but the first thought was to keep their promise with the public. The contest was even delayed until noon with the hope that the sun would come out, but instead it began to rain, and all hopes were abandoned.
The event was carried over until the sixth of March, and in the meantime the Grand Prix event will take place Saturday, February 27th.
Want State to Take Over Roads
Secretary H. Guibor of the San Joaquin Auto Trades Association says:
"The automobile taxes: have you paid them? Do you know what this money is to be used for? San Joaquin County hasn't got a foot of State highway. Unless there is an awakening of automobile owners, the highways may not be taken over and no money refunded to this county for the upkeep of our good roads.
"There is a petition being circulated by the San Joaquin Auto Trades Association to be signed by every automobile owner in this county. There are only a few more days left in which to get these signers, and if you have not already signed, it is urged that you go immediately to your nearest garage anywhere in San Joaquin County and sign up.
"Last year there was over $11,000 returned to our county from license collected from automobiles. This year it may be nothing unless we have the right representation at the Legislature in Sacramento. If the State does not take over our highways and does not return us some automobile tax money to keep our highways, it will be the cause of a higher property tax next year, whereas, if the State takes over our highways they will be taken care of by the State, saving the taxpayers this expense."
The Man At The Wheel
Noted Racing Drivers Who Will Take History for the Motor Car and the World's Exposition
For daring, wonderful head-work and great skill, the driver of a racing motor car must be placed at the head of the list of expert sportsmen.
No known sport of to-day demands such quick thought, decision and action as is required of the racing driver, such as will be seen in the races for the Vanderbilt and Grand Prix cups. We present here a few words concerning the racing history of the man at the wheel.
It will be seen that of the list but two can be called veterans, and that the majority of the premiers of the road to-day are under thirty.
Louis Disbrow.
Louis Disbrow, who will be at the wheel of the Simplex car, is known as the "King of Dirt Tracks." Disbrow, who was born in New York City 33 years ago, started motor car racing in 1906, when he took part in the 24 hour contest held on the Brighton Beach track. Between 1906 and 1908 he spent most of his time in these contests. In ten weeks he was in five contests, never getting worse than third during that period. In 1908 he drove second in the Medowbrook Parkway. In 1909 the principal contest in which he took part was on the Atlanta, Ga., speedway, when he won the $10,000 trophy. In 1910 he drove third on the Long Island Motor Parkway. In 1911 he made all records from one to three hundred miles on Pebble Beach, Florida. In 1907 he took part at Savannah in the Vanderbilt and Grand Prix events. In 1912, 1913 and 1914 he followed the dirt track circuit, traveling all over the United States wherever an automobile contest was held. He has taken part in every Indianapolis speedway race. At the present time he holds 17 official records for time made on speedways, dirt tracks and beaches. His greatest success in his racing career was achieved at the wheel of the Simplex.
"Howdy" Wilcox.
H. S. Wilcox, better known as "Howdy," claims the good old automobile town of Indianapolis as his birthplace, which dates back 26 years. "Howdy" began his racing career in 1908, acting as mechanician to the celebrated Johnny Aitken. The following year he drove in his maiden event in New Orleans, and won the race. 1910 he spent driving on the Indianapolis speedway, winning a large number of racing events, and also hill climbs all over the United States, the most prominent of which was Dead Horse Hill climb at Worcester, Mass. In the same year, established the straightaway record in the mile and five mile events at Pebble Beach, Florida, which records still stand. He also took part in the Santa Monica road race. 1912, 1913 and 1914 were devoted to racing in the big events on the Indianapolis speedway. Last year he also raced at Sioux City and Elgin. The coming contest marks his first appearance with the Stutz racing team.
Gil Anderson.
Gil Anderson, who will drive the 296 cubic inch motor Stutz, was born 36 years ago in far-off Norway. He began his racing career in 1906, starting as a mechanician on the old Mathewson cars, and followed the Eastern circuit of minor events, driving and acting as mechanician until 1913, when he took up racing of the Stutz cars, winning the Elgin race and figuring prominently in all the classics from that time until date.
Eddie Pullen.
Eddie Pullen, born in Trenton, New Jersey, began his racing career in the Mercer cars, acting as mechanician with Hughey Hughes. In 1912, he drove first at Tacoma, winning his maiden race and captured second the same year in the Elgin contest. In 1913 he drove the Mercer in the Elgin contest, while he was also relief driver at the big Indianapolis speedway. In 1914, he won the Grand Prize cup at Santa Monica, making a new record for the distance, and had the honor of driving the first American car to capture this trophy. He was second in the Elgin race, losing by one mile, but, however, created at that time a new world's non-stop record. He was leading in both of the Tacoma races last year when his car went out of commission. He, however, was credited with making the fastest lap of the meet. He also acted as relief driver in the big Indianapolis speedway. He finished up his wonderful record of 1914 by setting a new world's speed mark over the Corona course of 87.89 miles per hour average for 331 miles. He lost out the racing honors for last year by the smallest of margins.
Guy Ruckstall.
Guy Ruckstall is a California production, having been born in San Francisco twenty-six years ago. Ruckstall started his racing career in 1912, taking part in "bush races" throughout the State, the most prominent contests being the winning of the big race in Bakersfield. His real racing career, however, began in the year 1914, when he drove second at the Tacoma races. He then captured with the Mercer first place in the Bakersfield and Fresno events. At the former place he set a new 25 mile record for a mile dirt track in the 301 cubic inch motor class. He was running a good second to Pullen in the Corona race when his car ran out of gasoline. He has started this year with a splendid showing over the Point Loma course, but lost out on mechanical trouble.
Louis Nikrent.
Louis Nikrent, who will drive the Baby Mercer car, was born in Detroit 31 years ago. Ten years ago he began driving racing automobiles in the East at the wheel of the Punz car. He was still racing this make up to 1906. At the beginning of 1907 he came to California, locating in Los Angeles with the old California tourist car. For two years he, with his brother, was the racing team for the California Tourist. In 1909 he took up racing the Buick, and won the 1909 road race to Phoenix, the Nikrent brothers being on the winning car. From 1909 to 1913 he "bushed it" with the Buick car, winning many light car races throughout the State. In fact, he won the light car class in 1911 and 1912 over the Santa Monica course. 1914 saw him joining the Mercer team and driving that car for the first time in the Corona race, being at the wheel of the new Baby Mercer.
Caleb Bragg.
Caleb Bragg, the millionaire amateur driver, was born in Cincinnati 28 years ago. His racing interest dates back to 1907, when he was attending Yale College at New Haven. A number of the students formed an automobile club, and as motor car racing was a sporting feature of owners at that time, the members of the club, when club race meets were planned, would strip down their private cars for the contest. From 1907 to 1910, Bragg's racing was confined to these Yale Club events. In 1910, upon graduation, he was presented with a car, and at that time took a high-powered speedster, which he raced. In 1911, he took part in the race for the Grand Prix in Savannah, Ga., and also in the Atlanta, Ga., speedway contest. In 1912 he won the Grand Prix race at Milwaukee. In 1912-13 and 1914 he drove in the big Indianapolis speedway contest.
Earl Cooper.
Earl Cooper, who will drive a No. 8 Stutz car, has been thought by many to be a California boy, but Cooper was born in Nebraska 29 years ago, and came to the State when he was a year and a half old. To speak of Cooper means to speak of the automobile racing game of the Pacific Coast, for his first race took place in 1902, the year following the fall when the motor vehicle first made its appearance in San Francisco. In 1902 he was winning races with the single cylinder Cadillac, and kept up that sort of game through the different cities and counties in the State until 1906, when he commenced racing the Comet. In 1906 and 1907 he took part in many of the "bush" events throughout the State and coast, winning the majority. In 1908 he won the Portola race, and many other more prominent contests. This was followed up in 1910 with another string of victories, still racing the Comet. In 1911 he started in racing the Stutz car. The principal events which he won were the Fresno and Tacoma contests. In 1912 he was prominently connected with the victory and the money in the Santa Monica race, as well as first in the Tacoma. In 1913 he was declared the road race champion. Out of eight prominent events he only lost one, and that was a second. He won two Tacoma races, two Santa Monica races, two Corona races, one Fresno free-for-all, one Bakersfield free-for-all and another Fresno event. He also was relief driver at the Indianapolis speedway. In 1914 he raced in the Vanderbilt, the Grand Prix, the Tacoma, was first in the Tacoma free-for-all, and took four firsts out of six events at the Seattle meet; one the Fresno free-for-all, one the Phoenix free-for-all, and broke down three miles from the finish in the Corona when he had second place well in hand. He also was in a winning position in the big Indianapolis contest of 1914, when the car went out of commission.
Harvey Kennedy.
Kennedy, who is to be at the wheel of one of the Edward's Special cars in the Vanderbilt and Grand Prix races, was born in San Francisco 27 years ago. He first raced at Santa Monica in 1909; then in Redlands Hill climb, and various track meets through the Pacific Coast, including San Diego and Corona up to 1910. He defeated Burman on the Emeryville track, and raced against the noted driver at Madison Park, Seattle, and other meets throughout the Northwest. In 1913 he was a member of the Benz racing team that campaigned through the United States, staying with them until the latter part of last year.
Louis Gundy.
Louis Gandy, who raced one of the other Edward's Special, was born in Virginia in 1880. He has had charge of the Stevens-Duryea racing cars that took part in the Portola races in Alameda County, and also acted as relief driver in the big event at Del Monte. At one time he held and made the record for fast driving around the bay. He also drove the Sunset in the track meets on the Tanforan course, as well as at Santa Rosa. He was one of the designers of the Sunset car, and is the designer of the Edward's Special, as well as builder.
Tom McKelvy.
McKelvy, of Fresno, who will drive the Overland car in the Vanderbilt and Grand Prix races, was born in Farmington, Minnesota, December 20, 1885. He came to California in 1900, when quite a boy, with his father, and settled on a farm near Fresno. He has always been mechanically minded. In 1907 he Associated himself with the Cobb Evans Automobile Company at Fresno, agents for the Overland car, and has been connected with that company ever since. In 1912 he was continually asked the question by prospective buyers why the Overland did not race their cars, and as the Overland had not been identified with the racing business, he was compelled to tune up an Overland car.
In April, 1912, he entered this Overland car racer in the 200 mile road race at Fresno, and won the light car race and second place in the free-for-all. In June of the same year he lowered the Toll House Hill climb record by 2 minutes and 2 seconds. This is considered the longest and steepest hill climb in the country, 7½ miles long.
He also holds the record in the high hill climb at Coalinga, Fresno County, with his Overland. On New Year's day in 1913 he won the 150 mile race at Lindsay, Tulare County. On September 28th and 29th he won three races on the Bakersfield track.
October 3d of the same year he won the light car race on the Fresno track, July 4, 1914, he won the 150 mile race at Visalia. In 1914 he won the 25 mile race on the Fresno track. He is considered one of the most conservative and level headed racing drivers on the coast.
Long Wear in Gravel Roads
Well constructed gravel will sometimes sustain years of traffic without showing marked deterioration, even when there has been no maintenance. Such roads sometimes even improve during the second season; more frequently, however, they show ruts or the formation of chuck holes. It cannot be expected that the average life of a gravel surface will be greater than that of a macadam surface.
The average interval for resurfacing macadam roads is between six and seven years. If a sum equal to two-thirds of the original cost of the gravel surface itself is provided for renewals at six-year intervals, it should be estimated at from $150 to $250 per mile per year. If $30 is then allowed for annual dragging and small repairs, the total annual cost of repair and maintenance of gravel roads would be from $180 to $280 per mile. The annual cost of strict maintenance is sometimes below $30.
In Bennington County, Vt., during 1912 175 miles of gravel roads were maintained at a cost of $20.70 per mile. The annual cost of maintenance and repair on sand-clay roads, including all necessary resurfacing at periodic intervals, should not be fixed at less than 10 per cent of the original cost.
The cost and repair and maintenance of water bound macadam roads has been determined with some considerable exactness from Massachusetts figures and checked by resurfacing charges in other States and in Germany. From $100 to $125 per year ordinarily pays for necessary small repairs, such as patching, cleaning culverts, etc., and from $400 to $425 per year is the necessary annual charge for resurfacing at periods varying from six to seven years.
The sum of $525 per mile, on an average, should therefore absolutely maintain macadam roads if changes and increases of traffic are not excessive. It must be understood, however, that in many instances where macadam sufficed for the volume and character of traffic prior to 1906, it will not withstand the action of the motor vehicle traffic, which has developed since that time.
Unknown Hero of the Race
The Mechanician Who Sits in the Seat of the Lowly is the Man Who Spells Success
The mechanician may be said to sit in the seat of the lowly. The honor, the glory, the laurel wreath, the golden trophies, and not to mention the sack of double eagles, are generally handed to the winning driver and the car.
But from these mechanicians of to-day come generally the championship drivers of to-morrow. It is he who must watch the car, the tires, the lubrication, and everything about the mechanical monster that is annihilating time and space under the guidance of the driver.
It is he who constantly watches road conditions, must warn the oncoming car, and practically is responsible for everything except the course and speed the car takes.
His judgment in the racing motor car of to-day must be at least as great as that of the man at the wheel, and while he has heretofore been overlooked. Motoring Magazine wishes to place him on record, and in its humble way give him his just dues.
John Jepsen.
John Jepsen comes from Denmark, and is 25 years old; he has for the last two years been Ruckstall's mechanician. Jepsen has ridden with Ruckstall in the San Diego, Corona, Bakersfield and Fresno races, and in fact has ridden with Ruckstall in every race except the one in Tacoma when Joe Thomas helped out.
Joe Thomas.
Joe Thomas, rider as mechanician with Eddie Pullen in the world's speed record Mercer, is a Seattle boy, 26 years old. Thomas has been in the racing game since 1908, and has made a reputation of his own as a driver, being known as the "Speed King of the Northwest." He began his racing career in 1908, winning two events in Yakima. In 1909 he drove in the races at Cohasset Beach, Washington. In 1910 he continued his winnings at Yakima, Tacoma. In 1911, his principal races were in Yakima, Tacoma and Vancouver, besides a number of minor racing events in the Northwest. 1912 saw him driving in the same events and in the same territory. In 1913 he made quite a reputation driving at Tacoma, Vancouver and on the Portland speedway. In 1913 and 1914 he won the P. I. reliability tour. In 1914 he drove in one of the Tacoma races, and rode as mechanician with Guy Ruckstall. Later he joined Pullen, and was with him when he broke the world's record at Corona.
F. A. Schultz.
F. A. Schultz, who will ride with Louis Nikrent in the Baby Mercer, was born in Trenton, 24 years ago, and has come up as one of the experts in the Mercer factory in his home town. Schultz has been relief mechanician on the Mercer racing team in 1913 and 1914. This is his first year as a regular member of a crew.
C. Quicksell.
C. Quicksell, who is to act as mechanician for Caleb Bragg, a Trenton boy 38 years old, has been with the Mercer people as factory expert for several years, and has acted always as one of the mechanicians. This, however, is the first time that he has been a member of a regular driving crew, and comes West to act for the noted millionaire driver.
R. Dutton.
R. Dutton, who will act as mechanician with Earl Cooper, was born in Rochester, N. Y., 27 years ago. In the early part of last year he joined Cooper as mechanician in the races at Tacoma, and since that time has been the assistant to this well known California driver.
Dave Louis.
Dave N. Lewis is a Native Son, having been born in Los Angeles 34 years ago, and will be mechanician for Howard Wilcox. Between 1902 and 1905 he acted as driver and mechanician in the White steam car racing team. Between 1905 and 1910 he was out of the game, but returned at the latter date and joined Teddy Tetzlaff, with whom he rode until the beginning of 1912, when he joined the Stutz combination. His most prominent event in that year was in the race held over the Santa Monica course. In 1913 he went East and drove all summer on the Brighton Beach course, where he won the title of the "Race King of Brighton Beach." In 1914, he drove 120 h. p. F. I. A. T. in the Corona race, and came back this year to join the Stutz team as Wilcox's partner.
Jack Rooney.
J. A. Rooney, who will act as Gil Anderson's mechanician on the Stutz car, was born in Waltham, Mass., 32 years ago. He began as a mechanician in 1909, and in 1910 and 1911 was with Frank Lee when he was driving the fast Alco car. In 1912 he was in the light-class contest at the Milwaukee meet. In 1913 he joined the Stutz racing team, and since that date has been racing with Gil. Anderson.
Walter McHenry.
McHenry, who will ride with Louis Disbrow in his Simplex as mechanician, has acted in the same capacity for Teddy Tetzlaff in 1912. He has also been at the wheel of racing cars in some of the prominent contests held in Honolulu.
"Bob" Hopkins.
Robert S. Hopkins, who will act as mechanician on the Edward's Special, is 36 years old, being born in Brockville, Ontario, Canada. Hopkins has been an expert mechanic, but this is the first time that he has ridden in the extra seat in a racing car.
Harry Rose.
Harry Rose, who will be with Kennedy in the Edward's Special, was born in San Francisco, 24 years ago. He has been riding with Kennedy in the Santa Monica races, the Tacoma speedway, and other events, as well as in the Portola and Panama races over the Oakland, Haywards course. In some of the coast races he has been mechanician for Teddy Tetzlaff. He has signed up to follow the Edward's Special through its racing program for 1915, a car which he has built.
——The famous Yellowstone Trail was put on the map of Portland for all time recently by A. L. Love, of Bozeman, Mont., who made a speech before the Portland Automobile Dealers' Association at the Commercial Club. "The Yellowstone Trail has been blazoned from St. Paul to Montana already, and yellow guide signs are plastered intermittently, in some places on every telephone pole. Arrangements already have been made to extend the highway and post the Trail signs as far as Spokane."
Some of the Cars that will Race at The Exposition
Speed Burners that will Make Motor Car History of the World
Motor car racing, especially in classic events, has horse racing "beat a mile" for uncertainty. Form plays a most prominent part in the latter, while with the former the element of luck is so prominent that past performances do not furnish enough material to absolutely make the picking of a winner possible.
There are four elements to be considered in the victory of a motor car contest: the car, the driver, the mechanician, and last, but not least, luck.
We here give the history of the cars, the driver and the mechanician in the coming races:
"Californian."
The "Californian," to be driven by Caleb Bragg, is a new creation making its bow in the racing game for the first time in the Vanderbilt and Grand Prix races on the Panama-Pacific International Exposition course.
Simplex.
The Simplex, to be driven by Louis Disbrow, is a car especially built for the Vanderbilt and Grand Prix contests this year. It has a stock 50 h. p. motor, 5⅜ bore by 6½ inch stroke. The factory officials had been contemplating the use of a special 75 h. p. motor, but found the new 50 h. p. stock motor so powerful that they decided to use it. This car showed 110 miles per hour on the Long Island Motor Parkway. The Simplex factory re-entered the racing game after an absence of five years. During this period, Disbrow used a Simplex for track work and captured over 43 events. The Simplex racing history includes several victories in the early 24 hour contests, the Lowell race. El Paso to Phoenix road contest, match race between the Simplex and F. I. A. T., Cyclone and several other very prominent racing contests.
The Overland Entry.
The Overland entry, which is entered in the Vanderbilt and Grand Prix races, is a regular stock car tuned up by the driver, Thomas McKelvy, of Fresno. McKelvy in 1912 stripped this car down for racing, and from that date has raced it in all the prominent races and hill climbs of San Joaquin Valley. It has captured many of the local events.
Mercer Grand Prix Winner.
The Mercer, to be driven by Ruckstall, last year won the Grand Prize International cup with Eddie Pullen at the wheel. It created a new record at the contest both in America and Europe, covering the 403 miles with an average of 77.22 miles per hour. This is the first American car to ever capture this International trophy. It was in second place with one mile to go, with Ruckstall at the wheel in the big Corona contest, when it ran out of gasoline. It was fourth at San Diego when stopped on account of mechanical trouble.
Baby Mercer.
The 298 cubic inch motor Mercer that is to be driven by Nikrent, is the car which Eddie Pullen drove into second place at the Elgin contest and created a new non-stop record up to that time.
Baby Stutz.
Among the Stutz racing cars this season is one which is known as the 296 cubic inch motor racer. It is one of the mysteries of the Vanderbilt and Grand Prix contests. It has only been run into the freight cars and off again in San Francisco since it was built, to be given its maiden race in the Blue Ribbon contest. The car is to be driven by Gil Anderson.
Stutz.
The other member of the Stutz stable, formerly driven by Gil Anderson, will be guided by "Howdy" Wilcox. Its first start was in 1914 in the Indianapolis speedway big event. From there it was raced in Sioux City, and then took second place in the Elgin race, losing the honors by 44 seconds.
Cooper's Stutz.
Of the other Stutz warriors. Earl Cooper's No. 8 made its initial bow to the public last year in the Indianapolis speedway contest. After this event. Cooper brought it West, and won the free-for-all in Fresno and Phoenix. Cooper then raced it in the Corona contest, and had second place well in hand when he went out of the contest for minor trouble. The car has celebrated the 1915 racing season by winning the San Diego road race with Cooper at the wheel.
Edward's Special.
Edward's car is one of the smallest in the Vanderbilt and Grand Prix races, being under the 300 cubic inch motor displacement. This will be the first time that this model has been raced in public.
Mercer Record Holder.
The Mercer speed record holder, to be driven by Pullen, made its initial bow last year. It took second in the Sioux City meet, and was leading in both the Elgin races at the time, being driven by Spencer Wishart, when put out of the contest by an accident. Its next appearance was at the historical contest over the Corona course, when Pullen created a new record of 87.89 miles per hour for the course of 301 miles.
Good Roads Club at Bakersfield
"If plans formulated by the Inyo Good Roads Club are carried through. Bakersfield will be the terminus of the Midland transcontinental road which will here connect with the State Highway to Los Angeles," says the Bakersfield correspondent of the Los Angeles Times.
"In a letter, G. W. Scott, secretary of the Inyo Good Roads Club, urging support of the project, outlines the proposed route as follows:
"The Midland Trail, running from New York through Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, Denver, Grand Junction, Green River, Salt Lake City, Ely, Tonopah and Goldfield, enters California at the center of its eastern boundary.
"The first town reached after crossing the State border is Big Pine, Inyo County. Here the motorist will have the choice of two routes. One extends north, via Bishop, Mammoth and Bridgeport to Tahoe, from which points the way to San Francisco would be through Sacramento.
"The other route follows the beautiful El Camino Sierra through Independence and Lone Pine to Freemans, where it cuts through Walkers Pass, and joins the State Highway at this city. The northern branch would be open only in summer, and the remainder of the year all travelers on the great Midland trail would pass through Bakersfield."
How The Vanderbilt and Grand Prix Races Were Secured
William L. Hughson Has Put San Francisco on the Motor Car Racing Map
San Francisco thinks, eats, drinks and lives nothing but automobile racing at the present time. The fact that for the first time in the history of the Vanderbilt and Grand Prix cups these trophies, the most important in the automobile history of the world, will be contested in this city, has turned aside the thoughts of the man of the West from other pleasures and the more serious thoughts of business.
These races will be fitting to mark the early days of what has been acknowledged to be the greatest exposition the world has ever known, and while many felt that, considering the importance of the occasion it would be nothing but natural that those who control the destinies of these cups should have granted this city the privilege of holding the contests, they were not secured without a struggle.
San Francisco has never been badly "bitten" by the motor racing bug, and contests of this kind have never been profitable. Southern California has spent thousands and thousands of dollars in advancing the interest in this sport, and this section of the State, with its just claims, came very near securing the contest for 1915.
That this city will hold these events has only been made possible through the public enthusiasm of Wm. L. Hughson, for years identified with the automobile industry on the coast.
While East in January, 1914, Hughson took up the subject of securing these classics for San Francisco for 1915 with Fred J. Wagner, the famous starter. At that time plans were formulated to ask the Motor Cups Holding Committee to award its sanction, providing it would be satisfactory to the A. A. A. officials and the drivers.
On returning to San Francisco in February it was suggested by a member of the Press that it would be a splendid idea to have the races here. The scheme was taken up with the Motor Car Dealers' Association, and they were very enthusiastic, agreeing to give their support and electing Hughson chairman of the committee to secure these events.
In order to find out what the feeling amongst the drives might be, Hughson made a trip to Los Angeles and interviewed them after the Vanderbilt and Grand Prix was held at Santa Monica.
Hughson made the trip, and while there found that San Francisco was going to have strong opposition from Los Angeles. So thinking to harmonize matters, he suggested to the Los Angeles committee that they should ask for the Grand Prix race and we would ask for the Vanderbilt.
Returning to San Francisco with Wagner and some of the drivers, Hughson went over the situation, and it was decided to select a course through Golden Gate Park. Then it occurred to him that it would be a splendid drawing card to hold it in the Exposition grounds if possible. The matter was taken up with Hollis E. Cooley, chief of Special Events, who was very enthusiastic. He presented the matter before the Exposition officials, who were finally induced to join the Motor Car Dealers' Association to promote the races.
The next step was to secure the sanction of the Motor Cups Holding Committee. After an exchange of a number of telegrams, it was found necessary that some one should go East to attend a conference on April 23d.
Hughson was appointed to make the trip, accompanied by Hollis E. Cooley. On arriving, much to their surprise they found the meeting had been postponed for one month—at the request of certain San Francisco people, who wished to hold the events for personal gains. When it was explained to W. K. Vanderbilt, Jr., he most kindly had H. P. Anderson, secretary of the Motor Cups Holding Committee, set the date of the meeting ten days later, giving all who had applications in, time to arrive.
Vanderbilt assured Hughson that he was in favor of giving the events to the Exposition, and v/hen the meeting finally took place, he showed his loyalty by inducing the rest of the committee to not only give us the Vanderbilt but also the Grand Prix event.
In order to do this, it v/as necessary for the committee to change the distance from 8 miles to approximately 4 miles, which was as long a course as was possible inside the Exposition grounds. This is the first of these races that was ever attempted on an enclosed course, and the result will be eagerly awaited with interest.
It has been customary to have these events starting at daylight, so as to have clear roads and avoid accidents, as they were run over public highways. Those who have been fortunate to attend the events in the East will remember well leaving New York in the middle of the night in order to secure good locations and be on hand for the start.
Now the Exposition will give this Coast a chance to see these two big events comfortably and safely, having the United States Government troops to patrol the course.
Grand stands with seating capacity for 75,000, protected by heavy wire netting and steel rails three feet from the course, will give absolute protection.
Shot the Tire
Officer C. R. Fisher had an experience recently with a speed violator that will be remembered by the fast driver for some time. When Fisher called him to halt, the man stopped the machine and quickly jumped out of the car, thinking something was wrong with his machine, and when told that he had violated the speed law and was under arrest, the man became angry and stated that he would not accompany the officer to Lodi; then jumped into the car, which was a self-starter and tried to run away from the officer, who quickly drew his gun and shot a hole in the rear tire, after which it was no trouble to catch the man again, and the penitent one then offered no resistance to accompanying the officer to Stockton, where he appeared before Justice Parker.
The automobilist, who happened to be Edward L. da Roza, a winery and vineyard man residing at Galt, was brought before Justice Parker. He was released on depositing $50 cash bail, and his trial was set for a later date.
Mr. Dickie of the Automobile Club of Northern
California Suggests Simple Formula
A. C. Briggs, Esq.,
Sec'y Automobile Club of Northern Cal. Mills Building, San Francisco, Cal.
Dear Mr. Briggs:
I enclose an article on the subject of an automobile formula which is based on pure science, combined with practical experience in testing gas engines, and which I believe will be fair to the automobile owner, while at the same time placing a premium on brains and honest effort of the automobile manufacturers.
Trusting that the enclosed will be satisfactory, I beg to remain.
Yours very truly,
David W. Dickie.
Formula
| Bore ⨯ Bore ⨯ Stroke ⨯ No. Cylinders |
10 |
On account of the agitation caused by the apparent injustice of the present automobile formula used by the engineering department of the State of California, the writer begs to offer the above as the solution of the problem.
As an example take the case of a Pope 4-cylinder 1912, 50 h. p. 4¼ bore x 5½ stroke, the State formula gives the following:
Bore + Stroke ⨯ Bore ⨯ No. Cylinders ⨯ .224＝4¾, + 5½ ⨯ 43¾ ⨯ 4 ⨯ .224＝43.624 horsepower.
Then take the Pierce Arrow 1911 six-cylinder 36 h. p. 4 Bore ⨯ 5⅛ Stroke, the State formula gives the following:
4 + 5⅛ ⨯ 4 ⨯ 6 ⨯ .224—49.05 h. p.
It will be noted that the cubic inches of space in the cylinders in the case of the Pope is 389.864, while in the case of the Pierce-Arrow it is only 386.406, while at the same time the formula gives a horsepower for the Pierce-Arrow 5.426 greater, a manifest injustice.
We will not discuss the question of making the tax in proportion to the horsepower beyond saying that the intervals between the horsepower ratings which is used as a basis for the tax appear to the writer to be altogether too great.
The formula suggested by the writer is based on the one used by the steam engineering profession for arriving at the horsepower of steam engines, and has been thoroughly tried out in practice and found correct. The only difference is that he has simplified it so it could be used by one not having an engineering training. It is as follows:
| P ⨯ L ⨯ A ⨯ R ⨯ N | ＝Horsepower |
| 2 ⨯ 33000 |
The meanings of the letters follow:
P—Mean effective pressure of the explosion of the gas in the cylinder.
L—The length of the stroke.
A—Area of the cylinder—Bore ⨯ Bore ⨯ .7854.
R—Revolutions of the motor.
N—Number of cylinders.
2—Factor caused by the fact that an explosion occurs in the cylinder on alternate revolutions only.
33000—Number of foot pounds of work in a horsepower.
For the Pope engine the formula works out as follows: where the mean effective pressure is taken as six to correspond with the other condition of taking the stroke in inches instead of feet which the engineering profession does.
| 6 ⨯ 5½ ⨯ 4¾ ⨯ 4¾ ⨯ .7854 ⨯ 1500 ⨯ 4 | ＝ 53.1617 |
| 2 x 33000 | horsepower |
For the Pierce-Arrow the formula would be as follows:
| 6 ⨯ 5⅛ ⨯ 4 ⨯ 4 ⨯ 7854 ⨯ 1500 ⨯ 6 | ＝ 52.6932 h. p. |
| 2 ⨯ 33000 |
It will be seen in the above formulas that the revolutions are taken as 1500 in each case, and as the revolutions of an automobile engine vary considerably, this is a fair average upon which to base our calculations.
Let us assemble some of the factors of the formula and it automatically simplifies itself as follows:
By taking out the number
| 6 ⨯ 1500 ⨯ .7854 | ＝ .1071 |
| 2 ⨯ 33000 |
the formula takes the form
Bore ⨯ Bore ⨯ Stroke ⨯ No. Cyl. ⨯ .1071
The number .1071 can be taken as 1-10, which is near enough for all practical purposes, and by doing this the formula takes the form
| Bore ⨯ Bore ⨯ Stroke ⨯ No. Cylinders |
| 10 |
While the formula does not agree with the manufacturer's ratings of the above machines, it does give a horsepower which closely represents the true horsepower which the owner is paying for when he buys the machine, and the pardonable pride on the one hand or the modesty of another manufacturer should have nothing to do with the tax rate which the automobile owner should have to pay.
If the ratings were based on the next lowest horsepower to that given by the formula, each owner would be paying in direct proportion to the amount of service which he gets out of his machine, assuming of course that the elegance of fine equipment gives the owner either service or pleasure in proportion to the amount of power which his machine actually has.
It is also true that, with a given bore and stroke, ft is possible by superior design and close attention to refinement in minute detail for one man to get more power than another out of the same dimensions, and accordingly the formula suggested acts as an incentive for a high grade man to aim at high efficiency.
The present method of rating with such large intervals leaves an opening for a manufacturer to make a lower grade article and advertise it as being better than it is, without there being any public display of the fact.
Anybody familiar with the subject knows that in some of the lower priced cars that just come under 30 h. p. the hill climbing and speed possibilities are greater than some of the better priced cars rating 20 h. p. higher according to the State formula, a difference that does not look to be just, and does not appear to the writer to be necessary when the matter can be adjusted so simply.
David W. Dickie.
To Beautify Roads
A method by which streets and boulevards in cities may be beautified despite the backwardness of property owners is provided in a bill introduced in the Senate by Thompson of Los Angeles.
The bill gives the city council or board of supervisors the power to decide what streets shall be beautified by the planting of trees, flowers and grass along the parkways, and that this work may be carried out by the city at the expense of the property benefited. A special tax assessment is provided. This work is to be under supervision of the superintendent of parks.
THE ASSET OF MANKIND
Road Information That Tells of the Coming Prosperity to Sections Being Improved
Orange County Building Good Highway.
When Orange County builds its coast boulevard from Seal Beach to Serra there will be opened to those who travel by automobile a wonderful drive through sand dunes and summer resorts, beside broad beaches and the still waters of bays, on the crests of bluffs and across promontories that reach out into the shimmering sea, along a short line where breakers forever roll in to lash themselves into foam.
When that road is finished a motorist may stand for a drive that will take him from Los Angeles through Long Beach to the Orange County line at Alamitos Bay. Seal Beach, Sunset Beach, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Arch Beach and Serra—these are the points along the Orange County coast that he will see.
On the return trip he may journey by the inland route on the State highway, by way of the pleasant mission valley of San Juan Capistrano, the rolling hills of El Toro, the vast bean fields of Irvine, the splendid tree-lined drives of Tustin, the orchards of Santa Ana, Anaheim, Fullerton and La Habra, into the Whittier country.
As yet, the coast boulevard can be designated as a project and a certainty. While there is a movement afoot to hasten the realization of the plans, still it may not bring about the early construction of the road.
However, the Orange County Board of Supervisors is committed to the plan of building the road. In fact, the county has already started the work. A bridge has been built at Anaheim Bay, and a paved road has been constructed between Seal Beach and Sunset Beach.
Orange County has almost finished the construction of 107 miles of good roads provided for in the original plans under which $1,270,000 bonds were issued, and the County Highway Commission and the Board of Supervisors have been considering the disposal of some $240,000 that remains in the highway fund.
The determination and spirit with which the boosters for the coast boulevard are handling their project can be surmised from the fact that they offered to raise by subscription $100,000 to put with $160,000 of the county's money to build the coast boulevard clear through from Seal Beach to Serra, which is located on the beach three miles below San Juan Capistrano.
W. T. Newland of Huntington Beach, a county highway commissioner, recommended to the Board of Supervisors that $500,000 additional bonds be voted so that interior roads that are petitioned for and the coast boulevard can both be built within the next year. Newland's scheme proposes dividing the coast road off into sections, as follows : Seal Beach to Huntington Beach, six miles; Huntington Beach to Newport Beach, 2.20 miles; Newport avenue to Corona del Mar, four miles; Corona del Mar to Laguna Beach, eight miles; Laguna Beach to Serra, nine miles.
At the present time each of the beach towns has a paved road reaching from the town inland. It is proposed by the coast boulevard to unite the ends of these roads with one that will not only give easy access from one city to another, but will provide a coast automobile trip the like of which is not to be found anywhere on this coast.
Variety will be a feature. When one has felt the charm of the beaches along the lowlands, where threads of tidewater reach back into ponds and deep boating channels, he will pass on lo the rougher, more picturesque attractions of the rugged coast below Newport Bay.
Newport Bay itself is a bigger and more beautiful bay than is generally realized. Its charms and beauty will be best seen from the boulevard that is to be built.
The coast road from Seal Beach to Newport Beach, most of the way would parallel the Pacific Electric.
From Newport Bay to Laguna Beach is a stretch of coast across the property of the Irvine Company not now open to travel by vehicles of any kind. Private roads used by grain and bean growers indicate the feasibility of road building at no great expense.
From Laguna Beach, which is joined to the State Highway at Irvine by a paved road that traverses beautiful Laguna Canyon, adored by artists and others who cannot paint but who can look out upon nature and be thrilled, to Serra, a good dirt road is already in use. While the State road is being built between Irvine and Serra many automobilists journeying to San Diego turn off at Irvine, go to Laguna Beach and follow the coast down to Serra.
All along this coast line the hills and mesas come down by the water. Jutting into the blue depths of the ocean are points of rocks. Between the points are coves with sandy beaches.
The glittering sea, the pounding of the waters, the deep moss grown tide channels, the magnificent views from promontories and bluffs, the setting of the sun in wonderfully beautiful skies, these are some of the things that some day Orange County is going to make easy of access to all Southern California.
San Ardo Wants Road.
For the past two or three years, especially since the inauguration of the proposed State highways, there has been considerable agitation relative to a "valley-to-coast" highway to connect the San Joaquin Valley at Coalinga with this valley at King City or San Lucas. San Ardo has awakened to the fact that such a connecting highway would be very advantageous to her prosperity, and she is now competing with her two sister towns, King and San Lucas, to become the connecting point in Salinas Valley.
To Close Unused Roads.
Any freeholders, providing two are residents of a given road district, may be able to abolish or discontinue the use of any public highway providing the same is proven unnecessary for public use by filing a petition with the Board of Supervisors if a bill introduced by Senator Breed of Oakland becomes a law. The bill provides that following the filing of such a petition the Board of Supervisors shall call a hearing, and if it is decided that the highway is not needed will order it vacated, the property in which case will revert to its former owners free of any public easement.
An Era of Good Roads.
California has entered fully on a good roads era. The State Highway forms the main artery in one of the best systems of good roads in the West, if not in the Union.
The various counties through which this passes, have enthusiastically joined in the good work, and we have, radiating from it, county roads, many of almost equal excellence, reaching into interior points of such counties.
This great work will be continued, having once been well started, until every remote portion of our State will be within reach, through most excellent roads, available summer and winter.
Two great causes have contributed largely to this improvement in our highways: First, the demands of the automobile; secondly, the great exposition.
The open winters of California and her glorious summers made the automobile more available in California than in other States, and there has been a much larger per centage of these machines purchased here than in any other State in the Union. This gave rise to the urgent demand for better roads and the agitation, once started, grew in intensity until the demands were filled.
The prospective influx of visitors during this exposition year put us on our mettle and spurred us to quicker action. We shall have tens of thousands of visitors here during the year and we do not want them to go away with a bad opinion of California enterprise. So we have made them excellent roads to travel over which they come.
A third, the most important object of all, but which would never have had any effect but for the others, is the opening of our markets to the producers. This, after all, will be the greatest benefit which our good roads will bestow upon the State.
Our farmers are now enabled to reach the markets with their products at any time of the year, at least from such sections as the improved roads reach, and they can take advantage of the demand for products as they never could, where the roads are impassable from mud and storms for several months in the year.
Good roads are advantageous to the automobilist, a pleasure to the visitor, but they will prove of the greatest pecuniary benefit to the farmer after all.
Some framers have got them and appreciate them, all others will have them and it will not be many years before there will be few places so remote that they will not be within easy reach of the traveler the year around, or over which the farmer will not be able to reach his market at any time he may choose to go.—Stockton Record.
Tulare County and its Roads.
That construction work on the State Highway through Tulare County should begin as soon as is consistent, but that the present routing should be changed to go by way of Mooney Grove, was the sense of the delegates at the meeting of the Tulare County Highway Association held here recently.
The sentiment of the meeting in this regard was opened by a motion by W. P. Boone of Dinuba to the effect that if the supervisors could get together on a routing acceptable to the State Highway Commission that they present that routing, and an agreement to finance the bonds and build the bridges along that route.
The arguments on the highway situation were widely varied from the contention of Senator Larkins, who thought that the roads should be built by direct tax, each supervisorial district spending $150,000 per year on better roads for their sections, to the suggestion of W. B. Nichols of Dinuba that the certain parts of the country wanting good roads and willing to build them get together, formulate a special road district and go to bat with the proposition again. Others favored county unity and said the best thing was to hold the entire county together and get good roads for the whole county.
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From Here, There and Everywhere
Items of Interest Gathered From Motoring Centers of the World
Paris 'Buses Before the War.
"Your numbers, messieurs!" yells the conductor, as a Parisian auto 'bus charges up to the curb.
And a throng of prospective passengers jostle about his platform, flourishing small tickets of colored paper. "Forty-seven!" he calls, reading off the number of the lowest ticket offered him. "Forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty!" he continues—"and that'll be all!"
A jerk of the bell cord, and off darts the loaded 'bus.
This scene is bewildering at first to the foreigner, yet it really manifests the detailed efficiency of the wonderful Paris auto 'bus service, a service of urban transportation which until the war demoralized it was next to London's, the finest in the world.
The Paris 'buses stop only at certain fixed points. Here, in an ornamental shelter house, or attached to an arc-lamp post, is a small case of numbered paper tabs, much like the pad of soda checks at a drug store fountain.
Each would be passenger, as soon as he reaches the stop, tears off the top number, and when the 'bus arrives, the conductor lets the waiting people on in the order of the numbers which they hold, showing the order of their arrival at the stop.
The Paris auto 'buses carry thirty-two or thirty-four passengers each. The last available figures showed over one thousand of these 'buses in Paris, running on nearly two hundred miles of streets.
The passenger on a Paris auto 'bus can ride in all the luxury of a private limousine, if he chooses to pay a "high" rate of fare—that is, a fare as high as American street car companies demand for the privilege of suspending oneself to their famous straps.
The Paris 'bus is divided into two compartments, first and second class. First class compartment seats are covered with red leather. All the fittings are highly polished, the ceilings are white, the whole compartment is beautifully clean, well-lighted and unmarred by ugly advertising cards.
For two cents you can ride a distance of 1⅞ miles in second class, 3 cents being the first class price. For three cents second class and 5 cents first you can ride the entire length of the line.
In addition, there are special workingmen's rates. All those taking a 'bus before 7 :30 a. m. are entitled to ride in any part of the 'bus for second class fare, and by paying 1 cent in addition to the regular fare, receive a return ticket good coming back on the same line at any time the second afternoon. Thus for 4 cents a workingman can go across town in the morning and return home at night. The same trip in an American city would cost probably 10 cents.
The congestion in the central Paris streets is often extraordinary, yet the 'buses make remarkably good time, and accidents are few. Moreover, many Paris streets are extremely narrow and tortuous, the pavements are in many places no better than in American cities, and there are numerous severe grades to climb. In addition, the fuel oils are expensive, being heavily taxed both by the State and the city. Yet in spite of these difficulties, the company was making money before the war, and the Paris populace was thoroughly satisfied with the service.
Woman's Wit.
Miss Frances B. Ludlow, 20 years old, of 20 Euclid avenue, Yonkers, offered what Magistrate Krotel declared was the best excuse he had ever heard when she was arraigned in the Morrisania court, charged with running her automobile at the rate of thirty-two miles an hour. "I saw a motorcycle behind me," explained Miss Ludlow. "He was coming so fast I was actually afraid he was going to run into me. I went faster and faster, trying to keep out of his way and avoid an accident, but he put on more speed until he shot past me, and then he held up his hand for me to stop, announcing he was an officer. Why, I was never so surprised in my life." The magistrate grinned as he suspended sentence, but he warned Miss Ludlow to be more careful in future.
Some Hike for Help.
After walking eighteen miles and a half from a point between Chico and Oroville on the Oroville road, Mrs. George Daniels and Miss Leola Stewart, the latter with one of her shoes missing, arrived in Chico at 10:30 one night recently.
The automobile in which they had been riding toward Chico had become stranded eleven miles from Chico at four o'clock Monday afternoon. They were given a ride back seven miles and a half in another automobile to a house where they could telephone for help. They telephoned to Chico to get another automobile to tow the stranded machine and themselves to Chico. Help didn't arrive. A local taxicab man with a machine started to the rescue. He was the help that didn't arrive. He failed to locate the women. They waited until dark and then started to walk. Although only five and a half miles from Oroville, they picked Chico for their destination and started to "hoof it." They had two streams to cross. One was deep enough to force them to remove their shoes. Miss Stewart lost one on the way across and came the rest of the way with only one shoe.
Cities Can Pass Auto Laws.
Cities possess absolute sovereign powers in the enactment of all municipal legislation and can enact both civil and criminal laws pertaining to municipal affairs, without the slightest interference by the legislature, according to a decision rendered recently by the Oregon Supreme Court in the case of Peter Kalich vs. F. C. Knapp. Knapp brought the action to recover damages sustained in a collision with an automobile driven by the defendant in Portland, contending that the defendant was driving at an unlawful rate of speed. To prove negligence in that respect, the plaintiff offered some ordinances of the City of Portland limiting the speed of vehicles. State Circuit Judge Henry E. McGinn sustained an objection to the introduction of these ordinances on the ground that they had been superceded by an act of the legislature known as the Oregon motor vehicle law. Last June, Supreme Court Justice Chas. N. McNary reversed this decision, and, on a rehearing, majority members of the court upheld the reversal.
Salesmen are Not Chauffeurs.
According to an opinion by the Attorney-General of Illinois, salesmen employed in automobile establishments hereafter will not be classed as chauffeurs. They will, therefore, not be required to obtain driving licenses in order to be permitted to demonstrate cars to prospective customers.
Autos for War.
During September, the second month of the war, Canada imported from the United States 260 automobiles, as compared with 253 in September, 1913. Total imports for the nine months of 1914, however, show a contraction of 1,406, this year's imports being 3,854, against 5,260 in 1913.
War Tax on Motorists.
Motorists of this country are not going to escape a direct war tax after all. New Jersey and New York have already decided that according to the wording of the new war tax measure, all applications for license to drive or own a car must be accompanied by a 10 cent revenue stamp. Even motorcyclists will have to pay.
Russia Buys Cars.
During the first six months of the present year Russia imported automobiles valued at $4,895,500. The imports of automobile parts and parts for bicycles and motorcycles for the same period amounted to $902,500.
Alcohol Out of Autoing.
As further indicating how alcohol is finding its way out of the automobile industry, it is pertinent to observe that the members of the Philadelphia Automobile Trade Association spent during the past year $1,200 for food at its daily luncheons, and $33 for drinks.
Pioneer Builder Dead.
Dr. J. W. Carhart, who is said to have built the first self-propelled vehicle, died i.i San Antonio, Tex., recently, aged 84. He was honored recently by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers in resolutions recognizing him as. the pioneer in the automobile business. He was a retired physician and minister, and formerly lived at Racine, Wis.
Fine for Drunken Drivers.
Intoxicated persons who operate automobiles on the streets or highways will be subject to a fine of not less than $10 or more than $50, if a measure to be introduced by Senator Allen of Iowa is adopted by the general assembly of that State. The bill provides that persons who are in charge of automobiles shall be sober, and that persons under the influence of liquor shall be barred from the use of the country roads.
A Fisherman's Turn Next.
Wm. Rawson, Woodland rancher, was badly frightened recently. The reason: William is a law abiding citizen, and he was responsible for the death of a handsome deer—and a doe at that—whereas the open season for such game closed last August.
Hurrying to the telephone immediately after the deed was done, Rawson called for Game Warden Lee Sinkey. "I've killed a deer," said Rawson. Then the rancher explained how it happened. "Oh, that's all right," answered the game warden. "I'll be out in the morning."
The officer returned to Woodland with the remains. As is provided for by the law, the meat was distributed among some deserving poor families. How the doe met its death is a strange tale—but "truth is always stranger than fiction." Rawson was driving his automobile. The light scared up three deer out of the brush. The doe of the flock frightened and attempted to leap a fence. It missed, however, and broke its neck
Natural Auto License.
Pacific Coast motorists, in common with those from the remainder of the country, must wait a while longer for legislation by Congress making automobile tags general throughout the United States. The Adamson bill, having this for its motive, will not be pressed during the present session.
"In view of the condition of business in the two houses, I shall not undertake to press my bill at this time," said Judge Adamson of Georgia, chairman of the House Committee on Interstate and Foreign commerce, to the Times correspondent. "It is my belief, however, that when Congress is ready to legislate on this important question it should do so along the lines of my bill."
The Adamson bill will be introduced in the next Congress and pressed for passage in both houses. There will probably be no difficulty in putting it through the House, and there may be none in putting it through the Senate. The legislation has been asked for by more than a million users of automobiles. The following quotation from the Adamson bill gives its general scope:
"No person who shall have qualified by complying with the laws and regulations of the State, territory or district of his residence to use and operate such vehicle or vehicles, shall be required in any other State, territory or district into which he may go for business or pleasure to make any additional registration, or take out any additional license in order to use and operate any such machines."
In other words, it is the purpose of the Adamson bill to nationalize the automobile license, making a license taken out in Washington State, for instance, good in any part of the United States, and not continuing in use the present arrangement of requiring a Washington State man to take out licenses in every State which he nay visit.
Good Roads Increase Values
The value of good roads was demonstrated recently at a session of the San Joaquin Valley supervisors. The county fathers had road matters under discussion when Ralph P. Lane, the well known real estate dealer, walked in to take up a business matter with the board.
"If you want to know what good roads are doing for the county," said Mr. Lane, "I'll recite a little incident. The other day four or five real estate men happened to meet, and during the conversation, one mentioned a certain piece of property and said that he'd like to have each one present jot down on a piece of paper just what he thought the land was worth. It happened that three years ago I offered $65 an acre for the property and the owner asked $75. I didn't buy. I hadn't kept in touch with that piece of property since, and so I jotted down on a piece of paper $75. The other fellows wrote down $125, $130, and so on. the lowest being $125. When they saw my figure they gave me the ha, ha. They said, 'Why, don't you know that that land has gone up since the good roads were built?' I did not realize that the property was accessible to the good roads."
Mr. Lane then asked the supervisors to improve Murray ferry road in Dent township, promising the county a donation of $10 per acre for each of his 160 acre holding if the supervisors would improve the road.
"I have about 200 tons of hay on my ranch that I can't move now on account of the condition of the road. If I were on the good roads I could get $3 more per ton than I would have received by selling before the roads became impassable."
⸻The fiscal year for the Massachusetts highway commission which controls motor cars in the Bay State, ended November 30th, and the figures just compiled show that motorists contributed a large amount of money to the State this year, a total of $965,669.59.
Up Mount Hood Over the Snow
Government Camp is Reached After Three Hours of Driving
The distinction of having piloted the first automobile past Rhododendron Inn and on toward Mount Hood in the month of January was won quite innocently by Robert A. Hudson recently.
Bundled up in Hudson's car, Mr. and Mrs. Hudson and Mr. and Mrs. Ben A. Bellamy slid out of town at 10 o'clock Sunday morning, aiming in the general direction of Mount Hood. They now admit frankly that they didn't expect to get there, but they were starting on a sort of dare expressed at a dinner party the night previous.
"Ben, let's go to Mount Hood to-morrow," Hudson had ventured good-naturedly.
"We'd never get there in a hundred years," was the reply.
But just for the lark of the thing they agreed that they would make a dash at it anyhow.
The trip came near the end of the long cold spell which Portland experienced during the greater portion of last month, and consequently the roads were as hard, though not as smooth as pavement. Such a time, when both dust and mud are entirely unknown quantities on the road leading to Mount Hood is indeed rare.
"There certainly were a great plenty of chuckholes," recounted Hudson. "But by keeping one wheel in the middle of the road and the opposite one near the outer edge of the highway the trip was really actually easier for the careful driver than many I have taken in the middle of summer. In fact, I have been over nearly every foot of road in Oregon, but I must say that my recent trip to Mount Hood was the best I have ever taken, not excepting drives to Newport, Tillamook and up the McKenzie."
After three hours of driving out of Portland, the daring party was past Rhododendron Inn and within three miles of Government Camp, on Mount Hood. Even then, if they hadn't been "so blooming hungry," as Hudson expressed it, and been drawn back to the inn for eats, they could have made the camp easily, they say.
Hudson first struck snow about four miles this side of Welches, and the machine was plowing through a fall of four or five inches when it was ordered about face to answer the call of the human appetite.
At the inn they were delighted with the information given by the keepers that their car was the first to reach that point as early in the year as January. To make their fame certain, they examined the register and found that no automobile party had ascended that high in January. Nearly a year ago, in February, Walter Giffard, then automobile reporter on The Oregonian, with a party of automobile men broke all records for priority of
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expedition, but it remained for Hudson's recent dare to transfer the award to the bonnet of his car.
"A condition like we encountered might not exist again in 50 years," says Hudson. "I think it would be impossible for me or any one else to repeat the feat now without great difficulty, because rain has made the ground soft again. Just to prove the condition of the road, we left the inn on our return at 4 o'clock, and reached Portland two hours and fifty minutes later, making about fifty miles of travel without even stopping the car once.
'I have been to the mountain six times, and always before I have had to stop for some reason or other, but not so this last time. And always before I have had to have my car washed carefully upon its return, but this time it was not spattered with a speck of mud or dust.
"Also, it was absolutely the cheapest trip of all. It cost me for the round trip ot about 108 miles exactly 15 cents' worth of oil and 7½ gallons of gasoline. I didn't have to look at the radiator for water, and made no adjustment whatever. Of course, I'll admit that I was mighty lucky not to get into some deep rut, but I guess luck is all right when it happens to be of the right brand.
"Just one more thing about going to Mount Hood in January. The scenery there and thereabouts was at its best. Everything that day was as clear as crystal, for there was no smoke or dust to mar our complete view."
SONG OF THE ROAD.
Sing a song of motor cars, a pocketful of dough. Some for dinners and cigars and some to go for show. Some for ferry tolls and tires and some for gasoline, and some for labor that aspires to running the machine.
But yonder is a meadow
All beautiful and fair,
And the yellowbreasted meadowlarks.
Are singing everywhere.
The owner's in the front seat counting up his roll, and the watchman at the toll gate is waiting for his toll. This for that, and that for this, a dollar here and there, and twenty green-backs in a row for going anywhere.
But yonder is an orchard
Immaculately white.
And every blossom beautiful
And dancing in the light.
The madam's in the back seat showing off her clothes, and these are very beautiful, as everybody knows. Dusterets and cravenets, tailor suits and veils, and all the other pretty things they capture at the sales.
But yonder is the dogwood
A-blooming on the hill.
And beauty in its burgeoning
Enough for any bill.
—The Motor News.
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New Rules For Yosemite Valley
More Privileges to be Granted the Motorists Driving Into This Government Reservation
"See California first" is the slogan of David A. Curry, who is touring the State lecturing and showing moving pictures of the Yosemite and the High Sierras.
Curry is preaching the need of better roads into the valley and more roads through this Switzerland of America, the High Sierras.
It was Curry who first gave out the news that there would be only eleven rules for motorists in the Yosemite this year, instead of sixty, as in 1914, according to a writer in the Los Angeles Examiner.
"Every Californian and every visitor should see the Yosemite and the High Sierras," said Curry, "and I believe it is the desire of the people. The pictures I am showing are enthusiastically received everywhere, and when I announced that I would talk at length on automobile roads into the valley the Mozart Theatre would not hold the people. This should be the greatest year this wonderful pleasure ground has ever known.
Interest in Curry's lecture has been so keen the pictures will be continued for a longer time. The complete set of automobile rules for 1915 are as follows:
1. Motorcycles are not permitted to enter the park.
2. Permits.—Automobiles traveling within the metes and bounds of Yosemite National Park will be required to secure a permit from the acting superintendent on arrival at Yosemite, California.
3. Tickets of Passage.—Tickets of passage must be secured from the first ranger station over the road by which the automobile enters the park, payment for which will be made upon presentation of application for permit with fee at Yosemite, as outlined in paragraph 4. This ticket must be conveniently kept, so that it can be exhibited to proper park officers on demand, and, with the permit, must be surrendered to the last ranger station on leaving the park. Automobiles that enter the park and do not come to Yosemite Village to secure a permit, will make payment of $5 in cash to the last ranger station on leaving the park.
4. Application and Fee.—Application for permit must show (a) name of owner, (b) license number of automobile, (c) name of driver, (d) number of passengers, (e) and be accompanied by a fee of $5 for a single round trip in and out of the park, payable in cash or money order upon arrival at paying station. Checks will not be accepted. An additional fee of $1 will be collected from automobiles entering the Mariposa Big Trees.
5. Floor of the Valley.—Motoring on the floor of the Yosemite Valley, except for ingress and egress, is not permitted. Muffler cut-outs must be closed while using automobiles on the floor of the Yosemite Valley.
6. Distance Apart. Gears and Brakes.—Automobiles while in motion must not be less than 100 yards apart. All automobiles, except while shifting gears, must retain their gears constantly in mesh. Every person presenting an automobile for admission to the park will be required to satisfy the guard issuing the ticket of passage that the brakes of his automobile are in first class working order, and for this purpose all automobilists will be required to effectually block and skid the rear wheels with either foot or hand brake, or such other brakes as may be a part of the equipment of the automobile.
7. Speeds.—Speeds must be limited to six (6) miles per hour in descending steep grades. In ascending, the speed must not exceed nine (9) miles per hour. On good roads with straight stretches, when approaching teams may be visible, the speed may be increased to twelve (12) miles per hour, but in no case must it exceed fifteen (15) miles per hour.
8. Teams.—When teams, saddle horses or pack trains approach, automobiles will take position on outer edge of roadway, regardless of the direction in which they may be going, taking care that sufficient room is left on the inside for the passage of vehicles and animals. Teams have the right of way and automobiles will be backed or otherwise handled as may be necessary so as to enable teams to pass with safety. Automobiles will stop when teams approach and remain at rest until teams have passed or until the person in charge of the animals is satisfied regarding their safety. If the approaching animals manifest signs of fear, the motor must be stopped and such assistance given by the automobile driver as may be necessary. Signal with horn will be given at or near every turn in the road to announce to drivers of approaching teams or animals the proximity of an automobile.
9. Route of Departure.—Checking Watches—Automobiles leaving the park may go by any one of the authorized routes of entrance. Automobile drivers should compare their watches with the clocks at checking stations.
10. Fines.—Fines or other punishment will be imposed for arrival of automobiles at any point before approved lapse of time, hereafter given, at the following rates: Fifty cents per minute for each of first five minutes; $1 per minute for each of the next twenty minutes; $25 fine or ejection from the park, or both, in the discretion of the supervisor of the park, for being more than twenty-five minutes early.
11. Penalties.—Violation of any of the foregoing rules or general regulations for government of the park will cause revocation of permit, and in addition to the penalties hereinbefore indicated, will subject the owner of the automobile to any damages occasioned thereby, ejectment from the reservation, and be cause for refusal to issue new permit to the owner without prior sanction in writing from the Secretary of the Interior.
Schedules and Instructions Over Coulterville Road.—Time of arrival and departure. Automobiles may leave the Merced Big Tree Grove Outpost for Yosemite between the hours of 7:00 a. m. and 3:30 p. m. Automobiles leaving the park via the Coulterville road must start from Yosemite Village between the hours of 6:00 a. m. and 4:00 p. m. Automobiles using the Coulterville road may go and come by the Coulterville grade. Automobiles entering must proceed via the Pohono Bridge, Camp Ahwahnee, Yosemite Village, Sentinel Hotel, Camp Curry, Stoneman Bridge, to garage. Camp Lost Arrow, or to the public automobile camping ground, and may leave in the reverse order.
Over Wawona Road.—Time of arrival and departure. Automobiles must leave Wawona for Yosemite or Glacier Point between the hours of 6:00 and 8:00 a. m. Automobiles must leave Glacier Point for Wawona or Yosemite between the hours of 6:00 and 8:00 a. m. Automobiles must leave Yosemite for Wawona or Glacier Point between the hours of 6:00 and 8:00 a. m. in order to avoid meeting horse-drawn stages. Automobiles must arrive at Wawona not later than 11:15 a. m. Automobiles must arrive at Glacier Point not later than 1:45 p. m. Automobiles must arrive on the floor of the Yosemite Valley at the foot of the Wawona Grade near Bridal Veil Falls not later than 12:15 p. m. Automobiles entering the valley must proceed via the main road, Camp Ahwahnee, Yosemite Village, etc. (same as for Coulterville road.)
Passing of horse drawn stages.—If an automobile through accident or other cause is unable to reach its destination within the allotted period of time, it must park on the outer edge of the road when the time is up and wait until the horsedrawn stages coming in from the opposite direction have passed. Necessary information will be obtained from the first stage that passes.
Over Big Oak Flat Road.—Time of arrival and departure. Automobiles must leave the Crane Flat Outpost for Yosemite between the hours of 7 a. m. and 3:30 p. m., and must arrive at the Yosemite Village pay station not later than 6:00 p. m. Automobiles leaving the park via the Big Oak Flat road must start from Yosemite Village between the hours of 6 a. m. and 4 p. m. Automobiles in entering must proceed via the foot of the Big Oak Flat grade, Pohono Bridge, Camp Ahwahnee, Yosemite Village, etc. (Same as for Coulterville road.) Automobiles must not use the road from the foot of the Big Oak Flat grade to Yosemite Village along the north side of the Merced River.
Mariposa Big Tree Grove.—Automobile drivers desiring to enter the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees must apply to the clerk at the Wawona Hotel for information as to the time of leaving Wawona, and to the person in charge of the Log Cabin in the Big Tree Grove as to time of departure from the grove.
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Proposed Coast Military Highway
For the purpose of strengthening the military defenses of the Pacific Coast, which he asserts are being neglected by the Federal Government, Francis W. Harris, of Renton, has drawn plans for a military highway to extend from Port Townsend south through Aberdeen, Portland, Astoria, San Francisco to San Diego.
"We are told that peace is coming, and it is reasonable to suppose that this is true. However, the dove to-day is marked up on the board as 'twenty-four hours late,'" says Mr. Harris. "When peace and disarmament do arrive, the artillery and battleships will be old waste scrap iron and a loss, and there will be practically no salvage. But every dollar that is spent on this military highway will always be a benefit and as good as the day when it was invested.
"The East and Middle West are amply provided with both railroads and highways, and the comforting knowledge that the Rocky Mountains will keep invaders from the West, according to Mr. Harris. The Pacific Slope has an area of about 320,000 square miles and a population of only 4,000,000, and practically no railroads or highways by which troops could be readily mobilized. It has a coast line of 1,000 miles.
"At the present time a highway along the coast is badly needed to distribute troops rapidly from the nearest railway terminals," continues Mr. Harris, in an analysis of the situation. "Between Portland and San Francisco there is only one railroad, and this could not begin to handle an army bound either north or south.
"The rapid development of motor trucks and automobiles of all kinds will make it possible to move an army of 10,000 men from 150 to 300 miles per day, and advance guard and lightly equipped troops at even greater speeds.
"This road will make it possible to follow on land an attacking or raiding party at sea. A comparatively small force can prevent a landing if on the ground, where an army corps would fail to dislodge them if allowed time to intrench. To-day landings can be made on the coast without opposition at a large number of points.
"True, they would be eventually dislodged and repulsed, but only at a heavy loss to ourselves, both in men and in the small towns destroyed.
"This highway would open up a great country to settlement and development. This would result in large quantities of commissary supplies being right on the ground, thus lessening the burden on the army transports, which are the first things to break down in war time. To-day there is not enough food on the coast to keep a corporal's guard in good fighting trim, and our army would have to carry everything with it on a campaign in this country."
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The Dimmer Problem
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Follow the White
Foot Prints
The distinct superiority of Multibestos has been proved time and again, both by engineering tests and in the every-day service of thousands of car owners.
That it may be distinct in appearance as well as in quality, we mark it with "White Foot Prints."
Not only do the "White Foot Prints" protect the users of Multibestos, but they also afford a great convenience to the dealers who are handling it—for the marks are spaced exactly and can be used for measurement when cutting from stock to fill orders.
So we say to car owner and dealer alike:
Follow the white foot prints.
They lead to satisfaction in brake lining.
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Boston—F. Shirley Boyd, 903 Boylston Street
Chicago—F. E. Sparks, 1430 Michigan Boulevard
Philadelphia—N. A. Retry Co , Inc., 1427 Vine Street
San Francisco—Fred Ward & Son, Inc., Corner First and Howard Streets
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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