Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-13
THE HoRsELEss CARRIAGE.
Common I'm France and Now About
to BE introduced in America.

Common In France and Now About
to BE Introduced In America.
II is the expectation of those who have
watched the progress Of the invention of
horseless carriages and their trials abroad
that in comparatively short time these
automatic vehicles will become more or
less common on American streets, although
in the present conditions Of the country
roads in this part of the world it is not
thought that the mechanical carriage will
Immediately become popular as road ma
chine. The recent race between the horse
less carriages from Paris to Bordeaux DEM
orstrated that there has been great i'm
provement in the past year, as the race of
'94 from Paris to Rouen afforded means of
comparison. The "a test covered only a
distance of eighty miles, while that of the
current year covered 726 miles. There was
apparently little gained in the point of
average speed, but the increased distance
showed that the motors that are now dp-
piled to the vehicles can be built so strong
.ly that they will resist the wear Of long
continued run, while not being so heavy as
to impede the progress Of the machine.
The Daimler motor was demonstrated this
year to be the most effective and was
awarded first prize of 5000. These motors
have been perfected to such point that
they are now to be frequently seen on the
streets of Paris and have even passed the
stage when they attract attention by their
passing and repassing along the thorough
fares. In this country they are being man.
ufactured on Long Island, but hitherto
have been made chiefly for marine use,
although preparations are now being made
to apply them to carriages for use In the
city streets. The New York Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will prob
ably soon change from horses to these mo-
tors on its ambulances. 1t is calculated
that the use of the horseless carriage will
be a matter of great economy to such es-
adjustments as the large department stores
of big city, which are now compelled to
maintain expensive stables.
The estimate is that three-horse-power
petroleum engine can be run in the streets
of New York at a cost of cents an hour.
It would do the work of two horses that
would cost many times that sum In sta
bling and feeding. OF course. the cost in a
city like Washington. paved as 1t is with
asphalt would be much less than in a
roughly paved city like New York, as each
engine would make a greater return.
In the Daimler motor the power Is OBJ
tanned by the explosion of gas produced by
the volatilization OF petroleum. naphtha
and similar fluids. AT first some Difficult
ties were encountered in the mechanism,
but these have been overcome by ingenious
oevices. For instance. fly wheel has been
introduced to regulate the force, which Is
otherwise apt to be too great at one period
of the revolution of the piston wheel An
other defect was that when the normal
power of the engine was greater than the
work to be done. too many explosions &C.
CURED and the machine overran itself. To
remedy this an ingenious valve has been
devised that operates much like a governor
on a steam engine. water Jacket has
also been introduced around the explosion
cylinder that prevents overheating, and
thus the obstacles to a more or less per-
feet mechanism have been overcome, until
the machine is today capable of producing
a maximum result at a minimum cost.
1t was found in the PariS-Bordeaux race
that the pneumatic tires were rather a
hindrance than an advantage to the vehi-
cles equipped with them The two-seated
carriage which made the best run had its
running gear seriously damaged, although
its motor was in good condition. Thus far
little or nothing has been done in France
to apply electricity to these vehicles, but it
is expected that there will be something
done in this line in "a short time, now that
the petroleum engine has been practically
perfected and has probably reached the
limit of its performance. The forthcoming
road race between carriages of this sort
from Milwaukee to Chicago will be the first
event of the kind in this country, and will
doubtless attract such general attention
that the era of the horseless carriage in
America Will be said to have begun.