The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-09-01

locomotive, whereas, in this country. It
II regarded as a development OF the
wagon. The Frenchman loves his ma
chlnery. As he speeds along the boule-
ward he likes to have plenty OF wheels
and levers plainly in sight He likes
to sit like a god In his machine, for It
gives him a pleasant sense OF superior
ity to feel that he is guiding such
complicated mechanism. It does not
matter to him II his machine smokes
and rattles and Jars, so long as 1t VIII
go, and go rapidly.
In this country the very fact Of visi-
BILE mechanism makes an automobile
unstable. One manufacturer carries
for his trade line. "a child can run II. )"
He emphasizes the simplicity Of opera
ton and erllarges on how little the op-
orator Is compelled to do instead Of how
much. The American likes to have his
automobile as beautiful as possible, 80
the manufacturer covers UP all the ma
chlnery with a polished carriage box
and makes the vehicle look as much Ike
an aristocratic carriage as he possibly
can.
But In the purely racing automobile
the Frenchmen are far ahead OF the
Americans, although there are indica-
lions that this supremacy will soon be
CHALLENGED. The Frenchman has to his
credit a vehicle which will actually run
at the rate Of a mile a minute. Indeed,
a recent automobile race in Paris has
awakened the interest Of the entire civ
IlIzed world. Previous 10 this race both
NJ, Rene de Knyff and Count Chasse-
loup Laubet, of Paris, had made sixty
miles an hour on an ordinary road
track. But even the records Of these
famous racers have been beaten by NJ.
Jenatxy, with his lightning carriage,
La JamaIs Contente CThe Never Con-
tent. This wonderful vehicle Is built
of sheet iron In the form Of long cigar
or torpedo, so that II plunges through
the air like dart The wheels are very
small. and, Of course. fitted with rubber
tires. There Is a manhole IN the top OF
the vehicle where the driver sits. Just
in front OF 1t there Is a little steering
wheel, and electrical meters to show the
voltage and amperage of the current.
To see La Jamais Contente one would
think that no driver would dare to FISK
his life upon II. And. indeed, after the
current Is turned on and the wheels be-
Gin TO revoive, II is either fly or burh-
SO tremendous is the power OF the bat
terles.
Contente was towed out from Paris TO
the racing road by an humble petroleum
car. NJ. Rene de Knyn gave the WORD
10 start, N. Jenatzy turned on the cur
rent and brnced himself. leaning well
forward with HE hand firmly clasping
the steering wheels. The car moved on
somewhat slowly at first. but, after go
ing about ten yards. literally bounded
forward. the wheels almost for mo-
ment leaving the track. There was a
blue-gray streak down the road, faint
cloud Of dust and the famous carriage
was making more than a mile min
ute. The sound Of the motor was de-
| scrIhed by a spectator as resembling the
rustlIng OF wings, the car undulated
| like a swallow in flying, this no doubt
| being due to the action of the springs
| and the rubber tires. Nothing had ever
| before Travelled on common road at
such a speed. and the spectators were
anxious to know, not whether Jenatzy
| had broken the record, but by how much
| he had broken It. The wheels left two
broad white tracks in the middle OF the
road, absolutely straight and converg-
/ ing in the distance like line Of rails
! It was a remarkable exhibition OF &c.
curate steering. Indeed, II Jenatzy had
| swerved to the right or to the left, he
/ would not have survived to tell the tale.
| After the trial was over It was found
La Jamais Conteute had made sl%ty-siS
miles an hour. and NJ. Jenatzy went
! away declaring that he should soon
make sevcnty-hve miles an hour.