Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-08-19
aalistellaneol,s Reaaing.
PROGRESS IN AUTOMOBILES.
Some of the improvements That Are Com
templated-It Has Come to Stay.

|
New York Tribune.
The self.propelling carriage is going
through much the same experience
that the trolley car and the bicycle
went through. Each of the latter was
developed by degrees, and up to GER
tain point was a good deal of expert
ment. At length all difficulties were
overcome one after another, simplicity
of design was steadily sought and OBJ
tanned, a growing popularity was
achieved, and finally the manufacture
became so extensive as greatly to re-
duce the price of production. The
automobile is not so cheap today as it
will be at some future time. Its
mechanism is not yet all that could be
desired. And there are questions yet
to be solved as to the best methods OF
accomplishing certain ends. But the
automobile has come to stay. There
can no longer be any doubt that 1t has
great field of usefulness before it.
And it is probably only a question OF
time when it will replace most OF the
horse drawn vehicles on city streets
and country roads:
The principal differences of opinion
in regard to automobiles at present re-
late to the means employed for propul.
sion. The champions of electricity,
petroleum vapor aud steam, each point
out the advantages of their favorlte
agency. Inasmuch as steam had been
used in England and elsewhere for
hauling heavy merchandise over COM
mon highways years before the elec-
trio motor and gasoline engine were
applied to traction, it was natural that
attempts should be made to utilize it
on light carriages. But owing to the
noise produced, and the danger OF
frightening horses, it was felt for a
long time that the problem was too
great to be solved. Nevertheless, a
practically noiseless steam engine IS
now made for horseless vehicles, and
the successful adoption of oil as fuel
to such engines has still further recon-
mended this means of propulsion.
But while electricity and the gaso-
line engine are more recent candidates
for favor, they have undoubtedly oo.
tanned larger share of patronage OF
late than steam. This fact does not
prove much as to the future. Steam
may yet get the ascendancy. Com
pressed air, or liquid air, or carbonlc
acid, or some other agent, may event
ually displace all rivals. Just now,
however, more automobiles are driven
| by electric storage batteries and nap
tha engines than by any other means.
To any one who has given much at
tention to mechanics the electric motor
is an ideal device. There is almost
nothing about it to get out OF order,
because there is only one moving part
the armature. The gas engine, like
the steam engine, has a number OF
pieces which may break down, thus
paralyzing the whole machine. The
motor proper in an electric system is
so simple and strong that it can hardly
fail one who trusts it. 1t is to be OBJ
served, however, that the electric
automobile, instead of taking its cur
rent from an overhead wire, must car
ry a store of energy along with the
vehicle, and the cells that serve
this purpose are not so satisfactory as
the mechanism which utilizes the en-
ergy. A storage battery is not 50
heavy an affair as it was once; but 1T
is still exceedingly cumbrous, and
hence it is necessary to carry around
several hundred pounds of extra
weight whenever electricity is to be
employed in running an automobile.
Moreover, an accumulator is more
liable to mishap than the electric mo-
tor. Its permanence is not assured to
the same extent. At the present time
| it is practically impossible to put a
charge into it that will suffice for a
trip of over 60 or 80 miles, whereas
one charge will carry vehicle pro-
PEELED with gasolene $50 or 200 miles.
And lust now it is easier in country
village 10 obtain fresh supply OF gas
olene than of electricity. This fact, II
| it does not demonstrate the superiority
of the latter means of locomotion, at
least indicates that the electric vehi-
cle's sphere of influence lies compara-
lively near to, if not altogether inside
q citv. But an improvement Inc the
storage battery which would overcome
its drawbacks is being sought for, and
| it may be found almost any day.
The unpleasant odor of vaporized
gasoline emitted by the motor which
employs that liquid, has often been the
subject of complaint. Unless the Vehi,
Gle using it is running with the wind
the occupants are not likely to notice
the smell. Some one else usually
suffers the infiiction. However, it is
alleged that means have been found to
suppress the evil, and if experience
justi6es this claim, the situation will
| be simplifed.