The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-04-26
TIE IDEAL AUTOMOBILE.

The automobile has been sufficiently
long in our midst To enable us to define
the essential qualities which go to make
up an ideal afmachine. says the Scientific
American. Naming them in their order
they are as follows: Low cost. dura-
bllity, enduraIce darge fuel supply.
ability 10 climb hills and speed.
Low cost Is given the first place for
the reason that the present pr.ce OF the
automobile places IL altogether beyond
the means of the average individual
and renders IL a very decided luxury.
1T is certain that cheapening the cost
VIII produce proportionate Increase
In the demand, and the Increased de-
mand will lead in it's return 10 a re-
duction in price. This was conclusive
fy proved in the history OF the bicycle,
the cost of a first-class machine today
being about one-quarter what IL was
a few years ago. when the number Of
riders was limited.
But while the ideal automobile must
be cheap, the reduction in price must
not be gained at the expense of sound
materials and good. workmanship.
However great may be the demand for
low-priced machine. our manufac-
turers must never attempt to meet IL
by making short cut by the way Of
snowy but inferior construction. The
folly of such a method was demon-
strated very eeHeiusiveIy when the BIZ
cycle was at the height OF it's populari-
ty.
Next 10 It's low cost and durability
we place the endurance OF the auto
mobile; by which we mean it's capacity
10 cover a large mileage without hav-
ing to refill it's fuel tanks. Liberal fuel
capacity ~~sll be a very strong recon-
mendation To the bicyclist. who has
been accustomed TO rove all day on
long distance excursions with the
knowledge that he is not tied to par
ticular stopping places, or liable to be
hopelessly "stalled" by a collapse OF his
motive power in out-of-the-way or un-
expected places.
In view OF the fact that the steam
driven automobile has shown such su-
perior hill-climbing powers. IL Us certain
that the appetite OF the public, being
thus whetted. will demand that the
ideal automobile shall be able TO ne
gotiate any hill that it may encounter
in the course OF an extended tour. II
must be able 20 carry it's occupant
through, If need be, a mountainous
country: for we have precedent in the
successful climbing OF Mount Wash
ington. recently accomplished by
builder in one of his own machines.
The records for hill-climbing are at
and il will be a fortunate day for the
automobiists when builders succeed
in combining with the cheap cost OF
operation Of the gas-propelled type the
hiil-climbing powers OF It's strongest
competitor.
In placing speed at the bottom OF the
list we may seem TO be making too
little of a feature OF the automobile
which many of the riding public believe
should receive the first consideration ::
but. as a matter OF fact, every type OF
automobile that IL now on the market
is capable of running at higher speed
than the law allows. Although rate
of 20 miles an hour or more Ia no doubt
frequently accomplished on the public
roads, there is no question that the
rapid increase i'm the number OF riders
i'm the future VIII lead to- restriction
of speed to a maximum of IL to IA miles
an hour.