The suburban citizen., 1900-03-31
LIE .IpEAr- kuTeMoeitE. :.
Gosh fs Chitf Of tile Essential Qualities
Here Given. q .... Il. ... B..


Gosh ls Chitf OF the Hssantial Qualities
Here Given. Z ... - .. d.
The automobile has been sufficient
y long in our midst to enable us to
define tho essential qualities which go
10 make up an ideal machine. Nam
ing them in their order they are es
follows; Low cost, durability, endur'
ance large fuel supply, ability to
,limb hills aud speed.
Low cost is given the first place for
the reason that the present price OF
the automobile places it altogether
beyond the means of the average in.
diyidual, and renders it a decided
luxury. 1t is certain chat cheaper.
ing tho cost will produce a proper
honato increase in the demand, and
the increased demand will lead in its
turn to reduction in the price
This was conclusiyely proved in the
history Of the bicycle, the cost of
first class machipe to-day being about
one-quarter what it was 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 workman.
ship. However great may be the de.
mand for q priced machine, our
manufacturers must never attempt to
meet it by making a short cut by the
way OF snowy but inferior construc-
ton. The folly OF such a method
was demonstrated very conclusively
when the bicycle was at the height Of
its popularity.
Next to its cost and durability we
place the endurance OF the automo-
bie by which we mean its capacity
to cover o large mileage without hay
ing to refill its fuel tanks. Liberal
Iuel capacity will be q very strong
recommendation to the bicyclist, who
has been accustomed to rove all day
On ong-distanco excursion with the
knowledge that he is not tied to par
ticular stopping places, or liable to be
hopelessly 'stalled" by collapse of
his motive power in out.of-the-way or
unexpected places.
In view of the fact that the steam
driven automobile has shown such
superior hill-climbing powers, it is
certain that the appetite of the public,
being thus whetted, will demand that
the ideal automobile shall be able to
negotiate any hill that it may encoun.
ter in the course Of an extended tour,
1t must be able to carry its occupant
through, if need be, mountainous
country; for we have a precedent in
the successful trip up Mount Wash
ington recently accomplished by a
builder in one OF his own machines.
The records for hill-climbing are at
present held by steam driven motors,
and it will be fortunate day for the
automobilists when builders succeed
in combining with the cheap cost of
operation of the gas-propelled type,
the hill.climbing powers of its strong
est 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 be-
lieve should receive the first consid-
Grafton, but as a matter Of fact, every
type of automobile that is now ON the
market is capable of running at q
higher speed than the law allows.
Although rate of twenty miles an
hour or more is no doubt frequently
accomplished ON the public roads,
there is no question that the rapid in
crease in tho number Of riders in the
future will lead to n restriction of
speed to maximum of twelve or
fourteen miles an hour. Scientific
American.