Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-07
THE IDEAL AUTOMOBILE.
Low Cost. Durability. Endurance and
Speed the Qualities Named.

From the Scientific American.
The automobile has been sufficiently long
IN our midst to enable to define the es-
scntial qualities which go to make up an
ideal machine. Naming them in their order
they are as follows: Low cost, durability
endurance Qarge fuel supply. ability to
climb hills and speed.
Low cost is given the first place for the
reason that the present price of the auto
mobile places 1t altogether beyond the
means of the average individual. and rem
ders 1t a very decided luxury. 1t is certain
that cheapening the cost will produce
proportionate increase in the demand. and
the increased demand will lead in its turn
to a reduction in the price. This was con-
clusiyely proved in the history of the BIZ
cycle the cost of a first-class machine to-
day being about one-quarter what it was
a few years ago when the number of riders
limited.
cheap, the reduction in price must not be
gained al the expense of sound materials
and good workmanship. However great
may be the demand for a low-priced ma
chine. our manufacturers must never at
tempt to meet it by making a short cut by
the way of snowy but inferior construc
ton. The folly of such a method was dem
onStrated very conclusively when the BIZ
cycle was at the height OF its popularity.
Next to its low cost and durability We
place the endurance of the automobile; by
which we mean its capacity to cover q
large mileage without having to refill its
fuel tanks. Liberal fuel capacity will be Il
very strong recommendation to the bicy-
cliSt. who has been accustomed to rove all
day on long-distance excursions with the
knowledge that he Is not tied to particular
stopping places, or liable to be hopelessly
stalled by q collapse of his motive power
in out-of-theway 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 ap-
petite of the public, being thus whetted
will demand that the ideal automobile shall
encounter in the course of an extended
tour. 1t must be able to carry its occupant
through. if need be, mountainous country:
for We have d precedent in the successful
trip UP Mount Washington recently accom-
pliShed by builder in of his own ma
chimes. The records for hill-climbing are
at present held by steam-driven motors;
and 1t Will be Il fortunate day for the auto
mobilists when builders succeed in combin-
ing with the cheap cost of operation of the
SaS-prJpeied type the hl-climbing powers
of its strongest competitor
In placing speed at the bottom of the list
we may seem to be making too little of
feature of the automobile which many of
the riding public believe should receive tine
first consideration: but. as a matter of fact
every type of automobile that is now OH the
market is capable of running at a higher
speed than the law allows. Although a
rate of twenty miles an hour or more is no
doubt frequently accomplished on the pub
lie roads. there Is no question that the
rapid increase in the number of riders in
the future will lead to a restriction of speed
to maximum of twelve or fourteen miles
an hour