The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-20
Riding IN AN AUTOMOBILE
Horseless Vehicles Progressing
Favor bly, in the Capital.

1
Idea Turnouts on the Thorough
fires of the City-Whnt to DO When
One of the Machines Gets Beyond
ControI-Thc Good Roads Agitation
Automobiles blue yellow, brown, and
black; automobiles strange and hideous
! of shape, buzzing along with noise
as of Brobdinguagian humble bees;
! automobiles light and graceful, max
ing only pleasant whirring like
| summer drones; automobiles made for two,
! or four; automobiles made for business;
| automobiles made for pleasure. of all pos
sible shapes and sizes, designed for all
possible transitory ends. along fairly prac-
| ticable roads. are in evidence everywhere.
1t seems. almost, that the horse has at last
met its competitor, for the automobile has
| come to stay. Society has set its seal of
| approval upon the horseless vehicle. The
| President has enjoyed trip in one. Before
he leaves this country for st. Petersburg
| the Celestial Minister WI wishes to race
his new yellow machine. which he is hav-
ing built in New York, against those of
Nine. Hengelmuler, Miss Cassini, and
Miss Merriam whom he has already chal-
,o,ooa NJ W., h ., anna =; ..
'"' ''eu Incl 'eho" 'e"ieie s"ou''
arouse SO much talk. Yellow, he says. is
considered very quiet color in Oriental
countries, and. with white, forms a half
r,,rr-,r, conjunction Nor.r.hotoss
-,
Munster "us autoihooiie VIII aouptieSs
prove somewhat striking to Washingtonians
when it is seen upon our streets, but it
will n Is said ba n very handsome affair
-, ~, ~. -. -,
ioi al tha'' Win us pfi''iant soiu-coioieo
enamel and orange velvet upholstering.
Upon the plaza in front OF the east facade
of the Capitol. both by the entrance to the
Senate and House wings. can always be
seen stylish vehicles waiting until the ses-
sion is up" to receive their occupants
Among these turnouts. which are usually
being driven about tn keen their horses
1wbo like constituents are sometimes in
clined TO kick" at the hardness of the
LEGISLATORS, 4, s,irits st.nds mo.ionIess
on .ut,mohiIe n haioncs 10 Senator Wi
oo,t ~ C,o1or,5o who rue onth,s;ost
Iii -. ~, 80 .t, 49,. b.,
- ~. ~ . =, 1 =
..asia.ai,.. - g - =. =, -.
n '"e Sa.' A9 s,o,o III INC ", ne
1 ,e, sena''i "esuioie' 'ne nhous
,siahu lhiilioAaile, anu senator oialh vi
.hohlana, mhose LOT rune Is esliiiialeu 10 net
MN S"o.occ DAY, are both autofnooiie or
iocomopiie enthusiasts ana ride 10 the Gap
i'oi frequently upon their machines. upon
the House SIDE, Representatives Lorimer
and Mann vie with each other and good
many more of their associates in their de-
votio nto the horseless carriage.
Her sometime Majesty OF Hawaii, Lii
iuokalani. who is still among US, has made
her appearance upon the machine on sew
eral occasions. accompanied by that de-
voted secretary Of hers who, soft of voice
and courteous manner, always addresses
| her as your gracious majesty.
| Automobiles are capable of great ele-
gance of design, or rather, perhaps. this
| should be said of locomotives for there is
a marked distinction between the two, each
| having its peculiar virtues. In the Ian
| guage of q deyotee of the machine in this
town. the former is the 'dray-horse. and
| the latter the racer OF horseiess vehicles.
That smile is very go3d one. sail
another enthusiast, with one reservation
The locomobiie is something more than a
mere racer; IL Is especially acapted TO tour
| ing along country reads, which tae automo-
| bile is not. The latter shines in city work,
| and is a staid. respectable sort of affair,
which will never offend the speed regula-
| tions. 1t is excellent for carryi ing heavy
| merchandise. and Is now employed for that
service by at least Two large companies IN
| this city. .
The locomoblle works along other lines,
and has been used Tor touring and racing,
which the other has not. Of course, the
difference in their construction is based
primarily upon the respective motor-pow-
ers Of each. the automobile employing the
electric storage battery and the locomobile
the compact gasoline engine. AS the
lightest weight for one Of these storage
batteries is 800 pounds and the other parts
of the vehicle have to be made correspond
,, ingly heavy. it will readily be inferred that
the aggregate of weight and costliness must
be something considerable.
"As an instance of the former considera-
ton, it may be said that 1000 pounds is no
uncommon weight for one of these ma
chimes, while in respect to the latter which
is generally regarded as an item, it is motel
that set of the enormous rubber tires
costs $500. or $50 apiece. The usefulness
of the automobile proper is confined entire
ly to city work. as one charge of the bat
terry will only carry it fifteen miles, and.
of course, the electrician and material
requisite for a re-charge can scarcely be
expected at such comparatively short stag As
along a country road Moreover, the great
weight of the automobile handicaps it as
a hill climber, and So while the machine.
as / have said. has been found excellent
and is now in use for certain kinds of
work. like everything else, ii has its lin
itations
1.-THE locomoble," continued the EXPERT.
whose own machine was of this description.
covers many of the points to be desired
in the a,tomohile In the first nI,ca n