The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-13
AT SEVENTY MILES AN HOUR.
How 1t Seems to Travel at That Rate
in an Automobile.
Paris Letter in London Mail. 81

Paris Letter in London Mail.
sit tight" said Mr.. Edge.
'Hoch. hoch. hoch," coughed the huge
dark green machine as if it were rehears-
ing a greeting to the Kaiser in Berlin,
and with a puff of petroleum and a fare
well thump or two on the stones behind it
the seventy horse power Napier hurtled
down the long, straight road.
How fast are we going?" I shouted
w are not going fast at all. We are
tooling along gently"
but the speed?"
"Oh about fifty miles an hour" said Mr..
Edge, carelessly, and smiled at my sur
prise.
We did not seem to be going very fast,
though the wind whistled sharply past my
ears and brought tears into my eyes. Then
a hill came at us and leaped over the ma
chine. The illusion was so perfect that 1
turned to look for it and was nearly thrown
out of my cushioned seat by a sudden Jolt.
The Seine on one side of us and the trees
and houses on the other rushed past as
they seem to rush when looked at from an
express train. and the wind grew a little
colder and blew harder. The leaves on
the trees which passed us were quite mo-
~tionless. The automobile grunted grum-
blingly and Mr.. Edges right foot pressed
alphabetically down upon the pace lever.
"All right. old lady. off with YOU" the
look on his face said as clearly as If the
words had been spoken aloud.
Mr.. Edge treats his like a
f~avorite mare, and it appreciates II. The
great mass of machinery sprang forward
like a greyhound from the leash, and the
vrfpd hafora NV fooa ooaco5 - - --i-a -.
all and became a thin sheet of ice pressed
close against 1t. / had taken out my hand
kerchief a moment before to wipe my
streaming eyes, but they were dry again
and the handkerchief was being pressed
against my mouth. 1t was only with an
effort that 1 could put it back into my
pocket.
Sixty miles an hour" shouted my COM
panion. ] could see that he had shouted the
words as loudly as he could, but his voice
came to me faint and weak. like the voice
of a man who had been very i'll, or like a
call from a long distance. Now" said Mr..
Edge. and pressed his right foot down upon
the lever once again. There had been a
steep down grade before US when he spoke.
but as 1 looked at IL the road rushed up
and was swallowed by the Napier, which
gave a cough OF satisfaction, like a giant
who had gulped a hearty meal and wanted
more.
On we went. still without the slightest
CCllOldliCt " isON4ie ICdlll IdSls DuI with
that sheet of thin crumbling ice ever before
our faces and the scenery s%currying past
US. Then a wonderful thing happened.
Another automobile. a small, red-painted
Renault car. appeared in front Of us and
vanished. Where is it?" | shrieked. be-
lieving for the fraction of a second that
We had crushed the little car into the
ground. The mechanician. who sat crouch
ing at our feet. looked up and pointed TO
the road behind us. The Renault was
perched on the brow of the steep hill which
NO had sum NC N nc ~
Il had got up there ii vanished, and the
gluttonous Napier had gulped down an
other mile Of road.
1t is a wonderful thing. this racing ar
full pressure. Up 10 fifty. even sixty miles
an hour. the pressure of the air is notice
able. but is not unpleasant. At sixty-five
X makes itself distinctly felt, and after
that 1t becomes oppressive, and l exper-
fenced the sensations which 1 think a trout
must feel as it lies gasping by the brook
side.
Wrought. Grrrgle." said the
trying TO get its second wind. and suddenly
utter a loud rasping cry. like that of an
angry baby troubled by a pin. We slowed
down gradually, and stopped as quickly as
We could. The Napier sweated heated
petrol. which made our eyes and ~nostrils
tingle. Mr.. Edge and the mechanician. both
with serious faces, jumped down and bent
over the wheel. / got out. too. stopped
down 10 see what was the matter. and in
advertently touched the tyre. Ii burnt
me. The India rubber was hot. almost TO
melting point.
The accident which had happened was a
slight one. A bolt had given In one Of the
chains. and the chain had dragged. AT
the pace we were going" remarked Mr..
Edge, in five minutes more the chain
would have cut the woodwork OF the wheel
In two. solid and seasoned oak though
II is"
Another bolt put In. a slow run-in COM
parison-down TO the nearest township.
and we stopped once more 10 give the
nervous system OF the mare a rest-to
cool the automobile, l should say-and TO
give IL a drink of petrol. Eighteen gal
Ions was the dose IL swallowed. and even
then its tank could have held more.
go on" said Mr.. Edge. "Noooooo.'
groaned the great thing peevishly, through
: It's electric coil. and then. like a peevish