Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-11-09

The first automobile contest OF i'm.
portauce took place in 1894 az the insti-
cation OF the Petit Journal Of Parts
and was over the roads between Paris
aud Rouen one hundred vehicles en-
tered, but few kept up 10 the last, the
race being won by gasoline motor,
which covered the distance Of eighty
Ave niles IN little over five hours
The United States soon took up the
FAD and in 1895 race was won here
by a gasoline motor built In Massachu-
sets. The next year the British had a
great contest to celebrate the modihca-
ton Of their stringent road laws, and
there was also race In France be-
tween Paris and Marseilles. In 1898 Oe-
CURED the decisive contest of passen.
ger carrying cabs In Paris, upon which
was based the radical revolution Of the
system in that city, the electric auto
cabs suporsedng horse drawn vehicles
altogether. That was only three years
ago. and at the same time London and
New York Washington and other large
cities We're experimenting with the au-
tos with a view to their introduction
as a means for city transit which has
now become fairly general
Having survived several nrotracted
periods Of neglect in the century and
third that has elapsed since its inven-
ton, the motor carriage. or automobile,
has at last come to stay and has been
accepted as an eventual substitute for
horses, Poor equus will have TO be rel
egated to the rear, II would seem,
though for some time yet he will be a
familiar and obnoxious feature of our
streets Now that speed, strength and
comfort are promoted by the use Of
ball bearings bicycle construction and
pneumatic tires; now that the matter
OF speed is practically one OF good
roads and intrepIdity on the part of the
chauffeur and now that Il has been
demonstrated that an auto costs hardly
more for fuel and repairs than horse
costs for his food almost any one rich
enough to pay the initial price Of an
automobile may indulge In the luxury
Of spin upon his own machine.
Scarcely a day passes without its
chronicle of accidents through the &C.
centricities Of the automobile, which
has a most dlsagreeable habit of skid
ding" on wet and clayey roads, someS
Zines takes a notion TO blow up its
boiler II steam auto, to explode II
gasoline or unaccountably balk II an
electric The three different tvpos-the
electric. gasoline and steam motors
all have their advocates, but It would
seem that the perfect machine Is yet TO
be produced, II may be of one type or
another, but will probably be a combi-
nation between the gasoline and cleo
trio. The great races, such as that
from Paris to Berlin last June, when
Fourier completed the $50 miles In 16h.
6m. and the populace went Wild over
the winner. have been won by the gas
olines, II Is true, but the steam and
electrics still have their devoted adj
mirers, There is no type so easily man.
aged as the electric, none so strong and
economical as the steam and the gaso-
line, but likewise none so evil smelling
and noisy as the latter. At the same
time, II viii be survival Of the fittest.
and there is not the least doubt that
the composite machine of the future.
provided good road construction keeps
pace with the auto inventors and the
laws win allow 1t. will be able to do its
hundred miles an hour.