The Minneapolis journal., 1902-07-26
AUTOS ARE THICK
Bubbles Very Popular In cleve-
land, Says w. E. Wheeler.
HIGH SPEED IN WINDY CITY
When They Travel Under
Thirty Miles an Hour.

William e. wheeler, the wel1-known
chauffeur, has just returned from an
eastern trip, and was much impressed
with the foothold which the automobile
has gained in that part of the country.
Minneapolis is decidedly behind the
eastern cities in the number of autos
used,' said Mr.. Wheeler, yesterday. I'm
Cleveland, especially, chauffeurs are
thicker than blackberries in summer.
presume that there are more than 400
machines in use there, nearly three times
as many as there are in Minneapolis.
There are half dozen factories in
Cleveland, which partly accounts for the
popularity of the auto there. .z-a--- e.. r.
1T is somewhat strange, however, that
the horseiess vehicles have gained such
a foothold in the Ohio city, because Of
the Wretched condition Of their pave
ments. All the streets, in the business
and residence districts alike, are paved
with granite blocks, the most unsatis-
factory kind Of road imaginable for a
high speed vehicle. Most of the pave
| ments have been laid for ten or fifteen
years, too-you know that granite will
last almost till the. trump of doom-and
ride through Cleveland on an auto is
like travelling on a comet,-a comet that
is feeling its oats and hasn't been brok-
en- long, L mean.
Speed Ordinance Reasonable.
t'They have a very reasonable speed
| ordinance in Cleveland Autos are al
lowed to travel ten miles al hour in the
business district, and fifteen miles else
where Accidents are very unusual, too,
which demonstrates that speed is, not ex-
cessive.
''In Chicago, too, autos are very popu-
lar. don't know Just what the speed
limit is there, but 1t must be about
| twelve miles an hour, at least, judging
hQ fa at 1.hio oh nf a,,f
| feurs travel. They go whizzing along
Michigan avenue, even down through the
most crowded sections, at terrific pace.
| On most of the business streets, however,
! the pavements are too bad, and the trucks
| and street cars too thick to allow high
| speed
Zone chauffeur told me that the police
| never bothered about an auto as long ds
| it travelled under thirty or thirty-fve
miles an hour. l asked him how they
stopped when they were going at that
rate, and he only smiled. Incidentally
. he told me funny story. In Evanston
the authorities tried to stop fast driv-
ing, and one day they stationed police
men three or four blocks apart along the
street most travelled by autos. One man
came driving along at pace which the
first patrOlman thought too fast, but Whel
I he spoke to the chauffeur the lattel
/ tnrned on the power and dashed away.
| The policeman wh1stled to the next man
! and the latter ran out, into the street in
| front of the auto. But the chauffeur
| wasn't frightened at that bluff a little bit.
| He went ahead at full speed and the po-
| liceman naturally weakened and got out
of the way.
Chauffeur Uses a Scythe.
well, they laid for that fellow, and
prepared stout rope to stretch across
| the street when he came along. The
stretched the rope all right, but the
chauffeur was too cute. He had fastened
scythe to the front of his machine, and
he simply cut the rope in two and rode
right along. Then they sent motor
cycle after him, and finally caught him.
"In Chicago all chauffeurs must pass an
| examination, get a license, and wear
| numbered tags on their coats. In CIeve-
land, however, they license the machines,
| and the chauffeurs are required to post
big numbers on the auto itself The
| number is generally out of sight when the
machine is going above the speed limit.
| however. ae
Another thing I noticed was that
| steam. rigs, which are practically un-
known here, are very popular in the east.
especially in Cleveland" :