New-York tribune., 1902-12-28
PARIS AUTOMOBILE SHOW
MOTOR CIR PERFECTION
An Imposing Exhibition Of Machines
Need Of an 4dequate Tire.
Paris. December 1l


The fifth international automobile show or
ganized by the Automobile Club Of France, and
opeued vest erday in the Grand Palace by Presi-
dent Loubet accompanied by the Ministers OF
Public Works and of Agriculture, is the finest
and most imposing exhibition Of modern loco
motion vet held. Whether viewed from the
standpoint of an industry sport, automo-
bilisrn has never before been presented to the
public in the form of object lesson so COM
plete and comprehensive The Grand Palace
with its double tier of galleries and spacious
wings, embracing an exceeding four acres,
Is transformed into miniature city of automo-
biles The great manufacturers have two or
more stands EACH and a single stand often
holds a dozen or more models There are alto
sether go stands. The popularity in Paris OF
autorobilism is forcibly illustrated by the fact
that the number of entries at the Grand Palace
yesterday 10000
The view from the galleries is much more
picturesque than could be imagined for a show
of automobiles with tires, motors, carriage
bodies. axles wheels and other innumerable ac-
oessories and belongings of the industry Palm
trees and plants in profusion relieve the eye
from the row of vehicles In the evening-dur-
ing these December days the evening practically
begins at o'clock-thousands of electric lamps
hanging in clusters and garlands in red, white
blue yellow and violet colors lend decorative
effect TO the scene, while myriads of gracefully
arranged lights in the alcohol section, burning
with a pure white dazzling flame unattainabie
IN, either gas. electricity or acetylene, give the
show beautiful and fairylike aspect More
over the majority of the exhibitors secured
The presence at their stands of exceedingly at
tractive women dressed in the latest and dainti-
as+ fashions SO that the result may be almost
.ornared for mundane elegance with the select
horse show.
From the technical point of view the great
feature Of the present manifestation OF auto
,nobilism is the perfection Of details OF the
motor realizing far greater cooling surface
ooiseless changes of speed, absence Of smell ana
economy in the consumption OF fuel Every
where there are simplicity and hghtness OF con-
+,o+ion Of the carriages. The conspicuous
.olors-white red and yellow-are being replaced
h,- sober greens, blues, dark cherry or by
,-ood of natural color neatly vanished In
7aa5 technical experts express the almost
,,nanir,ous opinion that the efforts Of the last
,,ear have been concentrated upon this perfec-
tion of detail. There is no revolution nor sfrlk-
ing innovation to be recorded. ALL however
rredict that the invention Of perfect tire VIII
he the next great step in automoblllsm, put no
ma has vet succeeded in devising tire capaole
of surmounting the two great obstacles 10 gen
-, ,,se Of the motor car-puncture and side
automobile brain is now concentrated punct-
,,ra nroof tire will diminish the running cost Of
an au+on7ohile over 80 per cent and the fatal
side slim is the cause of half the accidents that
are now recorded. The natural antagonism be-
tween india rubber and oil, grease or petroleum.
and the softening of the tire itself by the neat
generated by the high pace over an average
road make the present tire so short lived as 10
make the cost of keeping an automobile so great
as 20 be beyond the means of the average cltl-
zen The tire question is Of paramount impor-
tance Just as some twenty years ago, was the
case in the economic history Of the bicycle.
The man who finds the ideal automobile tire
will become the king of automoblism- A single
tire NOWADAYS costs about $50. and if one has
had luck three tires may be rendered useless
in q single days run. Clarence Dfnsmore, one
of the most experienced American amateurs or
automobilism. whom 1 met at the exhibition
Yesterday fully confirmed this view, and SAID;
Il have travelled six thousand miles with my
automobile of the Mercedes type, without haN-
srp been Obliged to spend a dollar in repairs
connected with the machine itself, but am
afraid to say how much I have spent for new
tires Other experts said: LAS soon as we get
an ideal tire automobilism viii become popu-
lar institution. accessible to persons of modest
means II will be the experience Of the bicycle
over again.
There is no doubt that the purchase cost OF
automobiles is fctitiously high. This is owing
20 the necessity of keeping UP with the latest
aa,-elonr1ents and improvements, for the indus
Try IS stiu in transition stage. There is no
better evidence of this than in the rapid for
tunes made by automobile agents and middle
men. The case may be cited of an enterprising
young German in Paris who eighteen months
ago possessed for his entire fortune $4,000. He
4alK- on machines
known and favorite type. and paid down in cash
on each machine 81 900. In a few months he
had sold his ten automobiles for future deliv-
cry and al such figures that he realized profits
Of 100 per cent. He then continued work
the same lines, and increased his business TO
such an extent that his net profits in the last
eleven months were $4,000. When middle
men get such large profits the cost price Of the
articles is purely fictitious, and in time must
come down 10 a fair, democratic level.
A good general idea of the automobile show
may be conveyed by a brief narrative of Presi-
dent loubet's visit yesterday when by good
fortune happened to be among group of per-
sons in the Presidential party. President Loubet
has not yet adopted the motor carriage as an
habitual means of locomotion. He is fond Of
horses, and may be in the Bois almost
any fine afternoon in his smart phaeton driving
a businesslike pair of black geldings. He is,
nevertheless, greatly interested in automobil-
ism, especially from the industrial standpoint,
and in its progress toward common use. For
instance ne examined attentively the large mo
tor brakes and omnibuses, and also the vehicles
made, not for racing and 10 establish records"
but for sensible touring purposes at moderate
family speed. A stop was made, however at
the Gardner-Serpollet stand. where a vicious
looking racing machine in white enamel attract
ed general curiosity 1t was the 1893 type of