The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-19
City Officials Take Part in a Practi-
cal Demonstration on
~ :, Crowded Streets. tl.
Few Had Realized Before How Mod
crate Fifteen Miles an
Hour Seemed.

during bubble excursion enjoyed by
these gentlemen as the guests Of the Min
neapolis Automobile club. The excursion
was intended to establish a reasonable
maximum of speed for incorporation in
the automobile ordinance introduced by
Alderman Holmes. 49,.
Two dozen autos, most of which were
large gasolene machines, trembled with
emotion as they welcomed the municipal
lords before the Fifth street entrance Of
the courthouse. The cars rolled away soon
after 3 o'clock.
In the first auto rode President E. J..
Phelps, president of the club, accompa-
MED by Mayor Jones, President FolWeli Of
the park board, and Frederick L. Smith,
a member Of the board Mr.. Phelps acted
as chauffeur and DR.. Folwell was time
keeper. Although Mr.. Phelps managed
his big gasolene surrey much more read
lily than any Kentuckian could control a
horse, the president declared that he had
received no prolonged training. The FIRST
time he grasped an automobile lever he
had been able to direct the machine al
most as we'll as he does now.
University of Minnesota time was taken
at Fourth avenue and Third street before
the surrey started up Third street through
crowded part of the business district at
busy hour when delightful weather had
brought crowds upon the streets The
nue., west along Nicollet to Tenth street,
and thence down Tenth street to Park
avenue where Professor Folwell again ad-
justd his theodolite. The observation
worked out showed a speed of fifteen
miles an hour.
y Yet the auto had journeyed two-thirds
Of the distance along crowded streets.
Several times it had come almost to a
dead stop. 1t was much retarded by We
n II with great
care to prevent the possibility of accident
to both vehicles and pedestrians. and 1T
had gone out of its way more than once
to avoid horses whose ears rose timidly.
During the ride Mr.. Phelps had urged his
guests to inform him promptly whenever
the speed appeared to be too great for the
safety of anyone upon the street.
Revelations on Speed
When park avenue was reached Mayor
Jones, DR.. FolWell and Mr.. Smith agreed
that they had travelled circumspectly and
had at no time run any risk of injuring
pedestrian or wheelman, or Of colltding
with other vehicles. The three men were
also unofficially sure that the rate of
speed ahd not exceeded eight miles an
hour.
After the corrected time was announced,
the party decided unanimously upon sew
eral points in automobile navigation,
namely:
That the machine, being able to take
advantage Of every open space for a
momentary increase Of speed, runs at a
much higher average rate than any spec
tator would imagine; that this, a machine
apparently making ten miles an hour is
really making fifteen miles or more, while
machine can record ten miles hourly
when it appears to be going no faster than
five or six miles. IT, " =
That the auto is under much better
| control than any horse, the machine can
stop more quickly in proportion to speed
attained; 1t can turn more abruptly; 1t
can move more accura tely along a, de-
sired course Several times the surrey
was sent with ease between wagons and
carriages. through a narrow lane along
which no carriage could be. driven.
That a maximum speed of ten miles
! an hour would not encourage any driver
to. maintain such speed constantly, or
even most of the time, in crowded
street Consideration for his own safety
and that Of his valuable machine, no less
than fear of damage suts-to say nothing
of a decent regard for the rights of others
would impell the chauffeur to adjust his
speed to circumstances. He would usually
| make much less than ten miles an hour
and would frequently move no faster
than a walking horse. Several blocks
yesterday were traversed by Mr.. Phelps
at a rate note exceeding four miles an
hour He made up his average speed,
as any automobilist would, by buzzing
| merr1ly along the open spaces The aver
age speed, moreover, was fifteen miles an
| hour, or SO per cent greater than the
maximum desired in the new ordinance
That the broad streets Of Minneapolis
make possible, with equal safety,~a greater
| speed than could be allowed in the mar
row streets of other cities.
| i1r co1
the automobile more terrifying to horses
On the contrary, the gasoline machine
Which is the commonest type-is perhaps
most impressive when it Is standing still
and spluttering to itself like a dynamite
bomb with sizzling fuse. The faster
! this kind of auto moves the less noise il
makes. When the thigh gear is on the
machine, 1t is almost silent. and it be.
comes more conversational in proportion
1 as-the low gear is used for slow speed.
The same conclusions were emphasized
by the return trip from Park avenue ant
Tenth street at the measured rate O.
twelve miles an hour. The big machine
was often passed by trotting horses.
High-speed possibilities had been illus
trated by a smart run out Park avenue
from Tenth street to Twenty eighth
street. The asphalt was so filled will
holes that the avenue might as we'll have
been paved with tripe.. Mr.. Phelps wa.
oDl1ged to steer his auto as, If manipulate
ing piece upon the chess board. Ye
more than a mile was traversed at tn,
rate of twcntysix miles an hour TIL,
occupants Of the surrey thought they wer,
making about eighteen or twenty miles,
49,, Quick Stops Made.
During this rapid run the big, heavil,
laden auto stopped dead within tn,
width Of a cross street. Such machines
it was explained, can stop within thfrt,
feet when making twenty-five miles al
hour. The little runabout bubbles,
when going at ten-mile gait, can recoi
j,, ,ieIx 1,,k 1,{t H.,