The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-23
AUTOS IN SAVANNAH
NORTHERN AUTOMOBILIsTs ARE
DELIGHTED WITH THE SOUTH.
OWNERS OF THE CARRIAGES.
MAY BE EXPECTED IN SAVANNAH
IN FORCE NEXT WINTER.

Streets and the ROads-Dr. Brandt
Says There should he Automobile
Races Here Every Winter-Mr.
Dnxter's Machine Has the Track
Record of One Mile in One Minute
and Six Seconds - Automobiles
Growing in Favor I'm Savannah.
Savannah bids fair to become the
winter haven of owners of automobiles.
There is every advantage offered the
wealthy owners of these expensive lux
uries, and it is believed that they Will
follow the example set by pioneers this
season and come to Savannah next
winter in numbers.
Two enthusiastic chauffeurs from
the North now in Savannah are
DR.. E. N. Brandt of New York and Mr..
H. c. Baxter of Brunswick, Me. They
have been here for some time, enjoying
spins over the splendid pavements of
the city and the magnificent subur-
b2R roads, and expect to return next
season. Not only that, but they expect
to talk Savannah and it's automobile
advantages among their automobile
friends upon their return North, and
they see no reason why this city should
not be the Mecca of all devotees of the
sport next winter.
"Why, there is no reason in the
world said DR.. Brandt to a represen-
tative of the Morning News, why Sa-
vannah should not have any number
of hn
winter. All the owner of a carriage has
to do is to put it on a steamship at
New York. and As hours later it is here.
A day after he loads his machine, he
can leave New York himself and reach
Savannah with it. When shipping to
other places by rail, the owner never
knows when his machine will reach it's
destination. 1t may be five or six days
from the time he ships.
The Place for Auto Races.
with such a racetrack as there is
here owners of automobiles would have
splendid opportunity for racing during
the winter. You have as fine a track
as 1 ever saw, and a months racing
could be had every winter
Mr.. Baxter agreed readily with DR..
Brandt in what the latter had to say
about Savannah's attractions for au-
tomobile drivers. Both gentlemen dweit
at length upon the advantage of the
splendid roads out of the city. These
are varied in their construction, 50
that any sort of a road may be Sc
cured. There are hard and smooth
gravel roads and shell roads and sandy
roads, the last affording opportunity
for testing carriages in heavy running.
my opportunities for observing the
roads have been somewhat restricted"
said Mr.. Baxter "for the reason that
my carriage has not been in the best
condition. l have been out twice, and
what I saw of the roads then i'm
pressed me most favorably. 1t is, un-
doubtedly, a great place for automo-
biles, and it is only necessary for its
advantages to become generally known
for owners of the carriages to flock
here for the winter"
Mr.. BaXter's Flyer.
Since he has been in Savannah, Mr..
Baxter's automobile has been afflicted
with some of the many ills to which
such machines are heir, and, in a very
much disjointed and disconnected man
ner, it is now lying about at Bryson's
automobile inf1rmary, where an expert
is wrestling with it's intricacies and
trying to restore it to condition that
will admit of the same great speed be-
ing got out of it that it showed when
it made the automobile track record
of one mile in one minute and six sec
ends. The machine is a Winton rae
ing car, one of the only five ever made
of it's own especial type.
The racing car is designed for speed,
and it's designer made no mistake. In
so far as human possibilities obtain,
the automobile has fulfilled the inten-
tions of the manufactures. Human in
genuity, however, ceases in competition
with automobile perversity, and the
machine insists on getting out of order
Though he has made but two trips in
his flyer since he has been here, Mr..
Baxter yet hopes for the best, and it
is expected that he will be out with
it again next week.
No Joke About Repair Bills.
"Is there any basis of truth for the
many jokes that are seen in Puck and
Judge about the constancy of automo-
biles in their habits of breaking
down." DR.. Brandt and Mr.. Baxter
were asked.
Each locked at the other sadly. They
We're trying to decide which was the
better qualified to answer the question.
1t was a dog-fall. so they both ac-
knowledged that there was every rea-
son in the world for the humor of the
papers, though they were hardly in a.
position to appreciate the jokes.
Accidents, in fact, are frequent, and
the automobile owner usually finds the
first cost of his carriage o mere bag
atelle. Repairs have to be made often,
as a rule, and the mechanism of the
machines is so complex and intricate
that an expert is required to put one
in order. At the North there are auto
mobile shops wherein there is no other
business done than that of repairs upon
the machines. Stiff prices are charged,
for owners of automobiles, as a rule,
care little for pence, so that costs are
paid in pounds.
Frightened Lady In Auto.
Though there are no reins at which
a frightened woman occupant of an au-
tomobile may catch when I'm a close
place or when the fiery machine may
show disposition to bolt, yet there
is a means through which she may
cause Just as much damage. A Sa-
vannah driver of an automobile made
this discovery few days ago. He was
out with lady, and very
pleasant spin was being enjoyed.
For some reason. hewever, the lady
became frightened. and the first thing
that popped into her mind was that
the machine was being improperly
steered, and that she might greatly
improve matters by assisting. Ac-
rordinRiv she made "A Wild sWOop upon