Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1902-07-29
AUTOMOBILE FEVER.
Epidemic Here and it is Rapid
ly Spreading.

Established is Likely to Make Them
Still More Numerous Service to
Cheat Has Been Abandoned.
Morgantown stands second among
West Virginia towns in the number
Of automobiles, Wheeling being the
only city of the state that has so
many machines. There are five au-
tos of different make owned by Nor
gantown people and six in the city
the sixth being owned by an au-
tomobile agent formerly superin-
tendent of the concern who is build
ing factory here.
Other towns the size of Morgan
town. have one OIL two machines and
it is doubtful if there is any city of
its size in the country with such a
good representation unless it is on
the outskirts of a big city where the
wealthy classes reside.
The automobile service planned
between Morgantown and the Cheat
river resorts has been abandoned for
the present as it was found a ma
chine that would do the work re-
quired would cost at least $4,000.
AS an experiment OF this kind is
being made at Uniontown connect
ing that city and the Summit it is
felt that the wisest plan will be to
watch results there. The automo
bile required for that work cost
$500 and was bought by com
pany of twenty five lawyers who put
IN 500 each as an experiment. The
run from here to Cheat is much bet
ter than the run from Uniontown tn
the Summit so if that venture Is a
go the line up here is assured of
success. The hardest run between
here and Cheat is near the top of
the town hill where the grade is Is
per cent. This fact surprises many
who thought the river hill the
sleeper.
The run from Cheat to Morgan.
town was made by Ed Hayes the
other evening in 25 minutes but
half an hour is considered good
time in which to make the seven
mile run. Two machines made the
thirty two mile run from Connells-
vile here the other evening in good
time considering the rough
roads and the fact that the major
part of the road was covered after
dark
The five Morgantown machines
are owned by j NJ G. Brown, Geo
Wood, John Lantz, Ed Hayes, and
Russell Houston. La addition to
these several other parties will like.
ly purchase machines in a few
weeks.
The cost of running an automo-
bile is about two cents a INLET
required four and half gal
Ions of gasoline to run the ma
chimes from Connellsville here. In
addition to this it is estimated that
it takes $50 year to keep ma
chine in repair. The livery barns
charge $40 per month to keep a
horse so the advantage OF a machine
during the summer months is APP
parent, especially to physicians or
business men who are travelling most
of the time.
The cost of machines ranges from
$3.50 up. The autos now owned
here range in price from $3.50 to
$3.50 but the three Connellsyille
machines owned here were secured
at less figure than $3.50 as they
were sold at forced sale at a low
price.
The factory to be built here will
employ about ITO men-only few
of these are to be low priced men
as probably hundred will be skill
ed mechanics. The factory was
opened at Connellsville with bright
prospects but the major part of the
capital was expended on eXperl
ments before the present machine
was perfected, so when the company
got ready for business, the money
was found to be gone. A sale fol
lowed with the result that newly
organized company will begin opcr-
ations here on large scale and lis
coming will mean much for Morgan
town.
The machines to be manufactured
here are found very satisfactory and
while more handsome models are
being turned out it is question it
more serviceable machine can be
obtained for the money.