The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-26
AUTOS ARE HEAVIER
Manufacturers Are Building More
Durable Machines This Year,
. Says W. F. Wheeler.
American Autos Better Than For
eign Makes for Roads Of This
Country.

'The 1903 automobiles will show many
material improvements over last Years
machines said W. f. Wheeler, who re-
turned yesterday from Chicago. where he
hlbit In the Coliseum
ne general tendency of manufacturers
is to build their machines lower and heav-
Ter, continued Mr.. Weller t"I'he: ma
chimes have been strengthened soff that
this years makes are more durable than
those Of previous seasons, and the speed
Is maintained by increased power. This
OF course, makes the cost higher, but
buyers generally are willing to pay more
provided a better machine is assured Z
1Sf1 saw few French machines exhibited,
and | think few will be sold i'm America
this year. except possibly among the east
ern millionaires who want racers. For
general, use, the American machines are
more serviceable than the French; ut
least they are meteorological to American
roads. The French build their machines
very low, and on the smooth, level roads
Of Europe they are faster and more sat
isfactory than the American makes would
be. But they are to low built to travel
| well over the ruts and hills of the aver
| age American country road. 81 !.
I'm the matter Of motors the French
still surpass us. Many American manu-
facturers are using French motors in their
own machines. am confident how.
ever, that within year or two the Amer
leans will beat the French at their. owe
game. e
wooden wheels are in almost univer-
sal use this year. Metal sppkes and rims
| have been discarded to a large extent
! The air. cooled motors also are gaining ir
| favor, because they are less complicated
| than the water-cooled and because sthey
! can be used in all kinds of weather Ir
very cold weather. great care'is necessary
to prevent the water freezing in the coils
of the old style motors. =
| "A. great Improvement has been made II
! electric machines. and this type is SURE
to gain in popularity this year.. Formerly
manufacturers would not guarantee cleo
trio machines fors any distance, but nov
they will guarantee them to run forty Of
; fifty miles without rechargfng. The man
/ ufacturers also will insure the batteries
and put them in perfect repair every sea sea
son for about one til the original Cost
\ This will help the sale 81 this type Is
machine; for the Batteries have Away
been the weak spot about electric autos
4 Steam rigs apparently are losing ground
Out of one hundred odd exhibits, only tw,
4 or three were steam rigs, and about eiglr
or. ten electric, the rest all gasolene. 4
I few years ago everything was steam.
/ The popularity Of the auto is sincreas
/ ing every year. This season I, believ,
there will be three orders for every ma
4 chine that can be turned. out by the fac
tories Nearly a. dozen firms which, ha;
4 paid for space at THE Chicago e.zhibit ci,
: not send their machines on because tn,
i whole output Of their factories for tn
!. year was sold in advance. The torneai
rig. with the detachable rear seat seem
to be the most popular. type Of. machin
this year