The Savannah morning news., 1903-08-16
AMONG THE AUT0M0BILISTS.
Manufacturers Plan "A Severe Test
in Coming Reliability Run.

Manufacturers Plan "A Severe Test
in Coming Reliability Run.
Very different from the little pleas
ure jaunt to, Boston and return to St.
Louis, which constituted last years
automobile endurance contest. will be
the test to which the National AssocFa-
ton of Automobile Manufacturers pro-
poses to subject the competing We
hicles in it's first annual reliability
trial next October. Not only will the
distance of this years run be almost
twice as great, but the route from St.
Louis to Pittsburg by way of Cleveland
presents so many difficulties in the way
of poor roads and steep grades that
in the words of Secre tary Irwin Of
the National Association, 1.-THE auto
mobile which completes the trip over
the prescribed course in seven days
time will be worth all the money it's
makers ask for it," A result similar
to that of last years run, in which
seventeen of the competing vehicles
made perfect scores, is considered i'm
possible. In fact, it is doubtful If d
single vehicle will make a perfect score
this year. The total length of the run
is estimated at S27 miles. and this is
TO DE covered HI SHNtH udJS,
an average days run of about 100 miles.
The maximum number of points which
may be scored by any car in the con-
test viii probably be 5000, divided as
follows: Punctuality on the run, 5000;
condition at the finish, 800; weight
carrying ability, 1000; hill climbing,
$50; brake efficiency, $50. One point
will be deducted from the punctuality
score for each minute the car is late
a. -. X~aI = oh
: ule of deductions for other causes. The
complete rules will be issued this week.
Trackless trolley cars are now being
run with success in the Biela valley,
near Dresden, Germany, on the ordi-
nary highway. Thousands of dollars
are saved In the equipment of the
trackless over the ordinary trolley ON
nibuses, motor cars, and trailers are
all used. The steering is done by the
front wheels of the front car. The troll
ley is so arranged as to permit the
train to turn aside for passing We
hicles. When a wagon is overtaken
there is no need of standing still on
one particular track from which there
is no swerving, until the wagon driver
sees fit to get out of the way. The
trolley simply keeps to the right, as
the law demands, running over any
road that any other vehicles can trav-
Ell. The trains carry both freight and
passengers. The cars are built so they
can be used In winter on the snow
and ice by changing the wheels. The
charge for passengers is n little less
than cents a mile, and for freight
from to 6 cents a ton per mile The
average speed for the passenger serv-
ice is nine to twelve miles an hour,
and for freight service the rate Is about
one-half as fast. There are two trolley
wires and two poles. as there are no
rails to accommodate the return cur
rent.
The Electric Chair Company of st.
Louis, Mo-, has been granted a con-
cession to operate 1000 automobile
chairs during the exposition next year.
The chair is electrically propelled, has
a safety guard rail to prevent acct
dents, and will stop instantly when
this sensitive rail comes in contact with
anything. The chairs will be rented
to visitors to the exposition at so cents
an hour. Each chair will carry two
persons, one of whom may operate the
machine, or an operator will be fur
nished If desired. A speed of not more
than three miles an hour will be main
tained, according to the regulations
made by the board. The chairs will
be allowed in all parts OF the grounds.
A count OF automobile clubs in the
United States shows 50 organizations in
22 states and the District OF Columbia.
They are distributed as follows. New
York, IL: Massachusetts. z: Ohio, s;
New Jersey, 8; California. 4: Pennsyl-
vania, 4; Illinois, g. Connecticut, 2;