Evening journal., 1905-12-04
HONKl HONK OF THE AUTO
NOW A FAMILIAR SOUND
More Than Two Hundred Machines Now In Use in
City and Owners Pray for Good Streets

Five years ago when the first auto
mobile appeared in the streets Of WI
mington people gazed i'm open -mouthed
wonderment at the monster and asked
what was coming next IL was indeed
a curiosity, but time has worked many
changes until today the sound OF the
honkl honkl is as familiar as the
clang OF the trolley bell. The progress
OF the sport has Kept pace with the
interest OF the public for that one ma
chine has more than 200 successors
which daily spin over the city streets
furnishing unboui led pleasure to their
owners and not a little interest TO
pedestrians.
The First Car
The forerunner Of the present local
automobile was "a one-cylinder affair
with a warning bell. which seemed all
most useless in the face OF the ma
chimes nerve-racking tchkl tchkl rat
Tie OF chains and cogs. that gave pro-
nounced notice TO passing pedestrians
yof It's approach. Its owner hardly had
the delightful uncertainty Of an argu-
Rsnt with "a passing horse. ms its
spe ed, fifteen miles am hour, was i'm
sun cicnt to permit the rivals 20 get
toga her
BA since then the development OF
the au tomobile business in Wilmington
has be en- by bounds. There has been
no nort nal growth In its use. Every
thing co injected with ii has been abb
normal. from the displacement Of the
superfuons gong which could be- heard
"a block dis tant and the raucous bark
ing OF the machinery which was plainly
audible for lalf mile I'M favor OF the
honki honki' OF the metallic bugle. and
the noiselessA caa like motion Of the
present equipIteip. From the single
specimen IN 1900 to the 1877 machines
of every known variety now seen
speeding daily On the streets and drive-'
ways: from tAe tiny runabout with
its seat built for two" 10 the hand
some. capacious touring car with itsl
parties of from eight to a dozen; ini
fact from the 1900 model to the almostI
perfect machine Of 1905.
Progress Was Slow.
At first the progress Of automobilingi
In the city was slow. Even In l902i
there were only four cars to be seen.
Staid. dignhfied citizens have throwin
dignity to the winds at the sound Of the
mystic chugi chugl TO madiy dash for
three or four blocks i'm an endeavor to
get "a peep at the magic "benzne
buggy" irate drivers have had to liz
orally elbow their way through
crowd OF curious spectators when they
desired TO again start their machines
after stop made on Market street.
But those days have passed. The au-
tomobile has been before us for five
years I'm constantly increasing numbers.
-aud has been accepted as natnial
conclusion. A high stepping horse re-
ceives as much attention now from Hhe
passers-hy as does his speedier cbn-
frere and only an exceptionally hand
some car can now hope To gain q mo-
ments inspection from citizen OF
wilmington.
Two Hundred Machines in Use.
The disproportionate growth OF the
popularity Of the automobile ia the
city can be seen when 1t is known
that in 1903 there We're about thirty
machines; IN 1904, only last year, near
ly sixty. while now there are almost
two hundred I'm constant use I'm and
about Wilmington.
Nor is their use confined as is the
general opinion, TO the wealthy class
OF citizens, for "a well known CARA "a
keeper Is authority for the statement
that a large number of owners I'm the
city come from the middle class. and
embrace many whose most valuable
possession consists of their machines
An this has come about IN the face OF
increased prices which have kept pace
with the increase OF production. cons
fort. speed. equipment and reliability.
Some Characters Gone.