The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-17
AMONG The AUTOMOBILTSTS.
CUP RACRICOURSE MAY BE NEAR
WASHINGTON.
Representative OF Automobile Club or
America selects Ground which May ne
ObtAlned-PIAn Z Build Grand stand
= Missouri After Better Highways.

-MlssOuFA AFTER Better
WASHINGTON. Oct. Is.-Van Buren, Reeves
OF the Automobile Club of America was here
recently looking over sites for the establish
ment OF a raCecourse on which cup races
and other contests in which the club Is inter-
ested may be held, Several available sites
were submitted to him and he is expected o
return tomorrow with a final answer in re-
gard TO one Of the sites which is said to be
especially satisfactory for his purpose. This
site is located on the Bladensburg road, about
six miles outside the city. It's location IL
especially adVantaR eous because OF the fact
that 1t is situated on both the Pennsylvania
and Baltimore and Ohio railroads. as well as
q trolley line from Washington. Upon his
return he Is expected to make a second and
more comprehensive examination of the de-
STABILITY Of this tract before reaching a final
conclusion In the matter.
He is understood to prefer this piece OF
ground to all other sites which were sub
mitted TO him, and IL is regarded as likely
that the ne otiations will soon be closed.
The Automobile club contemplates the
establishment Of u course forty feet wide.
A grand stand il to be placed in the middle
OF the track. so that persons with field glasses
can see the racing machines at all times
during the contests. Several hundred thou
sand dollars will be expended In macadamiz-
ing the bed Of the track.
~ n TeCtnb kOOu EOhdH tOnNcutlOu nclu III
Missouri. State Highway Engineer A.. N.
johnson Of Illinois made the following re-
marks when asked how Missouri roadways
could be bettered; The faults in road con-
struotion in Missouri are the same as those
In many other States where the authorities
having the work in hand are without a thor
ough knowledge OF their undertaking. The
principal trouble lies in the use Of wrong
material. in neglect TO lay a proper foundation
for the road or poorly arranged drainage
facilities. Leaving out the evils resulting
from grating on public work, where the
money expended goes into the pockets Of
individua ais instead OF into the roads. there is
too great a tendency to put work on the
top Of a highway. with little regard for the
bottom. The sstone used in mscadamizing
should be limestone, not too soft. and. of a
quality that will bind with rolling and wear.
In Jackson county. for instance, i UNDER
stand that there are two grades of this stone
used on roads. One In soft. too soft and
brittle to be good, and the other is a blue
stone of first class quality. The two mixed
make a satisfactory dressing for roads. but
the contractors working without intelligent
supervision by public officers and perhaps
ignorant of the comparative qualities OF the
two, frequently use the poorer stone.
Naturally | believe the solution OF the
problem Of good roads lies in direct super
vision by.a State highway commission. In
States where such bodies exist the members
are familiar with local conditions and know
thoroughly the principles of road construC-
ton. They furnish townships or counties
with specifications for roads in any given
locality and by personal inspection see that
these specifications are lived up TO. In llli-
nois the State Highway Commission and it's
engineer consult and advise with officials
undertaking road work whenever requested
TO do so, and 1t Ia seldom that any such work
Is undertaken without our being called in.
The commission has an annual appropriation
Of S25. 200. The Illinois board has been in
existence a year. but has done a great deal.
An ice compsny in Hartford. Conn, has been
us ing a Ave ton truck during the past summer
for delivering ice to its customers and has
found its use such a great saving that an
order has been placed for six more Of the same
type. When the manager OF the company
was asked regarding the efficiency of the
vehicle he replied; Certainly IL is efficient.
We can carry an excessive load each trip in
the vehicle, and il will do the trick that is to
say, we can overload it every trip with no dis
a%strOus results. This would be impossible
with a horse team. II our truck Ia in need Of
at no cost whatever, but II we had a sick horse
he would consume feed just the same and be
costing us something as well. We can do four
times the work OF a double team with the
truck"
That the buyers of automobiles, who, after
all, are the ones in whom automobile manu-
dsG ttI1r sTs, and I;ib selling td Ing - sETeP biTit are most d inter
ent sorts conducted isIvery plainly shown by
the foll9Eing from arecent issue oil the Chicago
WHY not a test of power wagons next?" in
CURED a bewildered buyer for a Chicago con-
S SfaI st MhiSs f Il lsf% oY dTSnsbt the SSr sesvi' f6e 81 bs sSSr
had spent a busy afternoon with the agents OF
ptomo6ile rev looking into the adyantsse
the automobile turned the conversation to the
S cSRoIed fas0ife ase 'G coT e ' sFiH eyer s sne the the
man who wanted to know about power trucks.
wants to know how much G%asolene a car needs
compared with machines Of other makes.
Why doesn't one OF the Chicago automobile
wagons, heavy trucks and other utility We
hicles? There are several hundred prospec-
a test with the keenest interest. There are
department store buyers, for example, who
biies a. substitutes Tor horses and in the
Wholesale district the subject Is bein given
increased attention. Definite %informs.ion
see a test which would bring out Just the facts
ton. reliability another and the cost Of malnte-
nance still another Our nrm is ready to
minute II we can be CONVINCED that il is supe-
rior 10 our present service"
Automobilists who use the White HorS
pike going from Atlantic City to inland places
will be gratified TO learn TINT the contract
has been signed for the construction of the
new road between HammOnton and ASTON,
This In a stretch OF six and one-half miles,
but IL Ia a link that will cut fifteen miles on
the route from Atlantic City to Trenton and
New York. One point about the new road that
is sure 20 find favor with automobilists ia
the fact that it IL to be sixteen feet wide in
stead Of fourteen as was originally planned,
The contract price is SIS, 600. IL is likely that
another stretch Of road will be built from
ASTON to the county line by the Burlington
county authorities.
Signs are not wanting that the United
States will In the course OF a few years take
It's proper place among the industrial nations
Of the world as an exporter OF automobiles
and parts. says the Horseless Age. In the
past our automobile industry has repeatedly
received a setback In foreign markets by
the export OF cars primarily made to sell, "
but now the average American product COM
pares favorably with that OF foreign manu-
tacturers as regards both quality and price.
The increasing demand for American cars
abroad Ia reflected by the customs returns.
The European automobile press 10 beginning
to recognize that thoroughly serviceabIe
cars are now being built In the United States,
and this, In connection with the ackno wled ged
superior manufacturing methods OF this
country, has led some OF our foreign con-
tempOraries to sound a note OF warning re-
-