The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-06

PLAN FOR TOURS
TO MINNEAPOLIS
Chicago Auto Show Promoters
and Exhibitors After Trade
in Northwest.
specia! to The journal.

Special to The journal.
Chicago, Feb. 6.-Automobile tours between
Chicago and Minneapolis promise to become q ia
yorite summer diversion this year If the scheme
set foot by the American Motor league today
naterializes.g John Farson, president of the
American Automobile association. has promised
that body's cooperation in the movement, which
includes the arrangement for several runs be-
tween here and the twin cities, the organization
Of tourists parties and the ultimate establish
ment Of macadam roads along the entire route.
The Automobile club Of Minneapolis and leading
manufacturers catering to the trade OF the terri
tory will be asked to Join in the movement.
The scheme really inaugurated at last
years automobile exhibition here. and the result
has been greatly to increase interest in autorno
bile excursions between Chicago and Mime
apolis. The promoters have determined to ask
the aid of all the cities concerned, however, In
GLIDING the towns route, which, it is be-
Heved, will be considerably interested in the
! movement. The establishment of good roads
along the route is the most important object de-
sired. as it is thought that would do more than
anything else toward increasing interest in au-
tomobling in the north aud middle west.
Attendance Large.
Attendance at the automobile show today is
the largest since the opening, with the possible
exception of Saturday. From the opening Of the
doors at 10 O'clock in the. morning there was
surging throng seeking admission. This, too, is
the day when the real purchasing began. Satur-
principally in looking the machines to select
their choice Their decision having been formed
today, they began buying. With an
great or greater, the sale of this
day said to have already reached nearly half
a million, or $500, 900 more than the sales Of
hibitors expect to sell million and a half
dollars worth more machines before the exhibit
ton closes Saturday. Sam Miles predicts that
the sales will reach $4,000, 900. 49,.
Judging from the attendance since the opening
of the Chicago show Saturday, New FORKS at
tendance of 900 is to be far excelled. There
are some who say that 100000 people will have
seen the exposition here before it Closes and
conservative estimates figure the total attend
ance at not less than 10000 Greater interest
is developing every day.
A notable feature of the show is the new style
Z OF automobiles exhibited. Persons not attending
can have no idea of the progress being made in
the manufacture. The gasolene car still leads In
popularity, but some beautiful machines are
shown Of the steam and electric types.
Creating Confidence. s~-..
The chief aim of the makers now seems to be
to create public confidence in the automobile. The
3 number of persons Of ample means who allow
the supposed difficulty Of operation to prevent
them from buying an automobile is said by the
agents to be very large, and it is to overcome
this objection that improvements tending to sim
plicity constantly being made.
Then there has been another distinct line of
Improvement. In the trade it is known as ac-
! feasibility. Translated, it means that motor cars
now are being built so that the operator can
get at any of the parts without taking the
! whole machine apart or doing contortions out of
the range of any but professional The manu.
facturers, therefore. showing for their 1906
+ models machines in which the probability OF
breakage is greatly reduced and which in the
event of the sometime inevitable break can. be
s repaired with less difficulty and Inconvenience
than heretofore has been necessary. IN this
& same connection the makers have paid a great
. deal of attention to the strengthening Of points
or greater strain. heavier axles and larger-siz
tires being conspicuous among the changes
Elaboration of Finish.
& The elaboration of finish Of the 1906 cars is
s respect, at least there Is little to accom-
Il plish. There lis exhibition at the Coliseum
Il car the painting of which involved twenty one
x different operations and coats before the final
sYarn1sh coat was put on. . -.
9. The accessories, which comprise the lamps.
horns and other detachable fea lures not part Of
the machine proper, are shown in vast profusion
and of the finest workmanship, all going toward
making a beautiful completed car. %.t.-@
To increase the weight Of the automobile there
has been much experimenting during the winter
with aluminium bodies, and the results have
been so satisfactory that several makers have
adopted this body exclusively. This effort to
reduce the weight Of parts which do not contrib
ute to the power of speed has been the out
s growth Of the desire to increase power and
speed without increasing the total weight of the
& machine. For. talk much as they may about
the gradual depreciation Of the speed element in
autoing. the agent will tell you that few people
buy automobiles to whom speed is not prime
consideration
Leather cape tops are now the rage in auto.
mobile coverings where the limousine is not
used, the cloth, canvas macintosh style be.
Ing conspicuous by its absence. - - 49,