New-York tribune., 1906-12-23
PARIS MOTOR CAR SHOW
coeateSt Display of Automobile In
daStry EUer Made.
Paris. December IL.

onened on Saturday by President Fallseres
..s,ns an importance never dreamed OF when
s.s arst motor car salon" was held. IN an
.hsoure music han IN the Avenue wagram
-ben The total number OF exhibitors scarcely
,esse6 one hundred The present salon" con-
,..ns the show stands Of fifteen hundred exhib-
,.,-s There are eight hundred motor cars or
,-,elys on view. and the value OF these is esti-
-,s,ed at 60Oo00OO francs. or S12Oo0OO0
The exhibition occupies the entire space OF the
c-snd Palace OF the Champs F,lysees, ana the
s-ysre Of the Invalides. The cupola of the
Grand Palace is illuminated by two hundred and
ssv thousand electric lamps. which cost when
united SIS minute.
II Is unquesdonahly the greatest manifestation
n motor car industry ever seen. and shows that
France stiu retains the lead over other nations
N all that pertains 20 motor car construction
indeed the value OF French made motor cars
exported 10 other countries since January 1.
1905. IS estimated at 150Oo0O0O francs. or
ss0OoOO00 The French constructors easily
hid their own and II is significant to note that
.ber most formidable competitor is neither the
Tinted States. nor Germany. nor England but
T,sly which country is admirably represented
IN me show by fourteen different firms.
The chsra cteristic feature OF the show IS the
general use Of the six-cylirder engines which
have been adopted for high power cars by two
thirds of The French ana italian Designers
Whether ths constructors imagine that the pub
uc really demand these costly six-cylinde- en-
zines is another question. but leading firms ex-
h5it them because they feel that they would
b behind the times If they did not produce
them for the beneh; Of clients who indulge in
expensive machines and VINO will listen 10 moth
tng buI the eix-cylinder principle. In fact the
show holds out no hope for a drop IN prices.
Yoning discloses an effort 10 turn out IN large
ouarriE.ss low priced machines OF u OF IS horse
power with adequate speed that would bring
artomob3ling within the reach OF persons OF
Moderate means. The average power OF the cars
exhibited is so horsepower. Other significant
features u The salon are the abandonment of
cast steel n construction the accessibility OF
81 The internal parts OF the machines. the great
favor for the nve-axle system OF transmission
instead Of the chain. great perfection in the de-
vices for changing speed, improvements IN the
automatic methods Of greasing ard oiI.ng. and
marked tendency IN every department toward
simplicity and uniicafion.
n reference 70 the Erea. question between the
live-axle and the chain transmission II is noted
that in the class o. low power trucks. that is TO
sav those under 24-horsepower eight out OF
ten have nve-axle transmission. while Of the
high power trucks, those for instance, over 24-
horsepower, eight out Of ten ara supplied with
chain transmission. Nearly all the trucks that
have chain transmission are fitted with the
carter box protecting the chain from mud and
dust The metal clutch has now replaced the
leather clutch. and the French engineers have
succeeded in producing metal clutches that are
noiseess and supple, and far more durable than
The models of last year.
The vital problem Of tires the rapid wearing
or ~ which seems 70 present this year as
hitherto the greatest obstacle to bringing the
cost of autonobiltng within easonabIe limits,
Is not yer solved There are scores Of protective
devices. none OF which is absolutely satisfac-
facrorv There ara half a dozen different meth
Ods of automatic starting machines, hut the
French chauffeurs declare that these devices are
not yet fully developed. The motor omnibuses
are supplied with solid rubber tires, which sup
port the enormous weight put upon them. but
the average life of. such tires is only six weeks
for ordinary street use.
An Italian maker has introduced q novel self
Farting device. This consists Of a small air
compressor engine fixed upon the casing of the
haf time wheels in front Of the engine. The
piston Of this is coupled TO an extension Of the
crsnkshaft and necessarily operates with the en-
gine. The function OF this auxiliary apparatus
is, firstly, 70 drive air into a reservoir situated
81 the side Of the chassis in the place usually
occupied By the oil reservoir. This reservoir is
always kept fully charged, and when It is re-
CURED 70 start the engine a lever is moved on
The dashboard which allows compressed air.
through the action Of suitable time apparatus.
70 be forced on 10 the top Of the piston so placed
as TO receive il. In this way the necessary
Starting impulse is given TO the engine.
Another Improvement introduced by the Itai-
ian makers is the simpliAcauon OF the brake
Mechanism. no underframe is employed for
the engine OF gear box. the former being carried
directly on the main frame and the latter be-
tween two pressed steel cross members.
An interesting novelty is, the perfection Of the
automatic carburetter. which by its constant
temperature and the nicely Of proportions Of
its mixture seems 10 satisfy every requirement,
sH6 when once adjusted no longer needs any at
tsnIion
The Italian models Of 1907 retain the low
tension ignition. plate clutch and ample transmits
Eon gears. and the high power machines are
fitted with exceptionally long side springs The
Italian carriage work is much better this year
han hitherto
Considerable advance has been made IN re-
gard 10 electric cars. The 1907 models are
Almost silent. THIS result IS obtained by the
Suppression of certain features of the motor
car mechanism There is no controller, no
ehsin. no gear. no gearing wheel. and the motor
placed between the hind wheels. The carriage
propelled simply by a double electric contact
With suppression Of the spark
The carriage work is especially elaborate IN
NE 1907 models Great attention Is given 10
Devices for interchangeable carriages. For IN
sanoe, Partisan firm has invented system
Og which open phaeton can IN fifteen min
--ef, by means OF four large screws. be removed
saa replaced by g closed coupe Low priced
Iotor cars VIII soon be provided with metallic
ssriags work all in one piece covered with
ttsEnel natnt An that one has 20 do Is 20 put