The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-16
The AUTOMOBILISTS.
ITALIAN CUP DRIVERS san FOR
HONE TO-DAY.
Heath and J. =. Mann VIII Also Begin
HOmeWard VOyRSe-Tracy Puzzled rs
TO Number OF Tires Replaced in Race
Inspecting Massachusetts Highways.

Alfred Poole. who was mechanic for Joe
Tracy in the Vanderbilt cup race, says that
he has no very clear idea regarding rhe mum.
Der OF tires that were replaced on the Loco
mobile racer that won for America the dis,
tinctiOn Of making the fastest lap of the con.
test. Poole is authority for the statement
that Tracy also lost all track Of the tire re.
placements. though Poole says that both Oi
them have a distinct remembrance that il
was necessary to replace three tires on two
Of the occasions that they stopped at tire
depots. After the race Tracy was asked
II he had kept track of the number OF dam
aged tires on his racer. but he said he had not
He did tell Poole. however, that he knew
the first name of every mar at zach OF the
tire depots on the course.
Lancia. Nazzaro and CaGno. members Of
the Italian team in the Vanderbilt cup race.
in which Lanoia finished second. will sail
for home to-day. They have been on a fly
ing trip 10 the West and Lancis is said 10 be
so much interested in a famous American
runabout that he Contcmplates opening
negotiations 10 become its Italian agent.
George Heath Of the French team is also
scheduled to sail for Europe to-day. J. j.
Mann, general manager Of the Hotchkiss
firm, who came over here to watch Elliott +.
Shepard drive the 1870 horsepower Hotchkiss
racer as one Of the French team. will also
begin his homeward voyage to-day.
An inspection tour of some of the impro we'd
roads OF MassaChuseits was recently made by
several members of the Rhode Isla nd High
way commission. including COI. j. II. Ed
wards. chairman; X. T. Rodman. engineer;
W. e. Peckham, J. r. Richmond and p. j.
LAmson. They were accompanied by Chair
man William 4. McClintock. Harold Parker,
J. A. Johnston. Division Engineer and Secre-
taTy 4. B.. Fletcher of the Massachusetts High
way Commission. and made the journey IN
three White Steamers, driven by r.. g. Glover.
A. X. Miller and q. II. Lufkin. The party
started from Worcester and went TO Spring
field. rode over Mount Tom ana went through
ChicopeP. Northampton and other inter-
veninR towns 10 Greenfield. where they spent
the night. The next day they rode through
Turner's Falls, Orange. Gardner. Westminster
10 Fitchburg. where they stopped for luncheon.
They then drove 10 Boston through Grot on,
Concord and Arlin gton. They covered more
than 80 miles during the two days. and all
OF the journey except about twenty miles was
made over roads built by the Massachusetts,
Highway Commission.
Though tape is very useful ~ a protection
for the terminals OF the various leads in the
ignition system. there are times when IL be-
comes a source OF annoyance. The copper
NohNN'tNHo h'Sh ~ universally NmplOytu
to finish the ends OF the cables are quite soft
and flexible when new. but rapidly crystalline
under the influence OF vibration, and the break.
which follows sooner OF later. Ia just as apt
TO occur in the part covered by the insulating
tap as elsewhere. This leaves the appear
ance of the defective part unchanged 30 that
its sOundness goes unchallenged. The only
way TO solve the puzzle is to tug at the cable
ends and unwrap any that appear 10 be loose.
@=
In noting the improvement that has been
brought about in the automobiIe within the
last few years there Is nothing that strikes
the observer 50 fnrcibly as the changed reIa-
ton ~ weight TO Dowpr--one Of the items
generally Included in the sweeping sta tpment
Of "inCrea sed efficiency" SAYS tho Motor
World. Just how much The compete car 81.
say. only -FOUR years ago. weighed Ter horse
power viii prOba bly, never be- known unless
some one has sufficient curiosity 10 take one
Of ihe-n old timers on the scales and seo for
himself. " seems quite certain that their
designers were not particularly Interested In
heTsome and weightv bodies saddled on ten
or twelve hoTse-poweT engines. I, il more
than likely that In such Instances as that
referred %. where what vas then considerpd
n ls = big touring -qr" had loss than fftesn
nominal horsepower and no one knows " nat
horsepower. the ratio Of weight To
power was something like 40 10 4, That Ia
,oo pounds 81 dead weight for every horae'
tDwer ~ the motor. VI scticr soon Demon
strated how grossly they were un~derpoWeTed.