The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-26
AMONG THE AUTOMOBILISTS.
THE EVERLASTING PROBLEM or
GOOD ROADS.


- NV III v " vs. - 90 OssAs Ass 4
Best TO solve H-MotOrs Largely
Responsible for wear and Tear OF
Highways-Race for Antique Autos.
Chief Engineer Vernon Il. PIERCE OF the
United States public roads ohlce OF Wash
in gton. il inspecting some OF the highways
around Boston with Secretary \. y. Fletcher /
OF the Massachusetts, Highway Commission
and DR.. Cushman of Washington. He says
the Massachusetts roads compare favorably ,
with the hest in the country and that state
is one OF the few that has reached a point
where il knows how to take care Of its high
ways. In speaking Of the work Of his Office. 4,
which is connected with the department of
Agriculture. Mr.. PIERCE said. Our of1ce has
not yet reached very large proportions tut
il is steadily We have such En
immense territory TO cover that u would
take a great amount Of time, men and money
10 do things on as gigantic n scale a. the
office might wish. At present We contne
our work 20 building short stretches of q
mile or more a. the case warrants. When
W. have built such a stretch The state officials
have a good working KNOWLEDGE of how to
do such work, and very often they continue
where We lett oil. IA a result, the start
having been made, the States find 1t a profit
able lesson. and many OF them are making
yearly appropriations TO add to their good
roads, Our department has constructed
roads in WASHINGTON, Kansas. Alabama. New
Jersey and a number Of other States. We
are going to construct a stretch OF four miles
in Virginia from jamestown to Norfolk and
another stretch OF six miles in that vicinity
Tor the exposition. Just now We are in
terested in the preserving OF the roads. That
Is Why | am visiting this State. The wear
and tear since motor cars have come into
use is u serions problem. and IL will have
TO be given much consideration. The Use
OF oil upon roads has been suggested by many
engineers. II was tried in Long Island City
last year. bur il did not prove a success there.
The fluid splashed all over the vehicles ard
Tdined clothing OF people in cars and pcdrs-
TRANS along the sidewalks. When persons
crossed the streets they carried the oil with
them on The sidewalks and into their houses.
so the practice was Discontinued
One OF tho events scheduled for the auto
mobile track races 10 be run on the Point
freeze course NJ Philadelphia on November
10. will be a two mile contest for antiques
In this race no machine which was built later
than 1901 will be eligible to start. Several
of the American cars which were built for the
Vanderbilt cup race will be driven in attempts
to establish records for the course.
One Of the most striking illustrations of the
i'll feeling toward automobilists in Switzerland
Was the proposal. apparently made seriously.
that all machines should he compelled TO
, carry a road sprinkling outfit. A Zurich
paper recommended that the authorities
should compel every motor vehicle 10 carry
an apparatus, connected with the engine.
20 water the streets in front and at the sides
Of the automobile. The reservoir should be
large enough to carry water sufficient for a
! distance of several kilometers before a refill
be needed, In Wet weather the apparatus
could be disconnected The notorist WHOSE
apparatus was not working IN dry weather
should be made punishable by law. lust as a
CyClist is who rides by night Without a lamp.
The paper further suggests that the use OF
count Of its offensive oder. II would allow
only refined alcohol or electricity to be used.
BosToN, Oct. 2S.-Rain had no terri ors for
the drivers of the touring ear that IL trying
for the 900 mile nonstop record between
this city and Worcester. Going into Worces-
ter Tyler had the closest call of the run when
the car skldded on the soft mud on Main
electric car. Both the m%otorman and Tyler
applied the brakes and the collision was
ma rowly averted. At ol4 the car was back
in Boston completing it's seventh trip. and 6l3
Of the $500 miles TO be covered. II was
appesrancc at the club and was relieved BY
COburn, who again took the wheel for a ten
hour job Of IL.
The plan and scope committee of the auto
mobile highway which Is to be built on Long
Island Win hold a meeting to-day at the Law
yers' Club, when the various members OF the
committee will make reports OF the progress
Undertaking. II Is practically settled that the
company to be incorporated will have a
capital stock OF $500. 900 and will issue bonds
for 81, 500, 600. Several big banking houses
have offered to underwrite tho entire bond
issue. but tho committee plans 70 distribute
the bonds very widely. allottinE them to auto
mobile manufacturers. property owners and
automobiliets who express a desire to become
Interested in the company. IL seems to be
the idea at present to build the highway as a
sort OF automobile trunk. line through Long
Island. as i is Thought that plan will insure
proving more acceptable to residents Of Long
Island who wish to make trips TO New York
public highways and roads by tho stata laws
and the local regulations OF many ofthe smaller
Long Island towns. " Is the plan Of the men
Interested In the project to. secure a good,
long highway first, upon which touring cars
may be driven without any thought Of rural
constAbles and .autotraps. and next, to see
Chairman Jefferson De Mont Thompson Of
the A. A. A. racing board, who Ia a member
OF the plan and, scope committee, saId yestsr-
day that he had received unsolicited offers for
stock subscriptions which COtalled many
thousands Of dollars.
E. Russell Thomas the New York banker
who has competed In some Of the Ormond
speed carnivals in the past, may Contemplat
reentering automobile racing. AS be yesterday
purchased the duplicate HotChkiss racer
brought to this country by Elliott +. Shepard
for the Vanderbilt cup race. The ear is the
one that was driven by Hubert Le BlOn In the
Grand Prix Of the Automobile Club Of France
last June. and Is an exact duplicate o. the
100 hor se-pOwer machine driven by Mr.
Shepard on October 8, Mr.. Thomas IL re-
ported to have bought the car before having
IL for a short drive "A d that he intended
TO Use u as a runRhOut In and near New York
city. Nj Thomas vas asked u he intended
to announce his plans. Mr. Thomas is a
member or the Automobile Club Of America
and u member Of the racing board Of tho
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