The sun., 1906-12-28
AMONG HHR AUYOMODTLISrS.
SPEEDWAY TO CATSKILLS A DIS
TANT PROSPECT.


IN Character OF Auto shOWs-Gosslp.
Though several years must elapss before
anything can be done in the way Of beginning
actual work on the project, the proposal to
build an automobile road along the top OF the
Catskill aQueduct continues to find favor with
motorists. Former President A. X. Shattuck
OF the Automobile Club of America, who is
chairman Of the clubs good roads committee.
has become interested In the project and has
looked into its possibilities. In discussing
the undertaking MIR. Shattuck said:
The plan Is. OF course. Of great magnitude.
and Involves important engineering problems
well as financial elements. And yet, In
spite Of its proportions. it Is a matter which
l think the city and State should certainly
consider very carefully Within the last few
years the city has spent many millions OF
dollars to construct speedways for drivers
Of horses and special roads for eauestrians.
and now 1t seems to me the city might very
we'll consider automobilists, of whom there
are more than rs 900 In and about New York
city alone.
The engineering side In some ways offers
a new problem. Road building ordinarily
costs about $4,000 a mile. In the case Of
the aaueduct. as | understand It. the greater
part OF the excavation for the waterway will
be of the cut and cover variety and probably
embraces u width Of not more than twenty
feet. This would mean that about half OF
the work OF road making probably would
be done. BY this, however. l do not mean
to imply that the proposed road would cost
but 5000 a mile. because the problem OF
using the line OF the saueduct Is somewhat
different from the ordinary road building.
In constructing a road the natural contour
Of the country is used to the fullest possible
extent. while In the case OF the adueduct
In some places. as near Garrison where they
propose TO tunnel, it would be necessary to
construct on new land a road around the hill.
Moreover, II this highway Is to be OF great
service to automobiles It must admit OF
speed OF about thirty miles an hour, although
as understand it excessive speeds are to
be prohibited. as this IL to be q highway
and in no sense a racing course. TO make
such a speed possible there should be very
few grade crossings and certainly no grade
crossings at railroads or trolley lines. II
possible grade crossings on ordinary roads
should be avoided. These features would
make the building OF the road more expen-
sive than 10 construct an ordinary highway.
On the other hand. however. the land is
already owned. and this OF course will make
the project cost much less than to secure a
new right OF way through other territory.
The financing OF this road also must be
considered Recently the State authorized
the use Of s50,OOOOOO for the building OF
rood roads The rule Is that the State pays
SO per cent. the county IS per cent. and the
town is per cent OF the cost. Now, on this
project IL seems to me that the city and the
State might very well enter into partnership
to construct road OF hfty miles through
suburban an d farming territory: the state
might pay half and the city bali. some In
come from the road might be added from
charging tolls. though l doubt whether this
item would yield a tremendous revenue.
but OF course the return oud be dependent
on the popularity OF the road. ] have heard
also that wealthy men are willing to buy
bonds for such an Improvement az an interest
as low a. per cent. which would also give the
that such a road would vastly enhance the
value OF property all along its line and con-
seauently give indirectly large return from
increased tax payments, Moreover such q
road undoubtedly would tend to make all
tial purposes, and increasing settlements
would add to the prosperity OF the smaller
communities affected and augment the value
Of realty.
Col. George Pope, who has been In the
bicycle and au utomobile manu- curing bust
ness since the beginnings OF both. points
out some interesting differences between the
AUTOMOBILE shows in Madison Square Garden
as they we're and as they are. lie Is chair
man of the show committee Of the Association
Of Licensed Automobile Manufacturers. which
Is in charge OF the Garden show to be held
January ~ 10. lie says:
in years gone by. when the old guard
makers were new 10 the field and were looking
for dealers to handle their product. the national
show was largely trade event. to which
the manufacturers went seeking TO do bust.
ness with retailers. Now the old esta ablshed
ma nu IA cturers all have their regular line Of
dea lers. aud the orders from these are booked
in the ia u. They do not go 10 the show to
cause they are already supplied in this RESPECT.
They 70 10 display the new models to the pub
event eve Sf has 1 become sort Of for soeieS
and the autOmobilIns class.
Several accidents have occurred recently
In Cle vela nd. where automobiles have run into
horse drawn vehicles on poorly lighted
streets or bouleysrds at night. ana the motor
lists VI that city Intend to make an effort to
have an ordinance PASSED requiring all
vehicles to carry tail lights after dark. The
members OF the CRY Council are to be ap-
proa ched individually. and the automobiles
hope TO get tue proposed measure passed.
The Paris show demonstrates how unwill-
ing the French now are TO allow their best
models to appear at the Olympia exhibition
and thus anticipate the t9rls salon: writes
they are wise ia so doing very much doubt
10 begin with, the buying centre of Europe
Is not any longer Paris Dut London, for IL
has conolusiyely been proved for the last
two years that for every intending pur-
chaser who visits the Paris show there are
ten or perhaps twenty who visit Olympia.
Therefore the policy Of the French makers
In not showing their latest and best models
at Olympia Is probably already affecting
the popularity OF the French car. Increasing
orders are being given to British firms mean
time.
Not that the agents Tor the French
firms do not do their best. for they are. taken
as = whole, most assiduous and hardw oTking
In the interests OF the makes they represent
But French firms are making a mistake as
to their true business policy when they de-
cline. as they have done IN some cases, TO allow
their London agents TO have the best Of their
wares for the best market. IL is only natural
that France should dislike and try to pre-
vent the gradual shifting Of the chief auto
mobile market from Paris to London. Not
only were the French manufacturers and the
French people the first to realize the possibili-
ties OF the motor car and TO develop IT, but
their innate genius for good engineering, for
eliminating useless weight and producing
neatness and beauty Of design, put and kept
France very much In the front rank ill two
or three years ago. But Great Britain, with
slow but sure strides. has now come along
aide and l. beginning to Outstrip the former
leader The cleverest heads among the
French manufacturing firms have regretfully
aoknOw lodged as much Of late In speech and
print,
have seen II stated lately. that the French
ma anuFacturer IL shortly 20 be ruined, and
that the outlook for him is hopeless. The
facts are that british buyers will buy more
home made cars At home shows and shops In
future, but the demand for cars will so tn
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