The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-09-05
AUTOMOBILE NOTES.

Autoists would do well to watch the
piece Of canvas which is used under
machines to protect running parts from
dust or dirt. Torn covers often cause
a lot of wear and tear on the delicate
parts of the running machinery.
"Firecrackers on wheels" is the lat
| est nickname for automobiles. 1t was
invented by the mother of the Brighton
Beach race track superintendent, after
a sleepless night due to the noise of
the cars during the recent "a hours race.
1t is a mistake to depend upon patch
es to repair a damaged tire, especially
in hot weather, when the heat of the
atmosphere aids the friction in working
them loose. 1t is a saving of money,
time and temper to have the tubes pro-
perly vulcanized.
Whenever touring of strenuous ma
ture is to be undertaken it is wise to
adequate sprag, OF back-step, TO pre-
vent it from running away on hills; in
the very likely event of stalled motor
or broken brake connection.
1t is absolutely essential that the
crank case be thoroughly cleansed of
lubricant is administered. Without do
ing this the new oil simply dilutes the
combination of grease and dirt which
accumulates from time to time.
The real secret of the failure of the
Vanderbilt race commission to pull off
ago. William K. Vanderbilt. Jr., simp-
ly put his foot down and refused to al
low another contest without protection
against accidents
Three alcohol-driven cars designed
expressly for the use of travelling sales
men went through the recent French
industrial motor vehicles contest with
out penalization, and, as a result.
series of trials for cars of that charac-
| ter, to cover $500 miles, will be held.
| Unless an owner soon turns up the
police department of Hamilton, O., will
| add an automobile to it's rolling stock.
A deserted touring car was found on
| the streets not long ago, and, although
| the fact has been widely advertised, no
] claimant has made an appearance.
| The Congo Free State government has
| an automobile department which for
over a year has been building a system
of roads running from the River Nile
over which motor trucks can haul
freight into territory which Will not see
railroads for many years to come.
| At a cost approximating 100000 the
| Philadelphia G. Reading Coal and Iron
company, which controls practically the
will equip its district superintendents
with automobiles as a time saver. At
present they travel in carriages or on
| trains.
It is surprising how much difference
/ in the steering is produced by very
I =
Aside from the difficulty of controlling
| the car readily under such circum-
stances, it is important that such stiff
ness be removed at once, as it may be
| the forerunner of some more serious all
ment.
Experiments being made by the Royal
Automobile club of Great Britain show
| that the time is rapidly approaching
when al, road builders will so construct
roads that the surface material will be
/ held down by Some adhesive mixture on
which sand can be sown to prevent the
material sticking to the wheels.
| The objection to the use of automo-
bfles on macadam roads on the ground
| that the suction of the tires draws out
the top dressing has been overcome by
| city officials of Boston and Chicago,
who have used a coal tar product which,
| washed over the surface of the roads
| acts as binder for the top surface
| A snake that fell from a tree into a
rapidly moving automobile near Pleas
| antville. Conn, caused a young woman
who was steering the car to faint, and
| the machine was wrecked by colliding
| with a farmers wagon. It cost $50 TO
settle with the farmer and the Young
woman lost some valuable jewelry in
the wreck
The tremendous value of the auton1o-
| bile in the free rural delivery of mails
was never better illustrated than by-a
recent test of an electric car on a route
of 20 miles, supplying lis families, rum
ming out of South Bend, Ind Whereas
the carrier usually covered the route in
eight hours, the automobile did 1t in
/ three.