Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-24

Seattle's postmaster has asked the Post
Office Department for an appropriation to
permit him to experiment with motor cars
in the collection Of mail.
Thirty litres of gasoline for every 100 kilo-
meters of distance constitutes the new and
principal clause in the regulations for this
years Grand Prix race. In France.
An English wheel which is said to give
satisfaction is covered with a solid tire of
pigskin. road shocks being absorbed by a
sort OF ball-bearing arrangement at the
hub.
Soap. graphite. stiff tallow or red lead
mixed with glycerine are all good for stop
ping leaks in the unions Of the fuel pipe
The threads should be literally smeared.
An Ohio town has framed a municipal
law. forbidding wheelmen to cling to a
passing automobile, and making the auto
mobile driver liable to fine If he permits It,
Many motor-driven, high wheeled buggies
are being used among farmers In localities
in western states where the roads are not
all that could be desired for horse drawn
vehicles.
That all automobile buyers are rich is a
fallacy which becomes more apparent as
such each year. The use Of motor cars is
spreading rapidly among those of moderate
incomes.
Greater attention is paid this year by pur-
chasers to the braking capacity of the vari-
GUS types on the market, and in many cases
poor brakes have been the cause of the loss
of sales.
Although there Is little likelihood that
car may become unmanageable for any rea-
son or that the driver may become incapaci-
tated suddenly through illness and allow
the car to escape from his control, yet such
a possibility exists and cases Of the sort
have been known to occur more than once.
On that account, the provision Of an emer-
gency lever in the tonneau such as is in use
on all railway cars in connection with the
air brakes might be wise precaution Such
a lever might be interconnected with the
clutch and brakes, or, more simply still,
might consist Of cut out in the ignition
system through which the motor might be
converted into brake temporarily. In
limousine cars, where the driver sits alone
as rule, and the levers are entirely out
of the reach Of the occupants Of the in
terror, such an arrangement, while seldom
likely to be in requisition, could not fail to
be of great service in case of an emergency.
The Vermont legislature has passed a
law for the improvement of public roads
throughout the state, and the appointment
Of state highway commission and county
supervisors. Under certain conditions
town may have free Of charge the services
Of competent road engineer.
When driving at right, or whenever it
is difficult to observe the rate or feed
through sight feed oilers mounted on the
dash, slip bit of white paper behind the
tubes, thus giving a light background
against which the contents of the glasses
xx{11 with considerable 6iStincfpasS
even in a poor light. For permanency
varnish the paper.
The following have been appointed to
serve on the racing board of the American
Automobile Association for 1907: William
K. Vanderbilt, jr., E. Russell Thomas, Dave
G.. Webb, A. G. Batchelder and s. NJ. But
Ter, New York; r. Lincoln Lippitt, Provi-
dence, and George L. Weiss, Cleveland.
An automobile show is to be held In
Madrid, Spain, during the first half of
next May. The president of>the exposition
has been chosen in the person Of the Count
of Penalver, and delegates have been ap-
pointed in Paris and London. American
manufacturers who wish to sell cars in
Spain. 1t is suggested, might do we'll to
exhibit at the show. The American consul
result in many sales. 1t will not be worth
while to send any automobiles which are
not strong, simple and good hill climbers
There is prejudice against one-cylinder
motors all over the continent of Europe,
but it is possible that American single
cylinder buckboards might succeed in Spain
If they are powerful enough to go up
steep hills and do not vibrate too much.
If there are any useful two-cylinder buck
boards they. too, might be shown to ad-
vantage, even if the prices are a little
higher than the single-cylinder machine.
The rules and regulations of the show
have not been announced, but inquiries may
be addressed to Senior Condo de PenaIver
presidente de la Primera Exposition Inter-
Macdonald de Automobilismo, en- cuidado del
Real Automobile Club. Madrid.
New Castle county, Del, has made a bid
for automobiling by asking the legislature
to permit it to borrow 100000 with which
to build substantial permanent roads within
its borders.
Thomas A. Edison, whose relationship to
automobiles is known on account of his
electric battery, is to be honored in France
with an electric play embracing the
principal episodes in his life.
To make them more prominent in Lon
don's crowded streets automobile ambu-
lances are painted white with large red
Geneva crosses. They carry remnants fly
ing from the peaks of the canopies.
Aluminium castings were such rarity
a few years ago that an order for few
hundred pounds was considered big one.
Now several automobile builders each are
using 100000 pounds a year.
An automobile omnibus company at Cairo,
Egypt is operating four automobiles and