New-York tribune., 1907-10-25
KING AUTO ON SHOW.
RIG FIRST NIGHT CROWD.
Racing Balloons an attraction at the
Palace Exhibition.


Everything pertaining TO Tho motor Industry
fr1ro The smallest bolt 90 the finished up-to-date
handsomely modelled touring car. has found a
place ir the eighth annual automobile show of the
Automobile Club Of America. which opened last
night in the Grand Central Palace 1t Is one OF ihe
most comprehensive and elaborate exhibitions ever
attempted IN America, representing as II does the
combined Efforts Of millions Of capital with the
best engineering talent in the world
The setting for the show IS quite as eIectTe
and brilliant as the exhibits themselves, with soft
greens and reds harmonizing with natures color
ings in autumn leaves, which are banked in great
masses about the balcony tiers. Myriads q lights
are utilized but they carefully shaded, which
gives out-of-door aspect distinctly pleasing TO
The eye.
types are absent, but everything seTViceahle and
able 10 stand the strain to which motor cars are
nut is In evidence. SiX-cyinder cars are there in
abundance, with big roony bodies of varied styles
from the seven passenger touring car TO the
elaborate landaulet and limousine. Side by side
with the big cars are the high power runabouts
which were so popular this season. Prices vary as
greatly the types on exhibition and show little
The trend OF Industry appears to be along the
lines Of producing dependable cars; the cheapening
process will follow in later years with the stand
ardization Of component cars.
Judging from the crowd last night. the automo-
Bile is more popular than BY o'clock the
aieles were almost impossible. and more were COM
ing. The majority came to get a general view ana
most Of those present will come again. when taeE
can study the cars IN detail.
A distinct departure this year which attracts
general attention is the farmers car, a high
distinctly serviceable appearance Bodies are OF te
conventional buggy type. the motor being masked
under a small bonnet. Except for the chain drive
the 'buggyabouts as they are called have Nttie
TO distinguish them from the ordinary road cart
Only slight stretch Of the imagination Is required
in this innovation the popular car OF the
future.
INTEREST IN THE BALLOONS.
Long before they were surfeited with the motor
car display visitors found themselves in the Aero
Club exhibit, in the second gallery. where the
balloons OF the recent international race from St
Louis were displayed The wicker basket OF the
Pommern. winner of the great contest, was the
centre Of interested group until the lights were
turned on That this tiny car could have supported
grown persons through two days and a night
from the Missouri River to the Atlantic Ocean was
the wonder of all. Scarcely by feet square and
made light rattan reeds. the basket might have
built for clothes hamper rather than for the
service IN which it Was employed.
In the same portion of the gallery are the St
Louis the America and the United States, which
also went through the race with gratifying results
10 their navigatOrs. These baskets much more
ponderous.
A great variety of models from inventors work
the task of aerial navigation in the
hibit. They are Of especial interest TO the motoTst
on account Of the part which gas motors take in
recent dirigible balloon and Tapping wing ma
chine developments.
The most interesting visitors the private view
in the afternoon Alan r. Hawley, Charles
Ievee, NJ. Cashier and Mr.. Chandler, who took
part the balloon from st. Louis. They
all sunburned result Of their long tour through
the air half way across the continent, and each
said that he through his trip in the best Of
condition Mr.. Hawley said that it took him some
time 20 make I'D for the sleep he lost during the
N race. as was impossible for any of the
N testants TO get a wink Of sleep while they raced
through the upper air. Each said that he
ready for the next big event in aeronaUtic sports
Another visitor in the afternoon Colonel John
Jacob Astori who has just added to his private
garage a Packard touring He said;
This is a fine show. and it does great credit
10 the men who arranged IT, and shows gradual
advancement in the and science Of automobile
building, especially in the way OF details. The
average automobile is much easy to operate
and much safer TO ride in AT high speed than a
year ago. and it is a matter of satisfaction
note that the American builders well the
fore in improving cars both for pleasure and for
sport. In the manufacturing OF machines for bust
ness purposes American manufacturers certainly
lead the world"
Colonel Astor is as interested as ever in the
cause Of good roads, and he said. in speaking of
the subject: Great things ought 70 be accom-
plished in the near future for the improvement Of
our highways, and it will not be many years be-
fore America, especially throughout the East win
boast of as good roads as are TO be found in
Europe
Other visitors in the afternoon were Robert "
Cooler, Charles d. Wetmore and Cortandt Field
Bishop Mr.. Goelet confessed that he looking
fog new racing type OF Tunabout, and ne spent
the afternoon looking over the new models.
PROUD OF THE EXHIBITION.
Winthrop z. Scarritt, Of the show committee Of
the Automobile Club of America, said, in talking
OF the exhibition:
we are proud of our show It is a good show
and well worth seeing and studying. We not
only proud OF our own show, but we rejoice over
the successful show that is good whether under
the auspices of the Automobile Club Of America
otherwise All good shows tend TO stimulate the
public interest in glorious sport. The utiA-
tartan end of il. however. is now much more i'm
pOrtant than the sporting end Countless thousands
OF business the motor because by
of it, a vehicle of travel, they
more ground and in more comfort than by any
ether method now known the footstOol. I say
now because the airship is looming large upon The
horizon. ] doubt there will be disease
for medical TO put their skill against 1t
viii be the straning OF the muscles Of the neck in
position for looking Up into the skies. Persons
will be busy watching the evolution of airshps
and betting their favorite sky PILOT that the
physical organism Of the Spectator VIII be dis
furbed.
But for some OF US the automobile Is still good
enough. Il is only by barking back to the last
show that really appreciate what enormous
strides the industry has made in half a dozen
years. Il is unusual thing see an auto
nobilst on the highway under his car; then it
an unusual thing not to automobiles under
his car Then / thought my 5-horsepCwer De Dion
was q powerful machine, succeeding a 3-.orsc-
power one which had previously owned Now my
24-horsepowor, sir-cooled Corbin carries
the United States and through the wilds OF Canada
and is considered a machine Cf modest power IN
this day and age Of high powered monsters"
The private view FOR members Of the AUtomob'is