New-York tribune., 1907-10-07
TIMELY AUTO TOPICS.
Ford out of Track Racing Until
Ne7o Rules Are Made.

Ne1C Rules Are Made.
AS result of the wreck of his latest speed crea-
ton in It's tryoUt drive, Henry Ford procleins his
intention to take part in no more track races until
the classification of racing is radically changed
/ believe, says Ford. that track racing Is or
lneslimable value to the trade and TO the develop
ment of the art OF automobile building.
IN no other kind of race can car be subjected
10 such severe tests in other way the public
be shown what modern cars capable Of with as
little danger TO the spectators But we have sur
passed the possibilities of the old classification.
One thousand Kilograms (2,2O4 pounds) weight
constitutes the only Limitation racing machines
There is limit to the power of the motor which
may be installed Just so long as the gross weight
does not exceed the above figure.
This standard was established in Europe several
years aGo. Owing TO crude methods, trappy design
and inferior materials. It up to two years ago
impossible 70 build car of that weight and with
power sufficient 20 drive it at any really dangerous
speed. So far the classification all right
Give us a new classification suggest a maxi
mum cylinder displacement Of 25o cubic lnches Let
each engineer put this into one, two, four, six or
sixteen cylinders, his fancy dictates. An engine
of $50 inches capacity be made to drive car
under the minute mark-and that is fast enough to
satisfy the bloodthirsty spectators who like to
see a man killed now and then
At the Harry s Houpt companys establishment.
on upper Broadway, there has arrived the first
contingent OF the 1908 Thomas cars. These
but the forerunners Of one OF the most extensive
lines OF automobiles put forward for public
requirements. AS to the latter, It is question II
these requirements will be catered TO IN any
more adequate manner for some years to come
fao have arisen TO the occasion and fulfilled the
mission Of the man whose name they bear, made
possible by years OF public approval The facilities
or the e r. Thomas Motor Company are wellngh
unlimited. and they have gathered around them
the best automobile talent this country and
Europe.
The rise of the Thomas in the course OF the last
four years has been little short of marvellous, all
the more striking when one ponders over the fig
ures. In 1904, 80 machines their birth at the
Buffalo factory; last year-for in the automobile
world 1907 is already thing Of the past-over LOO
high powered twentieth century gocarts were
placed on the market and eagerly taken up by the
automobile public. In the face of the prevailing
hard times and the oft-repeated statements that
the bottom has fallen out OF the automobile busi-
ness. little retrospect is not out of place" says
Mr. Houpt, for it shows, far the Thomas
product is concerned, that we have either been ex-
tremely lucky or else the public have been very
discerning" II the face OF the close competition
Mr. Houpt IS inclined TO lean toward the latter
conclusion for, he wisely states: 1T takes
something substantial than mere assertion to
sell automobiles TO the well posted public in these
One type of chassis which the Thomas people
are turning out this season will undoubtedly rev.
olutiOnize one line Of trade IN this city and that
Is the electric vehicle trade The chassis referred
TO has 2e-horsepower. four cylinder motor, and
can be fitted with either OF the following styles Of
bodies Runabout tourabout touring car cabro-
let, brougham. lardaulet, limousine and Doctors
car body This model is known the Thomas
town 1t is easy operate. costs but a triffe,
and, with It's practically unlimited mileage its sue
cess in the field for which II has been built should
be instantaneous.
General John T. Cutting of the Oldsmobile Com
pany. Of New York states that he expects several
1908 models from the Olds Motor Works at Lansing
in about ten days. Those who have had advance
views Of the 1908 Oldsmobile touring speak
enthusiastically OF its many relnements. and
venture the opinion that It will prove TO be Of
the handsonest cars ever produced IN this country
which is saying a good deal.
The first 1903 Matheson car arrived in New York
early last week. and IS undergoing a thorough test
under the direction OF the Palmer & Singer Manu-
featuring Company, distributors OF this well known
includes n
Albany and Philadelphia with 1900 miles to be COW
cred. When one considers that the 1903 Matheson
differs only IN minor details from its predecessor
and that It has been carefully tested out at tho
Wilkes-Barre factory this additional test seems
TO be unnecessary. The Palmer & Singer people
however. are determined 10 see II they can't dis
cover something in Its construction which could be
improved Clarence Beach. well known New
York cubman. has taken delivery OF a 90 Mathe-
son runabout.
The new Dragon roadster is almost ready to be-
tested out at the Philadelphia factory OF the
Dragon Automobile Company. The will be tried
IN the nelghborhood OF Philadelphia and then have
a special testing run over the hills and mountains
Of Central Pennsylvania The first car will be
reserved for the Grand Central Palace show and
other roadsters win he put IN commission for
demonstration purposes at the show con-
siderable number Of orders for the type have
already been placed, and agents making daily
demands J. G. Middleton, assistant sales man
ager, for specifications and information regarding
the new model.
Taxarneter motor cabs have at last been installed
Hotel was started last Monday. when that great
hosiery opened This ca naugurates new regime
In New York, for the occupant OF the cab pays for
only what he gets and the driver may not hold him
up for any amount The dial shows a charge of
80 cents for any distance of half mile less for
from one 10 four people, and 10 cents is added by
the recording dial for every additional fifth of a
mile. For each six minutes of waiting there "A
charge of 10 cents. and when cab is ordered from
a stand by telephone there Is charge of 20 cents
for each mile or fraction OF a mile. The dial shows
the charge at all times.
Milford Wigle, of transcontinental fame arrived
here. after exceptionally hard run from Detroit
in the new 1903 model Thomas-Detroit, on Friday
evening last. He was accompanied by J. J. Brady,
factory manager, and John Tugley, assistant sales
manager Of the Thomas-Detroit factory. The pun
made primarily to visit the various agents in
New York State and those OF New England. Koch
ester, Syracuse, Utica, Albany. Springfield.
Worcester. Amesbury. Lynn, Boston. Providence.
New London and New Haven among the
principal places visited When they arrived at
Friday the speedometer showed 3746 miles. 1900
Of which were traversed during the Detroit to New
York trip Speaking Of his run, Wigle says that
II OF the toughest he had ever undertaken,
particularly on that part which took himself and
his Companions through New York State. From
Buffalo to Utica II raned hard and continuously
and the roads were well nigh impossible Outside
Utica for distance of seven miles, where the
state is tearing up the old plank road and repac-
ing IL with modern surface, he thought he would
meet his Waterloo. for the mud up to the
hubs and the further he advanced in It the worse
the going got Not only did the not have any
mechanical trouble of any sort during the entire
trip, but IL finished its with the selfsame tires
with which it left the factory at Detroit