New-York tribune., 1907-12-01
AN AUTOMOBILE SALON.
Tenth 4nnucd Display of the Indus
tru IN Paris.

of
of funninations embrace an area Of sixty acres
extending from the Place de la Concorde TO the
POND Point Of the Avenue des Champs EiyseeS
and from tie Avenue Gabriel. across the Bridge
Of Alexander III. to the Invalides. Inc iiiuilii
nations surpass all previous efforts. Inc enec'
is .ieht and graceful and the entire glass roof
,,, has been studded with lamps and drapeo
with pale blue silver and gold silk. whlcn re-
fec1s with iridescent charm q dazzling blaze
OF coIoring. When the three hundred thousdhu
electric lamps. besides the huge bars OF blue
and red and yellow. and the powerful arcs are
all in full activity the cost exceeds Sl,2oo an
hour There are upward Of eight hunored
stands in the exposition. and the leading motor
firms have constructed tasteful kiosks sew
eral being wrought in iron and STEEL to display
.beir csr. snd motors. Estimates based upon
official fiscal returns show that there are at
least forty thousand automobiles now clrculat-
sng in France and notwithstanding the present
setback in the demand for cars of high power
the Industry seems to be increasing by leaps
and bounds.
From g. technical roint OF view the automobile
salon Of 1907 reveals few new mechanical
improvements compared with last year
show. There is a general tendency among chdS
SIS manufacturers to simplify things Inc slA-
cylinder idea has found favor among the Ffehch
builders. and next year even some or the 40"
horsepower
type. Experts. however. express grave ooupls
as 70 the durability Of these machines. which
rnuuestionably have attained great popularity
The 1907 motor cars are much less coH1puca1eu
than the models Of tbs last two years thes
are so simple that any man Of ordinary inter
ljgence who takes the trouble to devote fort
night TO the study of the machines can master
the mechanism sufficiently TO deal with ordinary
bitches or r11ishaps and to keep the chauffeur
he SSe5s
,s everywhere adopted. The disk clutch is in
favor, and the honeyco1nb radiator is considered
the most effective The gate change speed has
come into general use. and the direct drive on
top spee6 Is the rule.
4 salient feature this year is the new auto
rr1a1fc starting device worked by compressed air.
which Is applied to the 1907 models Of the Pan
hard and also the Renault chassis The
enormous advantages OF this device VIII be ap-
parent TO all automobilists
The spirit Of sirnplihcation is in the ever
increasing number Of shaft driven cars. and the
newcomers in this line attach more importance
70 strength than their predecessors. The new
Panhard live axle driven chassis Is. from all
appearance. a sturdy and serViceable machine.
which can be used either .n the city with a
closed body or for touring with a light open
body. II is Of Is horsepower. but develops "A
horsepower without appreciabie effort. and be-
1naticaly by the carburetor. it can be used with
safety in crowded city streets.
The long wheel base Is losing favor
count of the difficulty Of handling long cars in
the city. The popular demand at present is for
the short wheel base OF 10-horsepower to 20
horsepower as these types Of car are considered
TO be the happy medium well adapted for city
work or for touring.
At Ghe Eotchkiss stand. which is of wrought
xCitF bras T.d
electric lamps are set. the principal attraction
IL the 1920 horsepower model. with improved
carburetor, tnciCsed cone clutch. and with a
double -eardaa Between the clutch and speed
change box. Component parts Of the six-cylin-
der Hotchkiss which completed successfully the
IJ00o-nile reliability test view. and
close inspection does not disclose any signs of
car
The Westinghouse company has adopted chain
cases for their larger models. which enable them
70 run almost as silently as electric carriages.
The Westinghouse new model 2o-S0-h horsepower
IS provided with motors of great dexibiity.
which permit the OF top speed in crowded
streets without having 20 drop back on the
lower gear.
One OF the novelties Ia the show is the adop-
ton by the Mercedes and other firms for their
more luxurious models of combination of the
dynamo and the petrol gas engine The dynamo
with electric motors is fitted 20 the hind wheels.
These costly cars Of 35-horsepower, and also OF
s5-60-horsepower, well suited for city work,
and run as smoothly and silently as the ordi-
nary electric.
The new petrol electric taximeter cabs at
tract attention at the Krieger stand These
noiseless vehicles being placed for pub
lie the Paris streets. The petrol engine
works the dynamo. and a current is generated
WHICH is transmitted to the motors by cables.
The small f'runa bout" is all over the salon.
II is light in weight and in structure. 1t has
seats for two persons and Is pronounced by ex-
perts 10 be fully dangerous as 1t is inexpen-
sive.
In the matter Of carriage work several I'M
urovernents are noted. but the general lines re-
main the same Automobile coach work is most
elanorateiy and tastefully finished, and so per-
feet is the fitting together that it is difficult TO
say whether the chassis was built for the coach
carriage or vice versa There are many in
ssenious devices, and these are largely due to the
ingenuity OF the American automobile expert.
William s. Hogan. in the disposition of the body
OF cars which permits carrying a great deal Of
luggage without its being apparent, and. above
all without dangerous displacement OF the Gen.
ire of gravity Of the car Models of commodious
touring cars may be AT the Vuitton stand.
Some OF these vehicles carry lightly constructed
tents for camping out, bedsteads, bedding.
chairs aluminium cooking utensils. table service
end washstands, etc
Great consolation to intending purchasers
comes in the shape Of d considerab bic drop In
prices for nearly ell the leading makes. The
average price. for instance, OF the best made
chassis from prominent firms Of from 10 to 25
horsepower is 5000.
An interesting feature of the present Salon"
is the congress for the adoption Of denatured