Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-20


parkway will IL completed in time for the
the man consider the job good rs
finished.
x
When +h4 proverbal water wagon is
run by motor power 1t will be harder than
ever for staggering feet to catch up with
and board. Also the fall therefrom will be
worse.
American autOmobilists who believe that
this country should take more active part
than formerly in the big motor contests
abroad will, it is declared. be glad to learn
that some of the rumOrs regarding Amer
icas participation in the Grand Prx race
in, France next June are likely to become
facts. Statements from apparently au-
thentic sources indicate that two American
cars will probably be represented. and
other firms are considering the feasibility
of taking part in the automobile invasion
of Europe. just what the result will be
must be definitely known this month, for
the official rules of the Grand pix. contest.
just issued by the Automobile Club of
France. state that the entries will close
February l. The entry fee is $1,000 car.
An extension of time, however, will be
granted up to within three weeks of the
final race preparations. but the fee for
these belated entries will be $1,000 Prac-
tically all of the cars that to compete
will be entered by February 1.
y
The organization of the Chauffeurs' Club
of Hartford is believed to be a long step
in the right direction. and if followed by a
national association along the same lines
reckless drivers who bring discredit on au-
tomohilng. could be better controlled. In
giving it's reasons for organization the new
club issued circular. which said in part:
The automobile industry itself, that
brought into existence the necessity for
the profession of expert motor drivers. Is
yet quite young, although it's present mag
nitude makes it thing that must be reck-
oned with in the commercial world 1t
would seem from superficial point of view
that the interests of every manufacturer Of
automobiles would be Numerically opposed
to that of every other manufacturer of au-
tomobiles, because he is in direct competi-
ton in the sale of his cars But the brains
controlling the millions of dollars invested
in this industry conceived the different and
correct idea that by close association and
exchange of views the industry, whole
would be benefited and improved. and they
were shrewd enough to see that this must
necessarily benefit each individual manu-
facturer provided, of course that the work
he was turning out was meritorious. The
same rule applied in a smaller way would
also be good for the men who were driving
their own cars. The competition feature
with us was, of course. not an important
factor and the better element among chauf-
feurs could see and feel that there We're
many abuses that could be righted, and
many things that could be done to Improve
his standing in the community and the eS-
TEEN in which he was held by society as
whole.
This was a consummation devoutly to
be wished by the more intelligent among
us so the question of organizing for the
common good began to take shape. and
after a little intelligent work and discus
sion out of chaos sprang the Chauffeurs
Club of Hartford. We are endeavoring to
raise the standard OF our profession, and
every applicant for membership must un-
dergo a thorough examination. Morally
he must be up to our high standard. AS
to his ability to operate and care for a car
each applicant must stand an examination
as rigid as a civil service examination
ut has always been recognized that the
ca sest riding position upon motor car is
as nearly possible half way between rear
and front axles," an authority says. "The
lars due to road Inequalities are trans
mitted from each axle through the springs
to the body. the effect of each irregularity
being successfully felt first in front and
then behind, while there is a comparative
freedom from shock at central points of
the chassis This is particularly true with
long-wheel bases, given rise or fall of
either axle repreSeD ting a very small move
ment in the center of the chassis. Rear
seats are generally notorious for their
hard riding qualities as to be rather @hun-
ned by experienced motorists, being, as a
rule almost directly over the rear Sxle, and
il is unfortunate that one of the best two
riding seats has to be given up to the
chauffeur-only one of the passengers in
touring car being able to enjoy seat at
fording the maximum of comfort. These
facts are, perhaps, too trite to bear repeti-
ton. The perfection of the spring appoint
ments anu the employment OF shock alb
sorbing DEVICES of course somewhat mltl-
gate these conditions. which, ii would seam,
must always characterize the tonneau type
of car
The abnormal increase of bonnet length
which comes with the use o. SIX cyinders.
and the fact that all tonneauS on high pow
cred cars are now required by pubnc de-
maud to be very roomy ito comfortably
seat five persons). keep the rear seat of the
tonneau extremely far back-the permiSS-
Bile length of wheel base having been
reached if not exceeded. in some designs.
1t is evident. however that few manu-
facturers of touring cars realize the advan-
tage in point of easy riding. of keeping the
whole body within the space between the
aXlcs and thus locating the rear tonneau
seat somewhat forward of the rear axle
1t NAV be practically impossible TO bring
the seat sufficiently far ahead to make a
subs tautia Improvement IN the comfort OF
the passengers. but IT IS certainly move
in The. right direction. a least the adoption
of the practice is d sign that few manu-
facturers are approaching the basic cause
of the hard riding qualities of rear seats
and attempting to remove II. In order TO
locate the rear seat forward of the axle
there is almost necessarily Implied the use
of a long wheel base, an engine of moder-
ate length and certain contraction OF the
fore and aft space in the tonneau. In cars
of liberal wheel base, intended for but
three passengers in the tonneau, the tom
neau seat may in practic" be placed quite
a little ahead of the rear axle with good
results.