The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-11-03
AMONG The AUTOMORILISTS
FORMER RACE DRIVER nv " ~
MOTOR FIFE ENGINE.
a. a.. CbD ADandcns speed COIiIe"is
and Constructs Fire FrxhtIuE ADpara-
tuS by Using Chassis to Mount Rotary
PumD " hIcIl Automobile Engine Drives.

and Constructs Fire Fighting Appara-
tuS by Using Chassis to Mount Rotary
Pump hich Automobile Engln" Drives.
A. {. Webb. formerly "a driver Of racing
cars on road and track. has abandoned srug-
xles against Father Time In record trials AMI
entered the field Of fire lighting with AN auto
mobile fire engiue. He has built a Are engine
on an automobile chassis and uses tho regular
gaeOIene motor Of the Hitter for operating
the pumping mechanism. The fire engine
has a powerful rotary pump mounted on ~"
cross frame members. A separate tram
mission system from the motor TO the pump
To provided, and this is controlled by a lever ~
the side Of The drivers seat. The pump docs
not opernte while the vehicle II on its vay ~
and from a lire. but when the water is ~ be
pumped the gearing connecting tne putnE
Itself il thrown into mesh and action begins.
Since the automobile fre engine may NJ
times he called upon 20 stand for nOur' ara
Ingenious method of keeping the motor cool
despite the absence OF the current OF ar
get n II wer, tSavening along the road. When
the gearing - shifted TO throw the pump into
ActiOn the radiator Is automatically cut on
With cool water for its Jackets by = special
feed from the rotary PUMP. Upon the Pninp
Il automatically reconnected with the motor
and IL ready for the Of It's duties.
The Ore engine is mounted upOn a regular
~ horsepower. Thomas. Sh9ssis and In some
experiments that have been made the pump
has thrown. water we'll over the top OF a three
II must he admitted by even the most
ardent automobile user that accidents with
60 be deplOTable. and there IL little question
Out with eyStcH1C OF moro SfrtCtly examining
w" opsIasoTs III Is.ssnsd ,p.tsriaII'!
says the Automobile. The same, OF course IL
true of horse use-to an exent that might
more dangerous method or IooomotiOp hut
as long az the race end0res Il undoubtedly
about from place to. place by whatever
means. viii subject the individual to GER
tain hazards ne, re- might might az ay9 SEa by 5esolutG iE,
prOportiOnats popular conception Of the
automobile accident. matter has been rather
papers, which play up In front page display
she. mishaps accustomed by the machine.
fSstaIity conseaient npon a misdireotioD of
horse sense. Yet ~ seems to be the fact. In
so far AS statistics on the subject are. avail
greater number Of accidents--even taking
INTO, account the present predoninance Of
one. has only to look into the records Of the
CorOner's office In any community 70 llnd
rom the u~se-oTten BY women and children =
OF an animal WHICH Ia prone to Bpasms OF tor
,rOr every time a bit or paper blows nnross the
bile intrudes upOn the equine vision. tvGn
admitting the present. probability that there
VI kWEDLJ nOTEo VEHICLES 70 VAI duNVIlOFlliT
tthe most reliable recent figures indicating
shout 5000. 0O OF the formor to l5O, 100 Of the
latter) IL still would require Ear less than
twenty horse accidents TO one
accident TO place the two means Of trans
portatiop on a parity. as respects ,safgty.
And careful estimates disclose something like
siNty horse accidents to one automobile GcCi-
dept. The essential unfairness, however. OF
balancing one horse vehicle against one auto
mobile 10 found in the greater average nile
age and carrying capacity Of the latter.
IN any sort Of ordinary circumstances as
automobile IL called upon to carry twice the
load five times the distance that would be
expected from a horse vehicle. Thlh being
the case. Ls II reasonable To expect the greater
travel with the lesser risk? Certainly the
liability Of individual accident h more likely
to bear a proportion 10 the number OF in
plished than u Is TO any arbitrary Comparison
OF vehicle numbers Railroad statiHticians
recognize and are familiar with a basic unit
they term a passengers mtle." Borrowing
this. an automobile conveying seven people
No miles would afford 100 passenger miles
against. say. "A horse vehicle carrying two
persons twenty-five miles, an Ordlng fifty
passenger miles. Surely II " natural that
the hazard Of one amount Of travel should be-
So n the increases travel. can
We expect this 70 be the case without some
accompanying increase In the accidents Of
EavslI AppeEe9tly not; n We frankly Iacs
figures makes II plainly appear that the
automobile while vastly increasing ths total
Of passenger miles with Il related increase
u accidents, nevertheles5 most materially
decreases the risk per passenger mile. This.
too. Is with the conditions as they are -ad-
mittedly not all that they should be. With
better roads. saner legislation and Increased
caution and oompetence on. the part Of all
prssent win disappear.