The San Francisco call., 1908-05-07
Motorists Welcome
Baffleships
Automobile Dinners Play a Part
in the Reception of Big
armada
By K. K. PHommedieu

CISCO mas there been such decorative
parade as was seen when the fleet came
in. Show committees, automobile clubs
and dealers associations and other So
cial and commercial bodies have time
and again issued calls to the motorists
asking them to parade with their cars
decked out gayly to help the game.
All these requests have been met half
heartedly and the owners of cars have
been accused of being selfish and lack
Ing in their interest in the invention of
the age. All this has been disproved
When 1t was announced that the fleet
was nearing Golden gate patriotism
became uppermost. AS if prearranged
nothing outside of the stars and stripes
was to be seen on the motor cars.
Those who had graduated from the sea
and had taken up sailing on land
showed their nautical knowledge by
flying the union jack at the fore, at
tached to the radiator, while old glory
was astern, fastened to the housed
cover. There We're cars with big flags
that ran from the forward point to
the hood and swept way aft covering
the whole machine. Then there were
cars the covers of which were outlined
with myriads of small flags, fiuttering
In the distance like SO many butterflies
alighting. 1t was red, white and blue
and nothing but red, white and blue
The reception given to the fleet at
Monterey by the motor car owners
along the water edge and all vantage
points was duplicated many hundred
times and from Lands End to Mission
bay there was a screeching salute sent
out on the air by the pulsating engines
In the history of the reception to the
fleet Will always be considered the part
played by the automobile. 1t was a
Of fIo lar r,r
chine to that of the sea.
The model q six cylinder Oldsmobile
which arrived in the city last week is
attracting a great deal of attention, as
1t stands on the floor of the salesroom
of the Pioneer automobile company. 1t
is finished in a rich dark green, and
makes a very racey looking car on ac-
count of its low body and frame and
130 inch wheel base. The size of the
engine bonnet does not bespeak the
powerful engine underneath, and is
shapely and graceful looking. The
wheels take 36x5 tire, which in view
of the lightness of the car should do
away with punctures or tire trouble.
In tryout over some of the steep hills
of this city and along the new boule-
ward in Oakland the car showed great
power of negotiation and thoroughly
convinced some of the local enthusiasts
that a formidable rival for hill climbing
honors had come on the field in the ap-
pearance of the merry Oldsmobiie."
In letter received by (. p. Brinegar,
manager OF the Pioneer automobile
Thomas motor company, the informa-
tion comes that Mr.. and Mrs. Percy
Walker have sailed for Europe. They
write: "Mr. Walker who was here
last week. seems to be delighted with
his new Thomas runabout He spent
four days in Buffalosand was out in his
car almost every minute of that time.
and they anticipate a most delightful
tour through the European countries
The car was shipped to New York,
where Mr.. Walker received it and had
it loaded on a vessel which sailed yes
terday.'
L. Merle of Oakland was one of the
many motorists that went to Santa
Cruz to attend the fleet festivities. He
made the run in his model L White
steamer, and states that his car, as
usual added enjoyment to the trip.
Ex-Governor James H. Budd of
Stockton has purchased from the How-
ard automobile company of this city
one of the new four cylinder Buick
runabouts which have become popular
ly known as the White Streak"
Among those who have purchased
new cars, according to a letter to
Charles NJ. Brown of the Winton motor
carriage company of this city. from the
home Office is Wilbert Van Camp, son
of Frank Van Camp Of Minneapolis,
who now owns Winton Sixteen
Six" runabout, which was delivered to
him at the University of Pennsylvania,
where he is at present student. Also
]. Burton Lippincott. the Philadelphia
publisher, who has just ordered a
Winton Sixteen Six" limousine.
The possible usages of the motor
truck seem to be- almost unlimited. The
H. H. Franklin company, through it's
Philadelphia dealers, has just sold one
of it's 5000 pound trucks to a local coal
firm The truck will be fitted with
wheels with steel flangedsrims and will
be run on railroad tracks throughout
the Pennsylvania mines and shipping
yards of the firm. The air cooled mo-
tor was what attracted the purchasers
to this big car.
A regular stock model Is horse
power Elmore two cycle touring
car will be entered in the Glidden
tour this year. which Will be held
in July. The records OF this car
are above the average, 1t having been
driven in every srace meet, road race,
hill climb and endurance run in south
ern California since it was received by
the Elmore company in San Francisco,
now represented by the Carmichael
Bray company In March. 1906. In every
endurance run 1t has made perfect
score. In the so mile motor derby III
Los Angeles, May IL OF last year, this
particular car won cup. It's next big
victory was on the occasion of the 80
mile Lakeside motor derby race in
which, carrying its full load in regular
touring order. 1t made the 80 miles in
39 minutes. To date the car has run
over 10000 miles and has never had
its engines taken down or its bearings
touched. The car will be driven to
Cleveland this summer and around the
Cleveland tour, and then returned to
Los Angeles, where 1t will be entered
in the great Mount Baldy race, which
Is one of the hardest and most danger
Gus courses in the world.
BELMONT WINS CLASSIC
LONDON. May 6.--The Two Thousand
Guinea stake for colts and I'LL
lies foaled in 1905 was run at New