New-York tribune., 1908-02-16
TIMELY AUTO TOPICS.
OUTLOOK SEEMS BRIGHT.
Business Expected To Be Much
Larger This Year than IN 1907.

Licensed AutOmODle M2nuIdCtuieiS oiiN 49,
tional Association of Automobile Manufacturers
held last week. the outlook for 1908 was freeiy
discussed NJ. ]. Budlong, general manager Oh
the Licensed association, when seen alter the
meeting was emphatic that if the general pohey
of conservatism coupled with rational business
methods and a proper commercial practice, were
adhered to, the business for 1908 would not only
equal but be larger than that of 1O'- Ihe rec
ords and statistics for 1907, which nave Just
been completed by the Licensed associatlon'
show to what extent the industry has grown the
last year two. During the fiscal year Oh
January 1, 1907 to January i, 1905. there were
1902 pleasure gasolene cars manufactured IN
this country The aggregated value is $96.
572. During this same period there were ooV
steam and electric pleasure vehicles built and
sold in this country, with total value OF s''-
100000. this giving total of $500 pleasure
automobiles sold in the past twelve months
with a total value of $1O5.669.512-
E. r. Thomas president OF the E. r. Thomas
Motor Company, is in receipt of the following
telegram in connection with the delivery by the
Thomas company of the first of the 1908 six
cylinder runabouts to the Harry S. Houpt Com
pany. the New York Thomas dealers:
We express greatest qualification and heartiest
congratulations to you and all concerned at the
factory for the finest and most beautiful automo-
bile have seen, bar none. American or
auestionably be king OF the speedway even
1t IL in as od IN m of dea
1t Is masterpiece, your severest critics must ao-
init; We are absolutely satisfied, our highest ex-
pectations are more than realized In the auto
mobile world you have built for yourself nonu-
haae haee placed I AnYeresn product far in the lead
With great inpatience We await the receipt Of its
cylinder touring car. All delays in placing these
cars on the market. which have been SO exasper-
all fool h1y-o hian NOR war
ranted We cannot thank you enough for furnish
ing such
One of the longest tours of recent years has
just been successfully completed by R. H
Johnston, a member of the touring committee
and of the good roads committee of the Ameri-
can Automobile Association Mr.. Johnston
drove his S0-horsepower White steamer from
New York to Savannah by circuitous route.
passing through ten states and covering a total
distance of 2,044 miles.
In speaking of the trip Mr.. Johnston said:
I'VE started from New York, not with the inten-
ton of doing any sensational stunt, but with the
purpose of finding good touring route between
North and South and to do what little We could
to forward the good roads movement South of
Louisville the roads were rather rough. but the
going was not particularly severe. except on the
twenty-five mile detour We made from the main
route in order to visit the Mammoth Cave. The
trip from Macon to Savannah was by far the
hardest portion of the journey. The roads are
hardly more than trails through the sand. which
becomes heavier nears the coast. But
the principal reason why few automobiles ever
attempt this trip, at more propitious time
of the year. is because almost all of the streams
are without bridges. Even those streams which
have bridges must be approached through water.
as the bridges are built only over the deepest
parts AS we made the trip after season OF
heavy rain it can be imagined that We had to do
some rather sensational fording. Often the
water washed over our big S6-inch wheels Sew
eraI times our burner was extinguished. But
this did not bother US, as We always had re-
serve supply of steam in generator sufh-
eient to carry to terra frma- We were al
most three days in making the two hundred
miles between Macon and Savannah, which was
by far the slowest progress made on any
part of the tour. Our total elapsed time from
New York to Savannah three weeks and
five days
lust before the start of the New York TO Paris
race the drivers were asked what. in their opin-
ion would be the most serious cause OF the de-
lay and trouble sure to ensue on so terrii1c and
extended a journey Most of them hesitatlnsly
pronounced tires 10 be the weak point, but
Bourcier ST. Chaffray and NJ Pons strongly op-
posed this idea. Il have every confidence In
nv Michelin tires said St. Chafray. Il have
know them to survive over mountain roads and
across fields of snow and ice that cannot be sur
passed in dangers and difficulties even by the
worst sections of Alaska and Sfber1a- NJ Pons
said: My experience with Michelins has been
too thorough allow me any doubts as to their
ability to cover the course, rough and difficult
though il is sure to be-
The American Locomotive Automobile Com
pany has kept its factory running Oh Iui 'i'ii0
right along, and reports the sale of its cars
made under French 'Berliet" license 10 De De'
ter than last year. although these cars command
the highest prices.
General John T Cutting, of the Oldsmoolie
company. of New York, left here on Thursday
Co.. Chicago 10 attend the reunion of Taylors
Chicago Battery B. in which he served during
the War of the Rebellion.
"I have been often asked why l am so con-
ermed a user of newspaper space in advertis-
ing" said Charles A. Singer, yesterday The
answer or rather one of the several answers, IS
that il paws and pays promptly. We put IN our
newspaper advertisements only such information
as we feel that motor car buyers want 10 know,
and their appreciation is shown by their re-
sponse One newspaper advertisement placed
at the beginning of this week brought more shan
forty possible buyers to our showrooms on Mon
day and on Tuesday there were not less than
twenty persons in our sdlesrooms at any time
between the hours of 10 a.. m. and p. m or
course we sold cdrs-five in those TWO days-and
gained in addition scores OF interested prospec-
tive customers who are awaiting demonstra-