Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-26

as the Commissioners of the District
shall prescribe. which shall be lighted
one-half hour after sunset, whether such
vehicles are proceeding under their own
power or otherwise.
| A feature of the bill which. 1t is con-
coded. will be pleasing to Maj Richard
Sylvester. superintendent of police, is the
provision that, in order to carry into eff
feet the act the Commissioners Of the
District are authorized to appoint fifty
additional policemen of the first-class.
The motorists Of this city have felt for
some time that they have been discrim
mated against in this respect and that
horse-drawn vehicles should not be i'm
mune.
The question has often been asked:
why are automobiles and hacks re-
quired to carry lights while private car
riages and wagons are exempt"
| II all vehicles were required to dis
play a light of some kind after dark
operators of machines would then be en-
abled to see vehicle on the road at a
distance instead Of almost crashing into
| 1t before discovering the danger. The
autoists in this city now number several
thousands, and are becoming to be recog-
nized. which. 1t Is claimed, has not been
their good fortune In the past.
| President Taft is a believer In good roads,
although he thinks the question of high
ways is not a notional matter. His own
view as recently expressed by him, is
that 1t is chiefly q state function, and
that all the states ought to unite in an
effort to promote good roads. He does
| not think the farmers are as much in
terested in the matter as they ought to
be.
Next to education" he says. ''the sys-
tenn of good roads is the greatest civil
| izer." And he is right. too.
| Interest in the coming joint aut omObile
a a at n
| ues to increase as the time draws nearer.
| Outside concerns are coming to the front
and each is securing space for the exhi-
bition of its cars and products. Sew
closed contracts for space during the
past week, while three leading automobile
companies in this city likewise advanced
their deposits and signed the contracts
| In town recently and was busily engaged
in working out the details of the exhibit
ton. Much has been accomplished and
| matters are moving along smoothly
town firms from the west and middle
west. while several of the aeroplane COM
panies have expressed a desire to partici-
pate in the exhibition. The decorations
will be made to have the coming show
| surpass anything of its kind ever held In
| the National Capital.
A special meeting of the Society of
Professional Automobile Engineers Is
scheduled to be held Wednesday evening,
January 5, In the club rooms OF the So
ciety, 1920 Pennsylvania avenue north
west. on which occasion officers will be
elected for the ensuing year.
j. F. Conrad, who has been confined
| to his home for several days on account
| of sickness. is rapidly improving. He is
| able to be at his office.
| President Taft. Vice President Sher-
man and Speaker Cannon. all motor en-
thusiasts will be invited to attend the
automobile show next month in this city.
| Mr. and Mrs. George F. Frank and
family passed through Washington q
few days ago en- route from Philadelphia
to their home in southern Virginia to
spend the Christmas holidays.
| A knock in a gasoline motor is often
very difficult to locate. The causes are
always rapid variations in the pressure
on the moving parts on the one hand
and looseness in bearings or joints on the
other. There may be slight knocking
in the engine without any undue loose
ness anywhere, but such knocking. which
Is generally described as of the nature of
q DULL thud. is solely due to too early
ignition and can easily be remedied by
retarding the spark.
-
Edwin H. Duff. for the past ten years
one of the leading motorists Of this city,
received his new 1910 Chalmers-Detroit
Ia
we'll e1uiped in every detail, has a pony
Il tonneau and many other attractive fea-
lures. The car is four-cylinder. and rated
| at 30-hOrsepower.
Fur scarfs are very cozy for the mo-
torist. They must be long. SO that they
can be crossed over the chest and fas-
tened at the back with gold safety
pin Another novelty Is waterproof or
leather peaked hood, which can be drawn
over the fur bonnet In the event Of rain.
X
The latest purchaser of Chalmers-De-
troit go car is Fred bennett Of this
city. The car was delivered yesterday
1t has a seating capacity OF five pas
|; sengers. and is fully equipped for touring
/ 1t mas not DccN u great manly yC0i :
since two speeds were considered al
that were necessary for cars Of small
and medium power. Today two speeds
are pretty nearly non-existent In this
. country. and nearly all cars OF any
pretention in the matters OF power and
l price are fitted with four speeds.
!; ~
Mr. and Mrs. j. NJ. Stoddard and fam
!. lily are spending the Christmas holidays
s at the formers old home In Vermont
The left for the north Wednesday even
ing.
E. r. Minshall has purchased a 1917
\ Woods electric brougham. the car hav
. ing been delivered during the past week.
!. A Wisconsin court has decided that tn.
: owner Of an automobile 10 not responsible