New-York tribune., 1909-01-17

THE MATEEsoN TOURING CAR
Probably the greatest test OF endurance and sta
,rav the automobile has ever undergone that
.rperienced by the in the New York-to-Paris
nee last year Il attracted attention in all parts
N the world. A Thomas car. piloted by American
a,vers was the winner, as all those the least IN
,.-e,t.d IN antornobiling remember.
So, after the cars left New York in the mid
~. ~ winter they experienced hard going, and for
..,a- -a-+. or the trip across the continent they
haE IN Aebt their way through snOwbanks and deep
-,us All the way around the world drivers and
cars alike we're subjected 10 the greatest hardships
rrba winner vss q stock car. with no mechanical
changes The equipment wes, OF course, somewhat
- ~ the ordinary consisting largely OF enormous
,,rui;es OF gasolene and oil, besides shovels and
packs Not until they reached St Petersburg cid
e.. sIobe-encirclng trip become one Of pleasure
From St Petersburg 10 Berlin the cars had fine
,oshs 10 travel and such was also the case On the
isst stage Of the journey. from Berlin 20 Paris.
The Thomas car made the r1n from New York
70 San Francisco N forty-tvvO days and It took
,,v,n+v days from VladivosJok 70 Paris These III
6avs we're entirely BY road, total Of l2C1e miles
hang covered ass Of them IN the United States
r.. course originally planned called for 5000 miles
OF travel while the course eventually followed
across the Pacific and through japan required Il
oo miles Or one night the Thomas car struggled
for thirteen hours stretch Of eight miles
willie au the cars fought their way through snow
nat was at least twelve feet deep
IN its way the dash % the E-tle StudebakeT car
nca New York 10 Fort Lsaven7yoTth. Kan, IN
ruadEiuter, almost as notable II carried q
massage from General Grant 10 Colonel LOUgG-
horough - Iefc this city six days after the New
York-to-Paris racers and beat them into Chicago.
but this was because the drivers were changed
treauently and speed the only consideration
Nevertheless fights through the Western snow
helds made autouao bile history The distance OF
nearly 2go miles covered in a little less than
two weeks.
Tbs greatest automobile endurance test Of the
wear in this country is the annual Ghdden tour,
extending last year from Buffalo TO Cambridge
aur.ngs Penn; 70 Pittsburg to Bedford, Penn; 10
Esrrtsburs 20 Philadelphia Milford. Penn. 70
Albany thence through the Be-kshires 70 Boston,
srd along tbs north shore Of Massachusetts Bay
40 Poland Ne; thence 10 Rangeley Lake, Bethle-
bsm n Z. and ending at Saratoga Springs. n Y
Ms route crossed the ranges OF the AleSh ShenE
aod Blue Ridge mountains skfrted the sides OF the
CstsknIs and Adirondacks. then through the Pict-
Eussuus Berkshire Hills and led up into cloudlano
2 Mount Washington n. II
Ery-odd cars containing about two hundred and
ervsutydve passengers started the trip OF about
szn miles and many OF the machines finished with
s,rfsct scores e remarkable demonstration OF the
GnGsncY and stabity Of American cars in touring
eousests- The rules for the 1908 tour were par
nczkrIy e1acting and called for the maintenance
Of g time schedule that only once low as
seventeen miles en- hour and averaged between
r1nstesr and twenty miles hour. the legal speed
E1t Il meant that replacenents Of parts could
Be made not carried or catalogued the list
gfven the committee in charge. and that all ad
sxsments replace1nents and replenshments or fuel
bad 70 be made under the surveillance OF an
observer, with allowance on the time schedu4e-
ScT twelve days the battled with the worst
sneds the Middle Atlantic and New England states
bad to offer, in daily OF about one hundred
nd forty miles.
Last August cne manufacturer who makes spe-
Eeity OF runabouts sent five Of his cars out on
sofu-ance runs, one going from Detroit TO Boston,
3 usp OF LIB miles: the second from Detroit TO
Washington, q distance Of 1190 miles; the third
from Detroit to Denver a distance OF 2275 miles;
0>s fourth from Detroit Minneapolis, a distance
Of LIZ miles and the fifth from Detroit on a
,orndabout circuit back TO Detroit OF 921 miles.
This last vehicle was ordinary motor delivery
wagon The daily runs OF these cars were from
10 % l5o miles. The manufacturer reports that the
sversse twenty-three miles covered for every
gallon Of gasolene. and that the number OF miles
travelled for one cent expended in repairs was 1l3.
Providence man who owns French car OF
eszdard make reports that he has driven II u4,Vo
rrlss IN three years. He says that he ran II that
csesnce before he experienced any trouble, the
n-st breakdown occurring in the exhaust valve
This marvellous record, which there is every reason
to believe is true speaks well for the stability Of
Shs motor car
Speed contests are really secondary touring For
every a who finds his chief pleasure In
speeding there ten who delight In taking long
Tips ali the country Ex-Jucge Z h Gary.
head OF the United States Steel Corporation and
president OF the Automobile Club Of America, be-
heves that all great motoring organizations must in
DE future devote large portion Of their energies
70 securing and compiling exact comprehensive and
np-to-date touring information for the benefit or
tae'r members. He believes that touring Will grow
Increasingly popular In this country and that mo-
soxss:s Will wtsh 10 msks more ambitious and
3uoser tours every year.
~ kr. Gexy speaks cnT Au1ertc@'s paopeeT snd
4nAtsst organisation, bis views are OF parooaIA<
&xAses1 In The years TO come ths aim Of the auto
Eseas na1rf&csxreT VIII be 20 turn out 9 oar
8sara VII stand CD under any hind cf strain and
= 1usStsd DO snsks long Fzns ~ moderate speed
Axss1 al tia real valas Of The automobile 20 the
Sne1i v1t.ie is the pleasure It. gives and speed
sests are not the ultimate goal
LOWER ICEESE ZEE EnR CARS WANTED