The sun., 1909-05-09
TESTS or AUTb TIRE EFFECTS.
Experiments Planned 10 Determine Dam.
age to Road surface.

| Careful experiments TO determine jus,
how much damage the tires OF, automo-
bles do 10 the surfaces OF roads are to be
conducted under the auspices of the Amer
| lean AutonObila Association, with the as
| sistance and cooperation OF the United
States Office OF public roads. This was
decided on at a meeting OF the A. A. A. ex-
ecutive committee in this city last week
and the tests probably will be held earl,
| in June. The object OF the tests will be ia
determine First. just what damage the
automobile does to the road surfaee. and
second, what will be the best measures to
adopt In road building o prevent the break
Ing up of the road surface from const an,
automobile traffic.
Much has been said iH the past regarding
| the destructive effects OF The tires OF motor
cars on the highways. and many efforts
have been made moi only TO prevent the
damage but through various Legislative
| acts TO impose unnecessary hardships on
the owners Of motor vehicles In taxing or
otherwise requiring them TO pay for high
way maint enance. The result has been that
many Of the leading automo bilists OF the
country have been considering for some
time the advisabiIity Of conducting some
authorit alive tests TO determine the exact
amount OF damage inflicted by antomo-
bes.
Logan Waller Page, director Of he Tnited
States Office Of public rosds In the Depart =
ment of Agriculture, was present al the
| meeting by invitation Of the committee.
some tentative tests of this character were
conducted few days ago on a special
road near ashingtoE over which the War
Department has practical control These
tests were so successful that II was de-
/ cided TO carry them out on more ambi-
| tious scale in the near future.
The object of the coming tests. says Mr..
Page, is to get at facts. so many theories
have been dvunced regarding the causes
| OF road da ma ge by motor cars and the best
preparat ions to preserve these roads that
Il is high time to ascertain the real trut of
highway commissioners viii be invited. in
addition 10 the county and local highway
commissioners where the tests are held
An exhaustive report viii then be made
throughout the country and others inter
ested In the good roads question"
4 is hoped that the results OF these tests
be used to advantage by state Legislatures
so that future motor vehicle legisla ion
may be based on some uniform system.
After discussing the matter thoroughly
the executive committees adopted reso-
luton authorizing these good roads tests
and referring the entire matter to the good
G. Diehi OF Buffalo is chairman, He was In,
Charge cHya Of ali details II s.tisfaetory roads
tests will be held here. 4 tour OF inpection
for the purpose was made last week by Mr.
Page, George G. Diehl and Lewis X. Speare
of Boston. IL no satisfactory roads near
New York can be found tho tests will be held
in Washington on raods under the juris =
diction Of the War Departm
In the tentative specification drawn up
be two stretches Of macadam road In good
condition, one about three miles long prac-
ideally level and with as few curves as possi-
bic. while the other should be a road OF a
similar character about one mile long with
a grade OF about per cent. Twelve auto
mobiles will be used, four being light high
speed cars. preferably stripped for racing;
oars. One Of each type should be equipped
respectively with smooth rubber tires
corruaafed rubber tires. metal studded
tires and anti-skiddinR chains.
In the opinion OF the com mittee the trials
should be made rs follows: On a straight
yards should be measured OF and an ap-
paratus Of the most delicate type arranged
for measuring the speed over this too.yard
stretch. Al the beginning OF this 400 yards
four high speed cameras VIII be stationed
TO take. right angle p!ctetse. 4 sscead
station Will be placed 100 feet further on.
and a third station at 200 feet. The cars
OF Il, Is, 20, rs and 10 miles an hour and In
rektiiaf Increases of i've. miles an hour
until the ma ximum speeds are obtained
On the per cent. grade the cara will ascend
the Grade at maximum speeds and down
grade at Appro ximately the same speed
sSSiten to sstss e tssts ever e;
Sod 'ss over rssd
the surface being bound by asphalt or
other dustlcss preparation.