Evening star., 1909-02-14

that place. The date OF the contest mas
not yet been definitely decided upon. but
those who are to manage the affair ex
pect 1t to take place some time this
month.
The Long Island motor parkway plans
for the future seem to be somewhat in
doubt but the indications are that ulti-
mately work will be resumed Nothing
can be -prophesied at this time as to any
1909 race for the Vanderbilt cup. but 1t
Is hardly probable that this famous tro-
ply will be allowed to drop out of sight.
A careful analysis of the motor legisla-
ton being considered in nearly every
state in the Union this year shows that
the general tendency Is toward compell-
ing drivers to pass some kind OF an ex.
animation, and that criminal abuse OF
roads should be punished by revocation
of license, temporary or permanent.
Capt. O'Brien of the Chicago city de-
tective bureau has become enthused with
the project of establishing a special de-
partment-a rogues' gallery for the por-
traits of scorching motorists. BY preserv-
ing the records of all difficulties into
which habitual scorcherS are plunged he
thinks the practice might be suppressed.
The new high-pressure motor fire wagon.
built at Springfield, Mass. for service in
New York, has thus far met every test
to which 1T has been put. 1t has a maxi
mum speed of twelve miles an hour, and
its rated load capacity is 5000 pounds;
power Is supplied by sixty-horsepower.
four-Cylinder engine, and 1t carries 1850
feet of hose besides many firemen.
1t is now confidently expected that the
New Jersey legislature will amend the
present drastic, motor law SO as to per-
NIT visiting motorists from other states
to use Jersey roads for ten days on pay
ment of 81. Another bill likely to pass
makes 1t a misdemeanor to operate car
while intoxicated. and a third bill fixes
penalty of $40 for failure to display
a white light at night visible for go
feet.
One OF the most beautiful regions on
the Pacific coast will probably be opened
up this year and made easy of access
for the tourists automobile This is the
Coos Bay. country and the mountains
lying between this natural harbor and
the railroad. All this district has been
penetrated by only few automobiles.
The Coos Bay road crosses the coast
range. reaching a level of 5000 feet
.-s i x
I 1t is mistake for a driver ever to
try to correct'an apparent fault in a coil.
There are no reasons for a coil to refuse
to work that can be remedied by an or
dinary mechanic except 1t be some out
side connection. If the coil is SO that
d
the primary or secondary part, it is al
ways due to burning out and calls for
new coil at once.
William H. Page of New York, counsel
for the Automobile Club of America, who
has been in Washington in the interests
of the club with regard to automobile
speed legislation, is Of the opinion that
law fixing the speed of automobiles
not at an arbitrary limit, but at a rea
sonable limit, Is the desire of automo-
hiliStS eVprvWhPre. reasonable Snopd
through a crowd, he holds, is not a rea-
sonable speed on an open stretch of road.
United States Senator Boies Penrose of
Pennsylvania. is said to be behind an
automobile racing track projected for
Atlantic City, the famous New Jersey
coast resort According to plans in course
Of preparation, the race track will be two
miles long and 150 feet wide at turns. 1t
is to be surfaced with bitulithic paving.
Engineers are preparing plans for steel
and concrete grandstand to seat 10000.
Mr.. and Mrs. II. A. Hover of Spokane,
Wash, who were among the passengers
of the steamship Republic, recently sunk
off Nantucket Island. Massachusetts,,
while bound for Europe, were fortunate
enough to save their car, which had been
forwarded on another boat. They had al
ready covered 1000 miles in this country,
and plan to run 100000 more in Europe,
Asia and Africa, returning In six years.
Six years ago Portland, Ore, possessed
just twenty automobiles. Today it boasts
Of something more than ], 100, a gain of
3, 400 per cent. Naturally, with this in
crease, show is in order. and the local
automobile club is arranging its first for
March to IA.
The route from Philadelphia to the Get
tysburg battlefield is now sign-boarded
its entire length, testimonial to the
activity of the Automobile Club OF
Philadelphia.
London has been a little ahead Of New
York in taking up the subject of taxi
meter regulations. January l two new
| police regulations concerning taXicabs
became effective. One makes 1t cOmpul-
sorry to have lamp fitted near the
| taXimeter, so that the hirer may read
! the register at night, while, under the
| second, it will be necessary to have the
taximeter driven by the front wheel.
prevent the distance skidded by the rear
wheels being registered by the taxi
| meter.
Deep opposition has arisen in Mich-
| gan to the proposition of State High
| way Commissioner Earle that the leg
| islature impose tax Of 10 cents per
| horsepower per year on automobiles
| for road purposes. Inasmuch as there
are more automobiles manufactured in
| Detroit and Michigan than in a similar
area in the country. and inasmuch as
the makers and owners are called upon
| to bear their portion Of the good roads
appropriation, in addition to the proposed
| tax, motorists feel that they are already
! doing their share.
The increasing need of guide posts
along Indiana roads is beginning to be
| recognized by authorities of that state,
and something along that line Will be
done by the Legislature now in session.
Warden Reid of the Indiana prison, Supt.
| Whitaker of the Indiana reformatory
| and Representative Miles Furnas are
| working on a bill to provide that sign
| boards shall be made by prisoners Of the
| state institutions and posted on the
| roads by prisoners in the county jails
| There seems to be little opposition to
| the proposed plan.
| An expert motorist declares that stiff
| valve springs may close the valves with
| so much force as to break the heads from
| the stems, or they may break the stems
| at the key slots. Springs too weak to
| hold the valves the cans will make
| the engine weak at high speeds and will
! produce Gathering, owing to belated seat
! ing of valves. 1t should be remembered
| I'm this connection that an excessively stiff
| spring, even if 1t does not injure the
| valve seat by the constant hammering ac-
| ton, is consuming power which would be
~, lal To-. Il, ,-fN $h0