The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-16

LIOIA age AHISc-l
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The much talked of White Gas car
arrived in town this week. The White
Garage company received one of the
gas cars with consignment of White
Steamers. Iris new automobile at
tracted more than ordinary attention,
as it marked an entirely new depar-
ture on the part of a company which
has heretofore devoted it's entire atten-
ton to the production of steam cars.
The White gasoline car is the most
pronounced example of the long-stroke
motor among American makes. It's
cylinders, with a bore of ~ inches
have a stroke of 5 Is. The cylinders
are cast in block, with intake and ex-
haust manifolds cast integral. BY this
method of construction the intake
gases are heated, giving a more uni
form mixture. and the exhausted gas
is cooled. The engine is rated at
revolutions per minute. The transmits
sion, of selective sliding gear type, has
four speeds ahead and one reverse.
This is said 10 result in economy and
satisfaction in road work.
Theodore Roosevelt, jr., of Thomp-
sonville, and his prospective bride will
spend their honeymoon motoring. Ac-
cording to word from the carpet town,
Teddy, jr., has purchased a 7O-horse
power touring car which was delivered
car is known to have been ordered by
A. D. Higgins, general superintendent
of the Hartford Carpet works.
"The street car strike in Phfladel-
pbia, whatever its unpleasant fea-
lures, has been a great impetus to the
sale of automobiles in that city" says
George w. Nipple, one of the Quaker
city's prominent dealers.
1.-The first impression is that those
who habitually ride in the street cars
are not of the class who buy automo-
bileS but the strike has proved diff
ferent. With the first signs of vio-
lence in the City of Brotherly Love all
the automobile dealers enjoyed a de-
cided increase in business. Later de-
velopmen in the strike added to the
demand for motor cars, and I believe
it is a fact that more cars have been
sold since the strike started than dur
ing any like length of time before. not
even excepting the week of the auto
mobile show.
''In some sections enterprising own
ers of automobiles have taken advan-
modations and have established pri-
vate omnibus lines for those who can
not afford to buy automobiles them
selves. Dealers in second hand auto
mobiles found themselves literally
swamped by orders from those who
desired cars only to tide hem over the
strike. Automobile row has been in
deed the busiest part of Philadelphia
street car traffic began"
The principal improvement that has
been made in the automobile in the
past five years has been a. tremendous
increase in its reliabi1ity-to the point
that it has become an actual neces-
sity, according to H G. McComb, chief
engineer of the z. r. Thomas Motor
Car company. This has been brought
about by the consistent development
of the various power and power-trans-
hitting elements into logical road
vehicle.
In general design the automobile of
today is similar to the foreign auto
mobile of five years ago except that
the six cylinder engine has become
practically standard. The designer has
made a constant effort to accomplish
these seven things:
To increase reliability.
To simplify design.
To discard delicate mechanfSms.
To eliminate interlock devices.
To reduce weight through use of
better materials.
To reduce cost of maintenance for
fuel, fabrication and repairs.
To make the passenger more COM
Portable through good spring suspen-
sion and suitable design for bodies.
The one factor which has, perhaps.
most of all assisted the development
of the autr mobile has been the pro-
duction at reasonable cost Of steels
that are exceptionally strong. Closely
linked to this development of better
steels has come the development OF
annular BAN bearing, which has also
helped to Increase reliability.