The Washington herald., 1910-12-25
AUTOMOBILE GOSSIP.


returned from a trip to Philadelphia.
where they went 20 investigate the con-
dition OF the rubber tire market.
Steam propelled automobiles are des-
tined 10 come into their own. as far as
motor racing is concerned during the
1911 season, il the action of the con-
test board OF the American Automobile
Association Is directed as Chairman s.
M Butler now believe II viii be when
the rules for the coming season are
made. The consideration Of the steam
power machine IS the outgrowth Of a
desire evinced by two or three makers
OF that kind of automobile to see their
product in competition with gasoline cars
In the International Sweepstakes race TO
be held on the Indianapolis motor speed
way May 30 next
The speedway management has re-
ceived letters from some OF the steam
car makers, asking If they will be al
lowed 10 enter the 500-mile race on
Memorial Day. but the permission could
not be granted as the A. A. A rules
do not provide for competition between
gasoline motors and steam engines, or,
in fact, between steam propelled cars
themselves. Chairman Butler was ap-
pealed 10 and asked II there was any
possible chance for an arrangement
whereby tho steam cars could start in
the big motor classic.
The A. A. A official replied that no rll-
ing thus far made would allow steam
cars to compete. but that the contest
board probably would give them consider
alton in the 1911 rules and, If possible,
Ga a szTI.. efaa
line engines would be eiassed together
for certain contests. At any rate. he says.
the steam cars viii have & class assigned
them in the 1911 rules and be allowed
to compete together II not with the other
motive power.
This ruling viii be greeted with favor
by the older devotees OF the motor racing
sport who remember the spectacular per
fOrmances OF the steam cars which were
raced on the beaches in Florida several
! seasons ago. The heavy exhaust OF
steam. together with the peculiar sounds
emitted by the engine, makes the steam
car a thriller as far as appearance is
concerned.
J. B. Hulett, known to the automobile
| trade through his connection with the
Owen Company. Of Detroit, and formerly
with the Pope-Toledo works has Joined
the Lozier forces. and is making West
| ern trip in the interests OF LOZier cars.
| Mr. c. L. Simmons, former Western trav-
eier, is now covering the Southern States.
From February to II next. there will
be held in the Coliseum, in Chicago. the
| first really comprehensive and represent
alive exhibition OF propelled work
vehicles that has ever been made in
| America Two months before the opening
of the show more than fifty manufactur-
srs OF complete motor wagons had con-
tracted for space in which 20 display their
varied products. while all Of the avail
| able space In the gallery and on the
| second floor OF the Coliseum Annex had
/ been taken by manufacturers OF COM
! poneut parts, fittings, and supplies for
| these machines
In the procession Of vastly varied
events which hold forth n New Yorka
biggest show building none has yet sue
ceeded in effectng more complete trans
! formations of the interior Of Madison
Square Garden than the annual automo-
bile shows. For the forthcoming affair,
which for the FIRST time in the history OF
the Garden shows, Is 20 be an exhibition
| lasting two weeks, from January 10 z,
new precedent for decorative schemes
mas been worked out The cost of prep
aration alone IS more than $4,000
| Big gardens and little gardens aerial
| gardens and underground gardens will
make up the setting for the exhibits for
the forthcoming show Roman ter
I Al Al "a rrsz~st -
design will constitute the decorative
| theme and serve as a background for the
exhibits. White and gold are 10 be the
/ dominant colOrs in the scheme. although
green and crimson will be strongly IA
! evidence. The girders Of the biz dome
will be screened by a canopy OF soft ma
teriaI. rich. azure blue in tone. amid
/ which myriad incandescent lamps viii
/ twinkle Several massive lamps of rus
! tic construction will be pendant from
the roof.
Are the horse and the. mule to be
eliminated from the farm, too? II looks
as if they would In a Kansas City
| theater recently motion pictures were
! shown of the successor 10 the horse and
/ the mule 1t is a 4O-horsepower gaso-
line tractor, and the pictures give one
an idea of how they pillow and harrow
ground. also bale hay and do several
other things. The farm motor car IS
shown drawing three plows through a
wheat field. blowing and narrowing at
the same time, doing the work of eight
horses and four men, and doing it much
| faster.
| The new tax rate upon automobiles
which went into force in England,
whereby licenses are issued upon the
| basis OF horsepower, makes cars 50 ex-
pensfve a luxury that only the very rfch
or the very oxtravagant can afford 10
use them. The new tax rate is from
| $4S6S for a motor bicycle TO $904-S9 for
| cars above 60-horsepower. II is stated
that many of these large cars are being
| freely offered at very low prices, and
that there is practically no demand for
cars above 20-horsepower, the most popu-
lar at the present time being those under
15-horsepCwer, the duty on which IS not
above $l947.
Unless this demand has been foreseen
by the British manufacturers, II must
take them some time TO adjust their
works TO the changed order of things,
and this situation seems TO Of1er an OPP
portunity to the American manufacturer
of a reliable and reasonable priced car
of low power. The increased tax is
bound TO help break down the prejudice
against the car of this type, and the
American with such a car ought to find
this market in a particularly receptive
mood That this invasion of England
by the product of American factories is
feared is evident by the proposition. al
ready made, to put an import duty on