The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-11-17
German Inventor,

came public, Daimler was induced 10
place one of his new motors in small
boat. which took part IN 1885 I'm a Sc
ries Of rowing races in Frankfurt
while the general public displayed
friendly interest in this motor boat the
inventors were compelled. on account
Of the then existing police regulations,
10 temporarily abandon further efforts
I'm this direction and 10 confine their
experiments to the development of the
automobile for use on the public high
ways
The experiments with the new motor
which were made at the very place I'm
Cannstatt whore now stands the Daim-
Ter monument were conducted FOR
various reasons with extreme secrecy.
AT that time. according TO the broth
ers Daimler. the dangers OF gasoline
were vastly overratcd. Whereas reck-
less chauncurs today frequently oN-
tnguish "a lighted cigar hy immersion
in gasoline al that time only one weary
OF life would have approached the mys-
FERROUS fluid within half a mile while
smoking
Cannstatt was then quite small
place, and it was. of course, impossi-
BILE To hide the fact chat Daimler. ST.
and Herr Maybach were CONDUCTING
mysterious experiments night after
night behind closed doors and with
barred and heavily screened windows.
The neighbors talked about il until
the authorities felt compelled 10 take
action.
one highland this was a night
when everything seemed TO go amiss
with the standardization all the
formulate failed 10 work and when
nothing in the plans and drawings
seemed to fit with anything else-the
door was suddenly forced and the fash
of blind lantern glared through the
ouening, followed by the "eye of the
law" and number Of legal minions.
When. instead Of the expected print
ing press and coiners' apparatus. only
the model OF an explosive motor was
found. the slcuths withdrew, and the
next day the burgomaster of Cannstatt
]
mechanics. The experiments were
thereupon continued without further
molestation.
In later experiments, applying the
| Daimler motor 20 the propulsion of a
boat. the same precaution was OBJ
served. The motor. carefully packed.
/ was carried down TO the Ncckar each
/ morning at $3.50 by a workman sworn
to secrecy. At the first sign Of danger
/ from human observation a landing was
made. the motor was detached, wrap
ped i'm a cloth and carried home.
The experiments with the motor boat
were successful from the start. As
showing the universal fear of gasoline
at that tlme-they call it benzine in
/ Germany-it is curious TO note that It
was thought necessary, when the motor
boats were first put into use, to string
wire on porcelain knobs along the rail
TO give them the appearance of being
operated electrically.
Daimler was convinced that with g
suitable motor any kind of vehicle
could be operated by power, and he
continued in his endoavors to put TINS
idea into practical shape. After vari-
GUS trials he completed in the same
year-fSS5-a motor car which closely
resembled in its general arrangement
the automobile Of today
A single cylinder vertical engine OF
l115-horse power was installed i'm the
center of the car The driving mech
anism. consisting OF sliding gears with
four speeds. was connected with the