Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-29

AZ
A most unusual sort OF automobile con-
test is one that has been arranged to
start from Cape Town February Z. An
English car and crew will race a German
car and crew from Cape Town to Cairo,
or from one end of Africa to the other
Each team will consist of five men,
Four thousand gallons Of petrol have
been distributed at stations between Eliz-
abethville, the southern railhead of the
Cape to Cairo railroad, and GondoSOrO
in the Sudan. This is for the use of
the British car. Military officers will be
in each car, and the equipment will be
limited to the army allowance for SOL
diers on active service.
That yearly registration of automobiles
in the District by owners should be re-
CURED is the latest announcement from
the assessors Office. Legislation bearing
on the subject has been recommended and
the matter Is now before the engineer de-
partment. which has charge of licensing
motor vehicles in the District. and the
result is being awaited with much inter-
est. The recommendation provides further
that new number be issued each year;
fee of 81 to be charged Go cover the cost
of the tag and the necessary clerical hire
1t is claimed that until the desired legis-
lation is granted it will be impossible to
fairly assess the automobiles operated in
the District.
The following statement was made in
a recent interview bearing on the pro-
posed registration:
The books of this Office show machines
as being owned by persons who have dis
posed of them. in a number of cases. sew
eral years ago, and there is no way of
determining that such is the case, except
upon the affidavit OF the former owner of
the car, or upon the application of the
new owner for new number. This lat
ter step is seldom taken. and the machine
is operated under its old number, which
is in violation of the law. Three such
cases have been brought to the attention
of the board within the past few days.
In 600 cases Investigated, 62 were found to
have been sold and Ga had moved,
making about 81 per cent which had been
lost track of to a certain extent
There is likely to be plenty Of racing
on the Florida sands this winter, as the
contest board of the American Automobile
Association has granted a sanction TO
tic Motor Contest Association to hold
A series of races March 81. oS 20 and 30
on the Atlantic-Pablo beach. near Jack
sonville. Daytona where record breaking
races have been held. has also applied for
a license.
The beach is forty miles long and
runs from what is known as the Jetties
on the north to ST. Augustine on the
south The northern end of the beach
will be used for the racing. An eighteen
mile road of concrete and brick has been
built by Duvall county from Jacksonville
to the beach.
Never fill an acetylene gas generator
more than two-thirds full. as lump car
bide expands under the chemical action
caused by water dripping on it. Burner
tips may be cleaned by picking out the
carbon deposits with a needle. Care
should be taken not to crack the lava.
X X
Government estimates on the actual cost
Of transportation over Indiana roads in
dictate that for each ton hauled one mile
the cost averages 25.5 cents: that is, the
cost varies in different parts OF the state
from is cents to b cents ton-mile
Tests over a bituminiZed road between
Philadelphia and Atlantic City demon
strated that freight can be transported
over country roads for less than l cent
a mile. II is estimated that over roads
i'm Pennsylvania, New York and New Jer-
sey freight can be hauled for less than
- a
portation over Indiana roads is unusually
high.
~
The Sioux City Automobile Dealers
Association went on record last week
with a formal protest against the assess
ment of a wheel tax, which is provided
for In a bill which is to be presented at
the present session of the legislature
Petitions are now being circulated. The
dealers assert that the regular assess
ment that is levied on the value of the
vehicles, in addition to the state license
of SIS, is sufficient tax on the owners
and that a wheel tax imposed by munich
palities would be an unfair burden. They
also wish to see the funds derived from
the general taxation of motor cars and
from the state license fees appropriated
for good roads purposes. The funds de-
rived from these two sources amount to
approximately $750OO0 a year.