The Washington times., 1911-07-30

Motorists today are expressing keen
delight that changes in the traffic
regulations recommended by William
=. Emo have been approved by Major
Sylvester, and in the main are ex-
pected to be adopted by the Commits
| sioners.
Probably in no other large city in
the country are the traffic regulations
with respect to horse drawn vehicles
| so lax as they are in Washington.
Drivers of delivery wagons think
nothing of cutting directly across
the street without regard to other
traffic, and the wonder Is that more
accidents do not occur from such
careless driving.
| Bob Burman, the racing driver who
was in Washington during the weeK,
| took a short spin around the city and
| was astounded. II have driven an
automobile in nearly all the cities
of the country" said Burman. but
never before encountered such gross
carelessness on the part of horse
drivers as in this city. Passing the
| White House the driver of a brick
wagon deliberately cut in ahead of
me, causing meto jam on my brakes
to prevent hitting the wagon. Had l
not been keeping a sharp lookout, as
every automobile driver soon learns
| to do, would have crashed into the
| heavy brick wagon with disastrous
results. ! had two or three other mar
row escapes and l wondered how your
automobile drivers managed to get
around the city as we'll as they do.
| There seems to be no curb on drivers
| OF horse vehicles whatever"
The adoption of the Emo regulations
will go long way toward making
life easier for those who drive motor
| cars.
A tiny plummet of steel, falling
within glass tube and striking the
surface of a piece of steel under test,
determines in the Speedwell factory,
at Dayton. Ohio, whether that partic-
ular piece of metal is worthy of its
place in a Speedwell car.
Every piece of heat-treated metal that
goes into these cars must show the
quality Of hardness set as a standard
before 1t is accepted for use
The small instrument Is known as a
| scleroscope, and is not more than
eighteen inches in height. 1t is a sim
pie little thing, made up OF glass tube
a foot long, provided with a scale at
| the back and two rubber bulbs-one to
create a vacuum and draw the little
steel plummet to the top, the other to
| release the steel and permit 1t to fall
to the metal below.
OH Jile TeDOunu OF the plummet from
the steel under test depends whether
, 1t is accepted or rejected. For instance
the standard required for a certain part
may be 81 degrees. The variation may
be one degree each way-S3 or S5-but
no more. If the plummet, after falling
and striking, leaps up within the tube
to Sc. 81 or IS on the scale, the tested
steel is approved and passed on; other
wise II is turned back.
Carl B. Chandler, travelling represen-
tative of the Cadillac Motor Car Conf
pary, is in the city for day or two
visiting J. NJ Stoddard. Of the Cook and
Stoddard Company, Cadillac agents
here. Mr.. Chandler has just returned
from an extensive trip through the
South and is elated over the prospects
for business in that sectioon of the
country. While the cotton crop this
year will not be a bumper one," said
Mr.. Chandler, in acreage it will be
larger than ever. During my trip I
found business conditions among the
automobile dealers excellent and the
outlook for 1912 cars is exceedingly
bright. The new Cadillac models for
1872 will be out within the next few
days and the advance information
have about them indicates that they
Will make the automobile world sit up
and take notice"
That the efforts of the Touring y ID
of America toward getting road i'm
provements are meeting with success
was indicated by the scouting trip made
this week to Richmond and return by
members of the touring club and sew
eral officials and newspaper men. The
trip was a success in every way, good
roads meetings being held in a number |
of towns and many promises being made |
to improve the highways between here