Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-02

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Of the big American cities. the following
f., is quoted:
"One Of the most spectacular sights
| on tne streets of a big city today is
the fire apparatus responding to AN
changing bells. the firemen arraying
themselves in their fire apparel-this
Is the sort OF thing that gives even
the blase observers thrills.
But we have come to the passing
years q necessity. albeit q costly one.
Now he is a luxury. and a costly one
still. The motor-driven fire apparatus
has passed the experimental stage, and
the time is at hand when it must re-
accustomed to seeing, just as motors
are replacing horses everywhere.
I'VE know now that the firefighters
can get to the scenes Of conhagration
fieetest-feoted quadrupeds could posi-
bly, draw engines and hose wagons and
water towers. SO we must prepare to
say goodbye to the fire horse. too.
1T is regretful in some respects, but
inevitable"
The motor fever has not struck
Washington firemen yet, with the eX-
ception of Chief Wagner, who has re-
placed his old faithful horse TTinket-
the leader in many a dash to local
fires in years past-with red ma
chine and a horn that rivals steam
boat siren. The police department has
one auto patrol wagon. washington
policemen are sufficiently old-fash-
novation. 1t robs them Of the precinct
pets during reserve hours.
T,1,a ~ A,% E.noinoarS
has within the year accomplished re-
suits. it is announced, that will be
found to have made engineering history
of a definite nature. Its work is OF
interest not merely to the techn1cian.
but to the layman who demands eff
ficiency, safety and comfort In the use
of his motor car. but who has little
idea how largely these desired quail
ties are the fruit Of vast research and
labor.
Standardization is a keynote Of the
work Of the Society of Automobile
Engineers. 1t Is a vital and imperative
need Of the producing end Of any great
industry.
Henry souther, president of the So
ciety. in discussing the subject, says:
Many have an idea that the form,
the design and the shape Of large por-
tons of the machine are to be made
alike. Nothing could be farther from
the truth. Such a procedure would
throttle originality and hamper en-
gineering work. There is not the
slightest danger that this would ever
be accomplished. even if it were at
tempted.
ton Of detail. such as screws, lock
washers spring parts. bearing parts,
water connections and many other
small pieces too numerous to mention.
It has been found that the numbers of
these parts continue to multiply be-
cause each craftsman exercises his in
genuity and his fancy, getting some
thing out peculiar to his own notion.
There can be no possible gain in
originality in such details as these.
and it is this useless multiplication Of
parts that must be minimized.
This matter was handled very
we'll in discussion at one OF the meet
ings of the S. A. E. last January. It
will pay to get this we'll in mind and
keep 1t in mind.
MANY interested in the industry and
fully qualified for membership or asso-
ciate membership In the S. A. E. will
realize. when this matter is placed be-
fore them clearly. that the society is
ciety Is one which will aid any one
connected with the automobile industry
and will actually save him or his COM
pany money.
beginning OF the engineers handbook
will be placed in the hands Of the
members. and this handbook will con-
tain Information which will be useful
in every drafting room. 1t will quicken
| the work Of the craftsman by cutting
! out so much thought on useless de-
/ tails. There is nothing to give a drafts
man now that is Of much service
"This handbook ought to be put into
! the hands Of the members during the
summer meetings; that is the plan"
X r
The use Of hot irons for the removal of
patches on rubber that has been stuck
by a solution and not yulcanization is
| recommended by a rubber expert. He
says: "Immerse an ordinary fiat iron in
boiling water for a sufficient time to
heat 1t thoroughly. BY this means the
correct heat Is obtained and there is
no danger Of damaging the repaired
A recent communication from the Roose-
welt dam, Arizona, is of general interest
to autoists:
.'This little valley between the Super
stition and Salt River mountains. now ia
nous because Of the great dam irrigation
project. is readily accessible to motorists.
In fact, it is upon the only completely
mapped transcontinentaa highway, the
one laid out by the Touring Club of
America. This fact will undoubtedly lead
many automobiles to tour to this point,
w III.
1.-THE country Is grand in scenery, and
the route goes through the beautiful
Romances. where the sandy road winds
between the malapai rocks and the sand
stone cliffs. It also crosses the White
Mountains at an altitude Of 9,74O feet, the
Apache Indian country and United
States forest reserve. Roosevelt dam is
but ninety miles from Phoenix. and these
roads have also been mapped out.
* =
The American people may claim to man.
ufacture the best motor cars in the world
knowledged by the authorities, but it is
up to the foreigners to have the best
roads on which to run their motor cars.
Any American who has toured abroad is
only too willing to acknowledge the SUI
periorfty of foreign country roads over
those of the western continent. Even the
roads Of far-away India are like boule-
wards compared with some of our west
ern prairie roads.
Some interesting data with respect to
Indian roads has recently been furnished
by Messrs. Hill and Sawyer OF Detroit.
They have been making many motoring
trips throughout India They report the
roads generally to be very broad and
level, with no slope in the center, such
as our American roads are wont to have
for the purpose Of draining off water
Under the hot tropical sun the ground
of the roads is baked until it IS perfectly
dry and smooth.
One Of the very noticeable sights while
motoring on the country roads Of India
is the old-fashioned toilgate. The gate
keeper. who is usually a native. presents
a rather peculiar sight to the American
CT ho at IN