Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-02-20

den and decisive and should mean to every
one Automobile Then mechanism had
to be devised to make that noise carry a
long way Then a third factor appeared
for the successful signal horn-it must be
simple and easy OF operation and unfall-
ing The man OF woman driving a car az
high speed has plenty 20 do without bother
ing with . horn. The really valuable horn
must be so handy 10 manage that,it works
very nearly automatically. The car must
almost emit the noise OF its own effort.
as a welcoming dog banks loudly while on
the run.
with the constant Improvement and de-
velopment Of the motor car and its ac-
cessories in every. conceivable direction It
was a certainty that ideal signal horns
would sooner OF later come. How well
they have come and how fully they answer
the needs OF the automobilist-this country
standing well in the lead in their manu-
facture--is told in an anectote Of which
Paris is the scene.
/ One OF the American horns had been
1 perfected and foreign sale was wanted
for e.. The manufacturers had an agent
IN the French capital and they sent a
/ preliminary supply over to him. The agent
made his way 10 an establishment femous
for its stock OF high priced accessories.
/ There happened to be ia that shop at that
moment a count and countess widely
known in the automobiing world The
dealer himself was not very approachable
and looked coldly on the American product.
But the French couple who had plenty OF
time Just then, were curious Something
about the new device attracted them.
Let's hear IT, they said To their
minds, here was chance for an interest
brought out an eight-volt battery--what
the agent said he wanted-and the new
horn was connected on. It is an American
product known and heard in every part Of
Europe where a motor car runs now. Then
It was an untried experiment
1t sounded. The noise was so sudden. so
piercing so thoroughly automobile-nke-
Il could have been mistaken for nothing
else than a signal horn-thst the countess
dropped into a chair unable to say a
word. The count seemed half terrified
and utterly sstounded. Then ne com
menced to realize the possibilities Of the
curious metallic cry that was like moth
ing else under the sun IT must have it
now!" he cried. quick! How much is it7'
Fully half a dozen signal horns have
been invented the last three years. each
with its own peculiar warning cry and me
chanism, each having it's own enthusiasts
There is scarcely one OF these that will
not make itself felt at least three-auarters
of a mile away over all the other noises
OF city streets and through bends in roads
and thick woodland. Power OF this kind
is essential in an automobile horn. It's
warning must reach the ear OF every one
who may possibly be in the way long be-
fore the car arrives or is even in sight
and its sound must not only be distinctive
but half terrifying
The sound Of the signal horn. experts in
its manufacture agree. be short. sharr
and harsh. It's tone must not be must
cal. because musical tones luil and soothe
II has to alarm and get the man or woman
who hears It back to earth" instantly
SO the automobile signal horn. as 1t has
been perfected today is very much in thu
same category as the short, sharp blasts
OF locomotive whistle. This is on tn,
theory that an automobile is practically
locomotive, though on a highway with
many other classes Of traffic. The high
way It travels over--to make the situation
more diffcult-has no flagmen. no gates
no precautions against accident. Nothinl
remains to warn the careless pedestrian
against disaster but signal that shall b
so powerful that no one can possibly mis-
hearing It.