The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-11
SOME NEWS AND GOSSIP
 FOR THE AUTOMOBILISTS
By CYLDE W. ENNIS

outer surface was made by the impact | from the greater distance
 'The same blow would have shattered ordinary plate glass completely"
 One of the most interesting motor cars being exhibited in Chicago is the Convert 1 ible Phaeton, or, as it is sometimes called, the two purpose car For the man who
 IS his own driver and does not feel that | ne can have garage full of automo- | plies, put wants something suitable for every occasion and all kinds of weather,
 this is just what he is looking for'' l The Convertible Phaeton has a number
 or distinctive features that make it quite
 different from the one or two other con-
 vertibles that have appeared When 1t
 is closed it has comfortable permanent i look. with no indication of. it's dual pos | sibilities. The non-shrinkable gray cloth 1 top fits in graceful curve snug that l 1t does not even look detachable Re | markable ingenuity is shown in lhe | smallest detail. and there is none of the 1 rattle and shake that might be expected | from such car the window sashes being | notieeably tight fitting. To change this
 car into touring shape takes one man
 from three to four minutes. The window sashes in the doors fold down on hinge against the inside panel, where they are held perfectly flat and protected by an
 other flap. The other window sashes are
 removable and are stored in a convenient
 and inconspicuous case back of the front
 seat. The top folds back and all supports
 are so skillfully designed that when they
 are closed down the car has the smooth,
 graceful lines of any open car.
 The six motor cars made especially for the use of King George " at the Coro-
 nation durbar in Delhi, India. were
 equipped with Tuto horns.
 The recent ceremony in which the King
 and Queen of India were crowned as the
 Emperor and Empress of the great Indian empire was one of the most gorgeous pa- geants in modern day history.
 A large amphitheater had been erected at Delhi and there before the many lf dian princes, with their retinues and an assemblage of travellers, the proclamation was announced and the royal standard unfurled with a royal salute of 101 guns. Blended with the Oriental magnifcence | of the native rulers costumes was the riches of the royal family's cortege, mal<7. ing a pageant of beauty and color never to be forgotten. rft For this event King George had esre- cially prepared and outfitted for the -se of the royal party six cars of the most luxurious type. Needless to say every point in the construction and equipment was SetecIeu 1TDfll tHe NltN pDintS UT COii- venience, safety and magnifcence. Automobile manufacturers are learning | that intrinsic value alone cannot be relied upon to create or maintain demand | for a product. The successful manufac- turer of the future will go in more heav- | fly for the right kind of advertising and | the establishment of service departments | for the benefit of users. This is the opin ;~.x ..1- f1.a,af | of the Henderson Sales company. the In. danapolis organization that markets the l Cole car and has placed 1t in its present | position in the motor world.
 In MT. Henderson opinion the most | important essential to the success of the automobile manufacturer is the mainteh- ance or well conducted service depart | ments by distributors and larger agents. l backed up by first class mechanical ex- perts from the factory, who are specialists
 on that particular car and can be of great benefit to local mechanics.
 The first man to drive an automobile on I the Hudson river 90 miles and return. is Robert F. Hopkins, a young millionaire | of South Broadway, New York. MT. Hop kins accomplished this very dangerous | feat in Cadillac touring car the other l day, journeying over the river ice from
 Tsrrytown to Newburg and return. The l 60 miles were covered in three and one 1 half hours and on more than one occasion | during that time the car was partly sub l merged in the water and was only saved | from sinking 10 the river bottom by open l ing the throttle and jumping ahead at full speed In fact so perious were the incidents of this venturesome trip that it
 gives one a chill like that of the icy Wa ters to read about them.
 Mr Hopkins, accompanied by William Cannon, left Tarrytown in his Cadillac at 10 o'clock a. m. The rear wheels of the big touring car were equipped with
 chains. The car flew over the ice at 70
 miles an hour and all was smooth run
 ming until Verplanck's Point was reached.
 where fishermen had cut holes in the ice.
 The car was kept going at high speed
 and as it skinned over the holes the ice
 sagged, the water spouting up to the body