The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-09-07

covers an average of 5000 nilek in year, so that the total mileage GOV
 cred by automobiles in the United
 States in a year amounts to the enor- nous figure of $500, 900, 900 miles. Such a distance is 37.7 times the distance
 from the earth to the sun. and 13S,- 256 times around the earth. It must be remembered further more, that an automobile never car ries less than one person and some
 times carries seven eight, so that for automobile travel each year is greatly in excess of $500, ,0O0, 900. In fact, by taking more liberal estimates of the number of cars in use, the aV- craze yearly mileage and the aver age number of passengers, it would be possible to show that automobiles to 10000, oO0,o passenger miles per year, which if carried on the railroads would amount to. $14O.0Oo.oOO to s2oO.-
 All this mileage being made by mo- tor car Instead of by rail is worrying the railroads exceedingly. While they admit that much of the travel by au- tomobile is due to the pleasure of 1t and would not be done by rail if there were no machines, still they complain that receipts are falling off at de cidedly diSpleasing rate. Two of the western railroads have started inves- legations into the subject. the Union Pacific and the Chicago. Burlington passenger traffic manager of the U- F., has been telling the linen higher up'' that the falling off of the re- ceipts of his department is due to the use of motors, and the officials are go- ing to get all the facts in the case by means of an investigation in or der to see what they can do about it. According to Fort, not only is the summer tourist traffic much diminish ed, but even the jobbing firms are to visit, the trade in motor cars, find ing it more economical than by rail, and handler.
 It has not been divu1ged as to just what shape the investigation is to take, but it is being conducted from Omaha as a starting center. This greatest transcontinental travel by au- tomobile. One thing which has all ready been learned by the searchers is that there are some 5000 machines one for every 48 persons. Since Jan | uary l. 1911, the residents of the state have purchased 14.5O0 cars, and it is l stated that Nebraska, has more auto 1 mobiles per capita. than any other state. With a population of but l. | 25o. GOO. it is the fifth state in the mum ber of automobiles owned. This fact gives the railroad men feeling that l they have selected the right place to l start their investigation, for when they know, or think they know that | the state. of Nebraska is the center of l the automobile fever, and that there |
  form. .
 Just exactly how much the railroads are losing because of the automobile is, of course, hard to tell, and even the auditors themselves couldn't come | within shouting distance of the cor rect figures. However, there is no doubt that much of the traffic that formerly went by rail now goes over the reads on rubber tires:
 DoNTs FOR MoToRCYcLIsTs.
 Don't start son long trip without first filing up the oil and gasoline tanks. l
 Don't use automobile any old oil for your motorcycle. Use only a heavy grade of oil made especially for mo torcycles.
 Don't forget to remove the battery plug when you stop the motor; a short circuit will soon ruin the batteries.
 Don't open the cutout in the city:
 Don't ride fast in the city or around sharp curves. You may not be able to stop quickly enough.
 Don't race your motor on the stand; 1 it will overheat and ruin it.
 Don't forget to strain the gasoline. Dirt and water will cause carbureter trouble.
 Don't ride your motorcycle if the tires are flat; it will cut and pinch the inner tube.
 NDon't neglect keeping all nuts set up tight "a loose or lost nut may
 Don't carry a passenger on the tank of your machine.
 Don't forget to oil the chain; it's bearings need oil occasionally to keep 1t in good order.
 Don't ride a machine whose belt slips excessively; either shorten 1t or apply some good belt dressing.
 Don't neglect Or abuse your motor cycle and it will serve you as a friend