Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-01
WITH THE AUTOMOBILES.

The past year was one OF the most
eventual in the history Of the motor car
The number of machines In use showed
an enormous increase over the previous
year
The annual election Of ofYicers OF the
Automobile Club Of Washington resulted
in the reelection OF William s. Duva:i as
president. The annual automobile show
under the auspices of the dealers OF
Washington was held in Convention Hall
February 1918. and was q decided
success. Gov. Crothers of Maryland
after conference with Secretary of State
Knox. authorized the issuance OF automo-
bile license tags free to foreign diplomats.
An organization known as the Automobile
Dealers Association Of WASHINGTON was
launched at banquet early in the season.
with view to educating the public and
dealers in the economic value of automo-
b.les.
samuel A. Luttrell, driving a Packard
touring car. accompanied by the automo-
bile editors Of the Washington news
papers. set a new repord between New
YORK and Washington. covering the 24s7
miles OF the short route between the
two cities in IL hours. Al minutes
The 'F>our-leaf Glover endurance con-
test. under the auspices Of the Automobile
Club OF Washington. covered period Of
TO rudays in the middle Of May, a For
roadster. driven by II. G. Machen. win
ming the sweepstakes and class cup
donated by The Evening Star. Not a
single car finished with a perfect score
so strenuous was the run. On the sec
ond day Of the run, to York. Pa, the
roadster Of Mr.. and Mrs. Matthew Trim
BILE. jr., met with an accident. resulting
in the death a few days later of Mrs.
Trimble and serious injuries to Mr.. Trim
bic. They were not contestants in the
run. but were enthusiastic motorists and
Joined In the sport. Two Baker electric
victorias- driven by J. j. Bartram and
George Weaver Of this city. accomplished
a remarkable mileage feat for electrics.
when they made the round-trip to Balti-
more and return, a distance of seventy
two miles. without rechargins the bat
teries.
a ban was placed on muffier and gobb'e
whistles by the local police, a test case
in the Police Court resulting in the con-
viction of an offending automobile owner
The sociability run Of the printers. en-
gravers and allied trades to Great Falls.
Md. was won by Maxwell runabout.
driven by r. r. MatherS. Twelve large
Premier touring cars. the rear wheels Of
which were dipped in the Atlantic ocean
at Atlantic City. passed through WASH
ington on route TO the Pacific coast.
the White House. where the party was
received by President Taft The ma
chimes finished the run and the front
wheels were dipped in the Pacific a few
Maryland arrested and fined a large
number Of motorists during the
year for speeding and failing TO have the
proper license tags. The District au-
thOritieS started crusade AGAINST all
Maryland motorists who entered the Dis
trict without displaying license numbers
DON their machines and operating some
without permits. AS the result a number
Of arrests were made and fines assessed
against the offenders.
Officials of the American Automobile
Association and the Touring Club Of
America traversed the various routes be-
tween Washington and Richmond. with
a view to improving road conditions and
able highway between the two capitals.
The wheel tax law. which was tested In
the local courts, was upheld by Judge
Pugh Of the Police Court. and upon APP
peal to the District Court OF Appeals was
declared by Justice Robb to be valid.
The District Commissioners amended
the police regulations prohibiting two
persons from riding on motor cycles. A
test case was made and the offender fined.
The case was appealed. but the ruling
was upheld by the hisher courts.
For the first time in the history of
commercial vehicles. a one-ton Detroit
electric delivery wagon NEGOTIATED tie
round trip from the business center OF
Washington to the heart OF the business
center of Baltimore. a distance of
day. In the early fal a three-ton Board
truck made a record run from Washing
ton to Boston, Mass. covering the dis
lance in six days.