The Washington times., 1912-12-15
AUTOMOBILE MEN
ARE INTERESTED
IN Com 'NG SHOW
Many Manufacturers Will
Exhibit Cars at 1913 Dis
play in Capital.
BY HARRY WARD.

Plans for the annual automobile show
10 be held under the auspices OF tho
automobile Dealers Association OF
Masnlnston are beng pushed rapidly
20 conclusion by the show committee.
Inc committee ~ leaving no stone un.
turned to make the 1913 exhibition the
most successful yet held In this city.
me date decided upon Is the week be-
committee at the present time is OF the
uctail order, laying plans for the distri-
luton or space ana for the enlistment
OF the interest OF the automobile indus
try and the motoring pubic throughout
this part of the country
Already Il large number OF requests
Tor show space have been received, and
there is every indication that the show
ceded In point OF numbers of cars
SHOWN. the variety Of makes and In the
general interest.
Chairman T. Oliver Probey. OF the
| the automobile ccntcrs in the interest
| OF the forthcoming exhibition. is cx-
Dected home within the next two or
three days. Advices received from him
are to the effect ne has been highly
successful In enlistinH the interest OF
many motor car makers In the 1918
/ Washington show.
| With the early opening Of hcadQuar-
tcrs In this city by the Amer can Auto
| organized motorists Of the country for
national roads is expected to take OH u
: now viSor.
! While the principal headquarters Of
the associations policy Of promoting
the plan OF road building by the Fed
I cral Government has been found to
necessitatc such close and constant
involved. including the ONCE OF Public
Roads OF the Department Of Agricul-
ture, the Engineering Corps Of tho
army. and the Department of Interior.
that i is felt the work can be greatly
expedited through the maintenance OF
the permanent Washington Office.
George Diehl. chairman OF the \. a.
a. national good roads board, says the
outlook for the national good roads
convention to be held In Washington
March s and I next, is more than prom.
!sing. Delegates from all over tn.
country are being appointed to represent
their communities at the convention and
1t Is said to be already assured that II
and nationally influential good road.
sathering that has yet been held.
Ray Harroun. formerly one Of tn,
most noted race drivers in the country
winner of the first OO-milc internationa
sweepstakes race, now member o
the engineering stan of Nordyke
Harmon Company. has Just returned
|, | liam siVVV>Hlie u IlttSOuTkn AM
vicinity In a Marmon six" touring car
Practically all the time was spent Il
the mountainous districts Of that neigh
borhood.
fancy, says Mr.. Harroun.. "althougl
: automobile owners are gradually wax
ing up to It's possibilities. Much of tn
, credit for the aroused interest Is du
the manufacturers Of the cars. who ar
seeking to embody all the features 1
: their cars that will make touring dc
lightful. Chief among these refine
. ments are the adoption Of lon
, wheel base. which tends to eaualize tn
r unevenness Of country highways. an
< the Introduction OF the demountabl
" wheel. which has done away with muc
: of the old bugbear that was formerl
attached to tire changing. What wa
formerly considered quite a venture
we may Judge by the frequency wit
which amateur drivers undertake toui
ranging anywhere from 500 to 5000
10, 900 miles In length.
After all. touring Is the one ide
= way OF spending vacation. for or
g can be out in the open air all the tin
=, enjoying beautiful scenery. without ar
y thought of schedules or time tables
t way cars are built today rivals In con
fort the best that the palace cars of Il
steam road can produce. ! was real
: surprised at the large number Of tou
!, Ing parties ! met on my trip, and
:. certainly speaks well for the popularlt
J, of the motor car. NV own trip was {
business for the Marmon factory. gi
Ing at the same time an opportunity
give further test on the hills of Il
Marmon six which I was driving.
"A trip covering 1000 miles In abo'
] two weeks would have been considers
extraordinary few years ago.
that time 1t would have been necessal
J. to provide all sorts Of special equi
h ment before starting. But as manufa
e turers have reached the point whe
= their cars represent additional con
"a fort and luxury. as well as capabilit
y 1000 miles Is hardly above the commol
~ place. One Marmon owner has Just le
= indianapolis on n 10,O0O-mile trip to Il
~ Coast and back. with the idea of rul
That is an Indication Of what the mo-
ern motor car will allow"