The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-10-20
Motoring Notes

Now here are there roads better than
on the British Isles. according to p
l.. u. Perry, manager OF the Manches-
ter factory of the Ford Motor COM
pany, who has been spending a few
weeks al the Detroit T. Glory.
The good roads of England and
Scotland are famed the world over
declared Mr. Perry In Ireland the
roads are not so good, but there they
are better than those in the United
States.
Through long and persistent work
the unexcelled roads on the isles have
been laid. Each separate community
is responsible for its own roads and
each takes pride in their condition
"A recent help to good road main
tenance Is the spending of the entire
automobile tax on the roads. The
taxes on the cars are high. too. 1t costs
the owner of a Ford $40 per year
There also Is r tax OF .0s per gallon
on gasoline. With the money collect
ed from THESE taxes and some addt-
tional appropriations, there never Is
n deficiency in the rad Improvement
treasury.
THE tax is levied on the theory
that automobiles are the hardest on
the roads and therefore should pay
the most toward their unkeep.
English roads are practically dust
less and have been so for several years.
AS rapidly as possible tarred macad-
am surfacing is being laid. You can
travel all day on one OF these roads
without looking like a helper in a
-four mill when you finish your jour
ney."
Mr.. Perry believes that prospects
for the sale of American cars In the
British Isles and also on the CONT
nent are very bright for the coming
year.
He says the Ford Motor companys
factory in. Manchester manufa ctured
and sold 5000 cars on the British Isles
this season, which was more cars than
were built and sold by the next three
largest English automobile factories
Believing the demand will be much
greater next year. Mr. Perry says the
Manchester factory will build $500
cars for sale in the British Isles alone
and approximately 3,5nv more for the
European market.
Popularity OF Silent Knight.
The growing popularity Of the ST.
lent knight type motor in this coun-
try is clearly iodicoted by the progress
of the F. b, Stearns company, of
Cleveland
As is well remembered, the Stearns
people were the first in America to
take up the knight motor, and ever
since this engine was adopted they
have used 1t to the total exclusion
OF the poppet valve type.
Last season. the first year in which
the StearrIs * night ear was rnanufac-
tured. the company did the largest
business In its history, but the present
season is starting out even better
for the end OF the first quarter, that
is, July, August and September, 1912,
shows that the company has shipped
a greater number of cars than ever
before in its history, the increase
over the preceding year being over
1or per cent. ! addition the Stearns
pee pie have more orders on their
books at this time than in any pre-
vfons year, and all indications point
to a record breaking season.
Right Busy at This Garage
The Eastern Motor Sales company
received another consignment OF
motor cars yesterday. When Pres-
dent Joe Leonard visits the garage he
has to interview the stan from a
1918 Maxwell roadster, while Eu-
gene Hazelgrove answers back from
the tonneau of an Abbott Detroit, r.
r. Airport lays down the law from
the drivers seat Of an Alec, and J. II.
Simms surveys the scene from the
step Of stevens-Duryea.