The Washington herald., 1912-01-28
AUTOMOBILE NOTES

I
A big fire In Richmond recently was
the means OF demonstrating conclusively
the superiority of the modern motor
driven fire apparatus over the old type.
For thirteen hours a big Knox pumping
engine kept two streams going on the fire
practically without intermission, and
/ within few minutes after II returned to
headquarters T.. was ready for another
call.
During the entire time the engine was
working from just before s p. m, until
Il was ordered back TO quarters by CHIEF
Joynes at a. m. the chauffeur. who
was also engineer and mechanician, oc-
casionally poured bucket Of gasoline
into the tank and went over his ma
chine with an oil can.
The steam fire engines at work during
the same period each required two men
in attendance, an engineer and fireman.
Their total consumption Of fuel was more
than twenty-five tons Of steam coal The
bill for running the gasoline pump at full
\ speed for thirteen hours came to $3.50
! This big Knox engine is really an en-
tire fire department in itself. 1t is pro-
PEELED by the same motor that works the
pumps, a siX-cylinder, sixty horsepower
1t also carries a thirty-five-gallon chem
ical tank with hose and 1000 feet OF
water hose. When not in action II has
no horses to feed and its cost of main
tenance between fires is practically moth
ing.
The wonderful work done at this fire
| removed the last doubt from the minds
Of the fire commissioners at Richmond,
and already the matter of motorizing
the entire fire department is being agi-
| tated ....H
A large number OF really cautious
drivers and owners of cars have been
arrested under a ruling, as interpreted
by the bicycle police, making it unlaw-
full TO drive a car or other vehicle fast
er than eight miles an hour when cross
| ing streets. Arrests have been made In
| widely different sections of the city, in
| some cases where such a regulation is
entirely out of place in the opinion of
a number of automobile owners inter-
Viewed
The general opinion seems to be that
the police are a little overzealous in
| their duty, when it comes to demanding
Of the driver speed Of not over eight
miles at street crossings in the outlying
districts.
Any man successful in securing a IL
cense under its eXacting conditions as
to moral character. industry, &c, should
care sufficient TO be allowed a little lee
way in the matter of speed. and a general
Tightening up on the existing regulations
in the congested districts in Washington
would do no harm, in the opinion OF
many.
Due care should be exercised by every
one in crossing streets, and IL should al
ways be remembered that the pedestrian
has the right OF way. License may be
revoked and should be in some cases, but
for the average driver n little broader
Interpretation of the existing regulations
by the police would do no harm
The Disco self-starter Is applicable to
practically every type of multiple cylin-
Ger gas engine. 1t is positive in action,
simple in operation, and easy to install.
1t is so constructed that IT may be at
tached to the motor without In any way
interfering with the regular running OF
the motor. 1t is not connected to any
moving parts of the engine and conse-
QUently eliminates liability of wearing
out by continuous moving. There are no
parts to oil or take care Of.
Nap Myers, of the Mutual Auto Aces
sOries Company. OF New York City. has
been spending few days here with I. T
Donohoe, and reports business at the
outlook for the coming season good and
will be one OF the best in years.
The Washington Garford Motor We
hicle Company has been recently form
ed, with Mr.. r. c. Smith as president.
Mr.. James True has been appointed
sales manager. with Mr.. George z.
Grimes manager of the truck depart
ment.
\ large three-story service station
and garage will be opened in the near
future and It is planned TO make It the
finest Of its kind in the South. The
Garford line OF trucks have won a
reputation hard to beat.
THE time is not far distant when
there will be a great deal more trans
continental travel, and by that time a
great deal OF good sign boarding will
have been accomplished" said DR..
Charles G. Percival, who has crossed the
continent three times in the Abbott-De-
,triot Bulldog"
AT present there are more than 81
varieties OF sign boards through the