New-York tribune., 1912-02-14
HICKS RUNS TO COVER AUT0 NEWS OF THE DAY
A. A. A. and M. C. A. Heads Meet
to ARRANGE Contract for 1912.

Howard Coffin, Howard Marmon and
Russell Field, representing the Manu-
facturers' Contest Association, and ROBERT
Hooper, Lewis r. Speare and j. Joyce, for
the American Automobile Association, met
vesterdav at the I.otos Club for the pur-
DOSE Of settling the contract relative TO
the A. A. A. continuing the controi OF
automobile racing during the current year
f. p Hollander was TO have been In the
discussion, but was kept away by illness
As to the details of the meeting absolute
secrecy was maintained. While it IS as
sumed that the contract between the TWO
bodies was renewed no one would say a
word about the much debated subject the
chairmanship of the contest board. or even
that this matter had been taken up. Along
Broadway there Is growing an impression
that William Schimpf. OF Brooklyn. who
has acted since the death Of S. NJ. Butler,
win be retained in the office.
f b. stearns. president, and II. n.
Hover, a member Of the sales committee
Of the F. n. Stearns Company. OF Cleve-
land. arrived IN New York yesterday. In
company with Charles y. knight, the in
ventor, who has been lecturing In this
country for several weeks. Messrs. Stearns
and Hover are making the visit 10 look
over the business situation at the local
branch, which they find exceptionally salts
factory.
Mr. Knight lectured last night at the
West Side Y NJ &. A. TO a large crowd
OF persons who displayed intense interest
In the story OF the famous silent engine.
Tonight he will speak I'm Philadelphia. and
for four days following he will visit and
lecture at various places in Massachusetts.
lie will sall for England on February q.
f. f. Fletcher, who has been head OF the
big machine shop and garage OF the
Automobile Club OF America, has resigned
that position to Join the Stearns company
al head OF its service department Mr.
Fletcher filled the responsible position he
held in the A. c. A. 10 the satisfaction Of
all. and he Will be missed there.
Caleb Bragg, whose last appearance in
racing was In the Grand Prize at Sa-
vannah, is already I'm California TO pre-
pare for the Santa Monica race OF May T..
Writing TO +. J. Wagner, under date OF
February 3. he says that he is anxiously
awaiting the arrival OF his cars, so II Is
evident that he intends TO begin studying
the circuit as early as possible. He will
drive his own Flat In the big road race.
Bragg is staying in Pasadena
II has been decided to hold the Third In
ternational Road Congress in June Of next
year I'm London. The leading foreign gov
crnments will send representatives. and a
large attendance of the leading British
engineers is assured. The sum OF $4,000 is
being raised to carry out the elaborate
programme prepared. The first congress,
the object OF which was to study and dis
Cuss the construction and maintenance of
roads and bridges. was held in Paris in
1903, and the second I'm Brussels in 1910.
80 the pesslmlst must be disappointed
again, now that the governments figures
show the motor car did not kill as many
persons as II was credited with doing,r
says George NJ. Dickson, general manager
or the National Motor Vehicle Company
- '"''' NV ohoNh 10 bichA W iIItht dHIi-
motorists when they learn that the motor
car killed only one-half as many as street
cars And the streetcar follows a given
rail route, makes noise enough 10 be
heard far away and is supposed 20 be
driven by men void OF convivial tendencies.
Also, II Is interesting to note that in 1910
the year covered by the most recent
figures, there were about as many street
cars running around as automobiles-that
is. about 10000.