The Washington herald., 1912-11-17


ness eleven years ago our chief occupa-
ton was trying TO exceed the last nonstop
record. which at that time was about
eighteen miles," said representative o.
the Peerless Motor Car Company the
other day." Most Of the cars then were
steamers. The first gasoline cars did
not Increase the distance greatly. The
earberator, timers, or spark plugs usual
.ly developed some ailment that effective
ly stopped the progress OF the car.
The contrast between those cars and
our present product is simply staggering.
For instance. the Peerless Motor Car
Company received a telegram the other
day from the owner OF 1913 Peerless "4S-
Six saying that he had run the 600 miles
from Wichita to Denver in twenty hours
"a speed, including incidental stops, of
thirty miles an hour.
That's passenger train speed sustained
hour after hour over a rough road. The
car was heavily loaded and at the end
was no worse for its experience. Eleven
years ago such a thing would have
seemed beyond the limits Of possibility.
The winding mountain road to the Gey-
sers in Sonoma County, California, has
generally been considered a bad and
dangerous one for the motorist, but that
evident from the successful tour Of Mrs.
]. W. Leavitt and party. Of San Fran
cisco.
The party made the ascent in Mrs.
Leavirt's Kissel Kar six" and without
trouble of any description. Mrs. Leavitt
tells the following story of It:
The trip from Cloverdale to the Gey-
sers was one of the most enjoyable mag
Unable. We had been warned that the
roads were bad, so we were happily sur
prised in making the seventeen miles
mountain climb in an hour and half
1t was a continuous and wonderful pan
Drama the entire distance, and at the
Geysers-well. there it's simply minia-
ture Yellowstone Park
John C. Perrin, chief engineer of the
Lozier Motor Company, who was recent
ly elected vice president of the Society
Of Automobile Engineers, sailed last
week for Europe. Mr.. Perrin's trip is
for the purpose OF studying the trend
OF design of the foreign motor car in
dustry, and his object in making the
trip is to compare the progress made by
foreign manufacturers with that Of mo-
tor car makers in this country. While
abroad he will visit many Of the best
English factories and will be in attend
ance at the Olympic show in London,
November to 16.
Few people would invest 5000 in the
building of a vehicle and then store 1t
away, new, with the devout hope that
IT might never be used. But this is just
what President John n. Willys, of the
willys-overland Company. of Toledo.
Ohio, has done. And, furthermore,
nothing would make the big automobile
manufacturer happier than to know that
there was never to be any use for the
conveyance. For the vehicle in question
is the Overland ambulance.
Several months ago, when the change
in models made caused a temporary
slack-up in the rush of the Toledo plant.
a number of employees were put to work
on the Overland ambulance. One of the
best chassis made by the company was
fitted with the most modern ambulance
body made, with special upholstery,
spring seats and cots, stretchers, and
complete cabinet Of ''first-aid' remedies
and appliances. The finished car is one
Of the best ever seen in like service.
1t was run into corner of the big final
assembly room of the factory and the
employees were notified that henceforth
il was their car. a driver, ready for
instant duty, day or night. rain or shine,
was assigned to the car, and he has or
ders to respond to every call made on
him by Overland employees or their. rela-
tives. Any emp'oye or any of his rela-
has only to notify the driver and the fine
big car is at his disposal.
We have not used the ambulance
much since it has been completed, and
my only hope is that it will be required
still less in the future. Under these con-
ditions. I believe the money it cost will
be the best investment / ever made"
said the head of the big factory.
As a step toward breaking down the
prejudice OF European automobile manu-
facturers toward medium-priced Ameri-
ran-made cars, the WilIys-Overland Com
pany, of Toledo, Ohio, has entered a
number of its models in the motor shows
scheduled for London, Paris and Brus-
sells within the next few weeks. I'VE are
entering all our new cars for all three
shows, with special attention paid to the
SGT, which sells for 1885 at the factory"
gays @. w. Bennett, vice president OF
the company. We have had long, hard
struggle to become established in Europe.
and while the purchasers are our firm
friends after examining and using the
Overland. we are desirous of giving the
manufacturers of and dealers in foreign
made cars an opportunity to see just
how well our product is made. We feel
that these three shows will do us a great
deal of good abroad. In the London
show We are one of six American manu-
facturers exhibiting, and at both Paris
and Brussels there will be only three
American makers exhibits"
From general indications this will be
big selling year for motor trucks" says
Harry S. Houpt, the Alec general sales
manager. who has just completed a trip
through the Middle West and Canada.
There is a general wave of prosper
ity throughout the country" continues
Mr.. Houpt. This years crops are a
record maker, and the farmers bins are
bulging. The steel mills which have been
able to obtain the raw material are
working night and day. There have
never been as many orders on their books
as now. This company itself has never
before had SO many orders entered for
locomotives as 1t now has. The Inter-
state Commerce Commission Is daily
warning the manufacturers against a
shortage in freight cars.
Delivering these goods to the ultimate
consumer is going to be large factor.
The motor truck will play an important
part in the hauling OF these goods.
In glancing over sales reports for
the month, it is found that large manu-
facturers all over the country are pre-
pairing themselves for this rush by buy
ing motor trucks
Fred K. Parke, vice president of the
Universal Motor Truck Company, has
returned from a tour Of inspection Of
Pennsylyania, New York, and the New