The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-08-04

Details of the beautiful course over
which the Vanderbilt Cup. Grand Prize.
Pabst Trophy. and Wisconsin tropy events
are to be run this fall are quite Interest,"
ing. Improved at a cost Of more than
"a, 900, the roads win be In great condi-
tion IN September and drivers and others
who have seen the So mile circuit declare
1t to be superb. II lies in one Of Mil
waukees most attractive and accessible
city limit districts. It Is on the north
west side in the township of Wauwatosa,
noted for its fine roads. Public parks
and rich, well-kept farms with groves
provide the natural surroundings
The location of the start and finish line
has not been determined. but It will be
on either North Fond du Lac Road or
Burleigh Street near their city limits in
tersection. The grandstands and the en-
tire region of North Fond du Lac Road
and Burleigh Street viii be easily ac-
cessible from the heart of the city. thir-
ty minutes by car line and fifteen min
utes by automobiles.
The roads are the best Of the macadam
type. For the races they will be graded
perfectly to a width OF thirty feet for
the entire distance Of the course.
Two Texas farmers, d. W. Rutherford.
of waxahachie, and S. B. Blair. Of Alva-
RADIO. driving Maxwell cars. won the run
about and touring car divisions Of the
Farmers and Ranchmen's Endurance
Contest from Dallas, Tex, to San Anto-
MO and return, occupying six days from
July 2a to q.
The contest was conducted by a Texas
farm publication and limited strictly to
farmers and ranchmen who own automo-
vorrYfroS n frtva n nd
in most cases they were accompanied by
their families.
Most recent of the strenuous European
automobile races. the Belgium Grand
Prize. over the Ardennes circuit result
ed in a tie between the three-car teams
of the Minerva Knight type and the
Hermes machines. The two-day event
comprised twelve rounds over the thirty
mile course, total Of 720 miles for the
two days.
Peugeot. of French Grand Prix victory
fame: a Mercedes-Knight team. three
Opels, three Benz, and three Excelsiors
and three-car teams Of S. S. A v. A. F.
A. B., and Vivinus make, German valve
less. a Charter. RollandPilan, Hispano
Suiza, and a Ford.
Shortly after entering the. Elgin Ma
tional Trophy race with his six-cylinder
Knox. the middle of last week. Ralph
milford announced yesterday that he
will drive this car in the 3o6-mile free-for-
all event as well. The big meet is be-
ing promoted on the famous course at e.
gin. Ill, by the Chicago Automobile Club
and the Elgin Automobile Road Race As
ISOLATION, August a0-u.
Four new entries were received late
this week. F. e. Edwards. chairman of
the A. A. A. technical committee, wired
from Cincinnati that he had secured two
Schacht entries. one for the Illinois Cup
Harry Endicott driving. An Ohio car has
been nominated for the Aurora Cup
event.
While the growth of the automobile in
America is universally regarded as one
of the most remarkable features Of the
worlds commercial progress. few per-
sons have any definite idea of the exact
figures which represent this amazing in
dustry.
The average percentage of increase in
the registration Of cars in the United
States for the past six months, accord
ing to the Automobile. was 24.6 per cent.
as compared with 3s.6 per cent for the
entire year preceding January. 1911. At
this rate. the percentage for the twelve
months between January l and December
81. 1872 would be 49, per cent, or an in
crease over the twelve months preceding
January l. 1912, OF nearly 10 per cent.
The total registration Of gasoline pas
senger cars between January and July
this year has been 5s,s5s for the entire
United States. This is ISIS per cent IN
crease over l911. Between July /. 1911.
and T,rIv NJ tbfs vas
ufacturers produced 252.5e9 cars of all
sorts.
An estimate based on the most conser-
vative and accurate figures obtainable,
indicates that there are at present in use
in the United States $50 900 automo bile :,
allowing s.s5S as registered in duplicate.
Among the States, New York still re-
tains the lead in the number of registra-
tons, with a total to date of 90, 4o7, a gain
Of ,f3s cars since the first of the year.
California New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
and Indiana follow in the order
named.
The Peerless Motor Car Company has
just announced that in the future all Of
its six-cylinder cars will be equipped with
an electric starting device. This starter
is installed in conjunction with the cleo
trio lighting system introduced on Peer
less cars last year.
The starter consists Of an electric motor
IN such way that II will rotate
the engine fywheel. Power is drawn
from 12o-ampere hour storage battery
OF special construction. which is used also
for ignition and lighting purposes 1t is
charged automatically by a dynamo oper-
ated by the engines so that II is never
necessary to visit a charging station or
remove the battery.
Pressure on pedal in the drivers COM
partment engages a gear on the shaft Of
the electric motor with a gear ring
around the hywheel, and turns the full
power of the storage battery into the
motor. The engine is turned over rapid
ly and can be spun In this way for half
an hour. As soon as the engine begins