New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-14
Lighting Systems to Hold
Prominent Place at Ma
tional Auto Show.
ELECTRICITY HAS
NOT DISPLACED GAS
Owners of Motor Cars Can Get
More Comfort for Money
than Ever Before.

Judging from the announcements OF
the new car types Of the manufacturers.
II would seem that 1914 vii be an equip
ment wear. Never before in the history
If the automobile has a buyer Of motor
ear received so much for his money in
the way Of equipment as AT present.
Hundreds OF equipment niceties will he
seen in the cars At the Grand Central
Palace automobile show during the week
Of January to 10.
Among the various things in equipment
which will attract the attention of motor
lists at the show will be the lighting sys-
TENS. which have added comfort and con-
yenience to the lot Of motorists. So thor
oughly are the motorists accustomed TO
the splendid lighting of to-day that II
they had TO resort to the systems useu
onIv a few years back automobilins WoH'o
he confined to travel 10y daylight only SO
troublesome and unsafe would be touring
st night. Charles E. Duryea, technical
svpert VINO has been identified with The
sptomobile industry since its inception
makes interesting comparisons OF the
early and present day lighting pIooleHlS'
He says:
THE traveller Of half century az"
yas BILE TO light his way by the use OF
ksrosene lantern. but not many years ue-
fore he had TO depend on tallo" caHu'o
I'm a tin can. perforated so as TO dHoW
rsU RAYS to shed light OF his path WINE
lsening most OF the wind from IeaC'''"e
The dame. The result was inslShii!cah'.
To-dav we have the most protuse ccN 'c's
,or Illuminating our going AT hSh"
While the candle is still used in the o''"--
,ne,tal Chinese lantern and similar Places
=, Is not the common form,
"A quarter of a century oehiho kerr
some the electric light came before '"e
ngblIc i'm 1876, or soon Thereafter anu
took the country by storm. TO get
brilliant light by turning button anu -
srd II free from flame or danger oil hie
vas almost an Arabian Nights a0hleNe-
ment. 90
when the automobile came into use
tho electric light was, Of course earl!
,1ouqbt OF. Thus. in 1857 we secureo
small bulbs, suited 20 the low tension
dvpamo then used on cars for lshlI'oi'
uurnoses. and the electric headlight came
irto ree There were troubles enough
v,.i,b the gas car at that time, and so Inc
,roblem Of lighting was left in allegiance
and the usual carriage lantern was gen
orally fitted.
ON the electric vehicles the eiectlc
light came into use naturally ana aS
the use Of storage batteries became com
mon on the gasolene cars, the electrlc
light became more common also. But 1t
c.as not without a rival. The new ma
,erial carbide of calcium, came into use
IN the last years of the last century anu
tho small lights on the bicycles were FOL
loved nv larger ones for the automobile.
.Tbe brilliant flame Of acetylene gas
,.orerated by the carbide and water, so
far outshone the best lights OF re"
wears ago that this light took 'front.'
place for night driving.
However, the brilliant gas only served
10 stimulate the electric inventors, VINO
AZ once set about 10 furnish practically
az brilliant n light and means for pro
ducipe II as a part of the engine equip
ment. until to-day we have the magnih-
cent electric lighting systems when per
NIT lighting the car inside ana out Oy
burning the proper switches. and which
make II a veritable travelling palace so
Tar as lighting is concerned.
ITO fully appreciate the ingenious ar
rangernents that are employed in modern
electric car lighting one must see the
ectual cars and the great automobile
show in the Grand Central Palace. which
will prove most interesting to the student
who is looking for light on this subject