davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19
Short Circuited Mufler"
Days Are Long Since Gone

When riding behind the powerful en-
CINE OF the automobile few people appre-
ciate the harmony of the infinite number
of working parts which afford to them
the delightful pleasure of annihilating
speed and distance. Here is involved the
skill of the chauffeur in affording to the
owner real service. To the casual OBJ
server 1t seems an easy matter to handle
the powerful car. but upon the operator
rests the added responsibility of mechan-
teal efficiency.
The day Is past when owners OF cars
accept any excuse. such as the muffier be-
ing "short circuited' when their car is
stalled. Owners of automobiles quite
often know as much about the automo-
bile as the driver and are therefore
placed in a position properly to judge un-
necessary delays. These delays are often
caused by unreliable ignition.
The carburetor system will rarely give
trouble except in cases of foul or dirty
gasoline. To overcome a delay from this
source one needs only to drain off the
carburetOr or clean out the pipe line
without necessarily changing the carbu-
necessary to remove the needle valve or
other parts a careful note as to their
proper replacement should be made.
When all wiring is in place this is
usually the source Of trouble. However.
should the cylinder compression be found
good and the plugs in repair and clean.
the next in order is an inspection of the
magnetic itself Assuming all wires free
from leakages and the primary conEec-
tions tight, the trouble will Invariably be
found in the timer of the circuit breaker.
This may be foul with Oil and dirt or
the platinum points may be found COR
roded. thus preventing a clean making
and breaking of the primary circuit. This
part cleaned and the points properly ad-
justed will invariably touch the spot, so
to speak.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19

first time. That is pretty rare chance
The organization which is able to say
truthfully that those who buy it's cars
have been car owners before is Boosting
a thing which certainly is worth Dragging
about. AS Mr. Drysdale says OF the new
owner. 1t is after he has had his car a
while he begins to be more critical: He
begins to notice the existence and abb
sence Of things he had not thought of be-
fore" And when he does begin to
know there are things that can be diff
ferent and better. unless the company
making the machine he has turns out the
next season something to conform to his
ideas some one else is going to have his
custom. 1t is all very well for the fac
tory folks and dealers to speak, pityingly
of his ''non-practicar' ideas. They do a
bad job when they forget the consumers
money pays their salaries. There's rather
too much competition nowadays in the
automobile business for any one to get
away with 1.-The public be damned" at
titude.
Don't Admit Being Stung.
1t is hard to get any man to admit
publicly that he was ''stung'' when he
bought his first car. or any other for
that matter. But actions speak loud and
no one would repeat an order or buy a
later model of his original car if he felt
he wasn't going to be satisfied.
There Is nothing more foolish than for a
man to buy for the sake of few hum
dred dollars by way Of bargain a car
which fails in some or several degrees to
come up to his real view of what a car
should be. Later on he will curse himself
for having done it.
What a man learns about his first car
he learns in many ways. Sometimes
short run over very rough roads will tell
him all of sudden something he never
thought of before. A rainy day informs
him about another point. He observes
and weighs the various Information. Be-
fore long he has fine catalogue Of
things car should be and should not be.
BY this time he is designer" He Is
designing his next car as IL should be to
suit himself. And those who sell automo-
biles should not forget that as in the
main the cars they are trying to dispose
Of are expensive man should be treat
ed as one who is spending a considerable
sum is entitled to be treated Some sales
men appear to believe he should be ar
gued into taking what he doesn't want on
the puller ms principle rather than be
handled as an investor or something very
like that.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19
An Occasional Miss.

Perhaps the owner of an otherwise we'll
behaved car will be surprised to find that
his motor has developed an appreciate
miss, seemingly overnight, when he starts
to take 1T out on one of the cold, frosty
mornings that have now become common
throughout the more northerly states. If
he is motor wise he will know that the
time has come when he must readjust his
carburetor The assistance Of a certain
amount of heat Is necessary in vaporiz-
heat is applied by taking the air from
in others a hot water jacket is used for
of the outside air drops to a considerable
extent the ne ans provided for heating the
air do not raise the temperature as far
ment that was satisfactory for summer
The air. being colder, does not evaporate
the gasoline and as a result misfire will
develop. There are two cures for this
trouble. One is the taking OF extra pre-
cautions to secure a warm supply Of air
and the other is to make a change in the
carburetor adjustment. The first Is that
generally adopted by the carburetor max
ers who provide fittings. to be attached
to the carburetor when the cold weather
sets in. The second method is the step
that the owners of carburetors not haV-
ing the hot-air attachment are compelled
to take. The adjustment consists simply
in supplying a greater quantity of Saso-
line for a given weight OF air.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19
|NVENTS AUTO LOCK
Capital Policeman Has Device
to Stop Motor Stealing.
CONSTRUCTION is SIMPLE
Industrial Research Institute Com
mends Patent in Flat
tering Terms.

"A Washington policeman daily re-
ceiving reports of automobiles stolen
from different sections of the capital
from his superiors. and being asked
10 look out for them, scanning the num-
bers on automobiles as they passed
through the street on his beat, led Po-
uceman Jacob Mertz of the first pre-
c1nct to invent an automobile lock that
scientists and automobile manufac-
turers have pronounced almost perfect
The device which ultimately crowned
his efforts took nearly two years to
perfect. When he started on the de-
vice he was full of enthusiasm which
rebuffs from friends. automobile own
ers and patent attorneys failed to
dampen.
The lock is an electrical contrivance
which is placed in the ignition circuit
and BECOMES part of the electrical cir
cult Just as he was about to give
ton to a friend. Elmer Schatz. chief
electrician for George Washington
University, and between them they
finally perfected a lock.
After completion the inventors sent
it to the Institute OF Industrial Re-
search. where 1t received the highest
commentator from the institute.
6I61Sc lOT LOCK.
DIR. A. S. Cushman in reporting for the
institute on the device had the follow
ing to say:
This device consists Of q rotary cleo
trical switch of special construction.
which Is placed in the ignition circuits
of the automobile engine. Combined with
the switch Is a mechanical locking de-
vice. which permits operation of the
switch and consequently use of the en-
CINE only when key of special design
Is inserted in the lock. This key, in ad-
diticn to opening the switch lock. forms
in itself a part of the electrical circuit.
so that operation Of the lock by other
means than the insertion of the proper
key becomes impossible.
THE design and construction OF the
device has been carefully worked out
The mechanical and electrical parts are
simple and the construction Is such as
not to render the parts liable to derange-
ment in service. The electrical construc-
ton would. however, be improved by the
substitution of material of higher in
sulating and misunderstanding proper
ties,-such as hard rubber. for the fiber at
switch contact disk. The lock is simple.
compact, practical and of such design as
to render it proof against successful OPP
Grafton by unauthorized persons. We see
no reason why this lock. IL properly man
ufactured and placed on the market,
would not be a financial success
Mr.. Mertz and his partner are now en-
gagged in demonstrating their invention
before automobile manufacturers, many
of whom they say have agreed to use
the device as part of the new models.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19
Noises in Motor Cars.

The noises that an automobile makes
may be divided into two main classical
tions-those Indicative of harmfully abb
normal conditions and those coming from
conditions not harmful as affecting the
operation OF the car. Thus. the knock of
a loose bearing in the motor indicates a
condition which should be remedied at
once. before the crankshaft is injured.
while the rattle Of mudguard will not
affect the running Of the car in the least
Whatever the cause, however no noise is
necessary. and there is no noise that the
automobile makes that cannot be pre-
vented or silenced. L: is true that the
usual pOppet valve gear is rather noisy,
especially after the car has run for a
year. but 1t may be muffled practically to
silence by the use of cover plates to
house it. these having the advantage of
keeping grit out as well as sound in.
When all Is done by the manufacturer
that can be done. then things rest with
the private owner In a machine of so
many moving parts as the automobile.
attention and care are the only means of
keeping in noiseless running condition the
parts the manufacturer. by design, has
provided shall be noiseless when first
used The manufacturer must rely on
the private owner to keep in condition the
car which is originally designed to be
nOiSeless.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19
Ng SIeSeAs
1913.
1913
January 1l-22-Brussels. Belgium.

AZ.
January 1l-2o-Brussels, Belgium.
show. Centenary Palace.
January N-2l-New York truck
show: Automobile Board Of Trade:
Grand Central Palace and Madison
Square Garden.
January 2O-25-Philadelphia show.
January aO-2.eMilwaukee, Wis
January -26-Toledo show
January 22-25-Geneva. n. Y.
January 25-February 1-Show at
Providence, r. /.
January 25-February Montreal.
Canada. show.
January 27-February 1-Detroit
show.
January 27-February 1-Scranton.
Pa.
January 27-February PLEASURE
show, Buffalo. N Y.
January 3O-February 1-Canan-
daigua, n. Y.
February 1-March PLEASURE car
and truck show, Cincinnati. Ohio.
February 1-SChicago show.
February 3-S-Automobile show,
Convention Hall. Washington. d. c.
February 1O-15-AutO carnival,
Washington, d. C..
show.
February 1O-15- Mi n n p lis
show.
February 11-15-Ottawa. ". Y.
February 15-2&Newark, n. J.
February 15-22-Albany. n. Y.
February 16-23-RichmOnd, Va.
February 17-22-Kansas City
show.
February 1S-22-Automobile show,
Baltimore, Md.
February 24-March 1-Show at
Omaha, Neb.
February 24-March 1-St. Louis.
Mo.
February 24March memphis.
Tenn.
February 24-March New Or
leans. La.
February 26-March Fort Dodge,
Iowa.
March 3-S-Pittsburgh show.
March S-15-Boston pleasure car
show.
March 1S-22-Buffalo show.
March 19-9-Boston truck show.
March 24-9-Indianapolis
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19
Gives Ample Mileage.

fifty to one hundred miles and more on
one charge of the battery. and an cleo
trio commercial car from twenty-five to
sixty miles, in both cases the mileage
depending upon road conditions and load
Electric vehicle battery manufacturers
are constantly developing new types Of
batteries. The most successful effort
along this line. and one which after two
years of service in thousands of cars has
shown most excellent results. is the
'honclad-exide'' battery. This battery
gives. it is said. from two to three times
the life; and seldom. If ever, requires
Cleaning. The service of the ''ironclad-
exide" battery has been watched with
much interest by the various manu-
facturers of electric cars, and the results
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19
YOUR FIRST CAR
Average Purchasers Desire to
Solely to Have Something
to Ride In.

ITO the average first purchaser any
automobile is an automobile. He sees
al makes and kinds and sizes varying
In price from a few hundred to several
thousand dollars. They all go Swimming
about and appear to be carrying their
occupants smoothly along on business or
pleasure bent. So far as he can see they
all run all right. His first desire Is SIM
ply to own an automobile-something to
ride in" says X. y. Drysda'e.
There is surely a text from which to
preach a sermon to motor buyers. What
car the average man buys the first time
he goes into the market has very little
to do with the merits of that machine
mechanically. His buying ii is either a
tribute to the advertising campaign the
makers have conducted or else 1t comes
from some one In whom he has confidence
having recommended II. In the rare case
that this novice purchaser is a man who
knows motors or motor vehicle cOnstruc-
ton his maiden choice will have sig
nificance.
We hear much these days of service
and service departments But it may
be said frankly that Il good service de-
partment will hardly get a repeat order
II the car in the first instance isn't a
good one. That Is to say. 1t may very
well not matter to the sensible man how
obliging Mr.. Y Is or how ready he Is tC
make requirements at low cost II the re-
placements are so many that they show
the car TO be wrong fundamentally.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19
WILL EXHIBIT HIGH
CLASS CARS IN SHOW
Committee Returns From New
York in High
Spirits.
By Farren

That the highest class OF show cars and
chassis will be represented at the Wash
ington automobile show. which will be
staged in Convention Hall the week OF
February 3. was verified by the return OK
the committee representing the local evenc
at the Madison Square Garden and Grand
Central Palace automobile shows which
were held in New York during the pas
week.
Reports show this to be the banner
year OF the industry: never before In tho
history of automobile making has there
been many shows held throughout tflp
country or such great amount or IN.
terest manifested. 1t was this interest
which has caused the dealers. backed up
by their respective factories. to spare no
efforts in not only making their exhibits
a representative one, but also to show
each detail SO appreciated by the edus
Gated motoring public.
Manufacturers now realize that the
average user of a motor car has acquircc
a knowledge not only Of types and out
side embellishments. but also general
construction. mechanical perfection and
material values. II is. therefore, the IN
tention and purposes of those represent
ing ears to lay bare to the prospective
customer their entire product, thereby
counting comparison i'm order to give tn,
public full sway in knowing the yalue3
offered them.
Spend Week in New York.
Many of the local dealers. who have
spent the past week at the New YorS
shows and will exhibit at the Washinek
ton show next month, have returned
home with the word that they have suc-
ceeded in convincing their respective
salesmanagers that the Washington show
is one of great importance. hence they
have been promised the big exhibits
which have been on display In the
metropolis during the past weeks. These
exhibits will be sent to Philadelphia next
and then on to Washington. Those who
arrived i'm the city last night state that
the many new features displayed this
year are the most educational since the
birth of the industry thirteen years agdi
Chief among these features the sew
eral styles of electric starting and light,
ing devices, next i'm importance Is tho,
arrangements for tool boxes and other
compartments. which have formerly BEEN
placed on the running boards; deep upf
holstery also takes a prominent part irt
the 1913 improvements. In addition to
the above there are many other ref1ne1
ments which will make the coming tour
ing season one of greater enjoyment II
the motorists than they have exer experz1
enced before. 80
Such conditions are bound to make Con-
vention Hall the mecca for the true be,
levers and users of this up-to-da,a
means OF transportation and pleasure,
two weeks hence.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19

"Son, you will never be rich unless you
learn to profit by your mistakes coun-
seled the millionaire. Dad, you must
have made a big bunch Of errors.'' said
the admiring sciOn.-Buffalo Express.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19

obtained have led twenty-four of the
prominent concerns to advocate its use.
This battery has been one Of the most
important features i'm bringing about a
wider use of "electrics
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19
Picking Ideal Car.

The real service from an automobile
Is consistent and constant operation Of
the engine, mounted In such a way that
the folks who ride in the machine will
feel comfortable.
So we come down to the point that is
to be made. 1t is the automobile a man
selects after a year of motoring that
should be the car IL an observing
man with will of his own and common
sense withal fails to develop theories
about what he wants his car to be after
he has had a year Of automobiling 1t can
he only because he reached by chance the
bea.ifc state of picking the ideal car the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19
What A. A. A. Has Done.

ut may be interesting to give few
instances of what a. A. A. clubs have
done In various states, in order to show
how country-wi has become the CO.
operation between motorists and good
roads advocates. In Minnesota club at
Benson brought into town leading farm
ers as their guests, supplied highway
picture show and other entertainment
and made converts to motor transpofta-
ton. In Vermont the state highway COM
missioner has no hesitancy in consulting
the automobile club of that state at all
times Down in Louisiana the Motor
League was responsible for the construc-
the best object lesson of its kind In the
whole state. In Sewanee county. Michi-
gan, the county automobile association
supplied 400 loads of clay to assist in bet
tering one of the worst sand roads In the
whole state In Idaho the Bannock Coun-
ty Automobile Association Joined the ma
tional body of motorists in order to secure
nation wide aid in the effort to open up
Yellowstone Park to mOtor-driven vehi-
cles. The Automobile Club of Southern
California has with its own money sign
boarded hundreds of miles of road. In
Oregon the Portland Automobile Club Is
lending it's substantial influence to the
building of a road to Mt. Hood. In
Nebraska twenty county automobile asso-
Citations have been brought into existence
almost exclusively for the purpose of aid
ing in securing state aid and other essen.
tial highway legislation. In fact, all
over the country the local associations
have aided in their own vicinities. be-
sides cooperating with the other clubs of
the state bodies which constitute the ma
tional organization.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19
Storing Automobiles.

Just about this time of the year the
autOmobilist is seriously thinking over the
problem of whether he shall keep his car
in commission all winter or whether he
shall put it in dead storage until a more
favorable season for motoring shall again
come around. For those who have de-
cided to keep their cars running it would
be we'll for them to clean out the Oiling
system. if this has not been done during
the summer season. On cars that use a
circulating oil.ng system this is especially
important. as it will not suffice to simply
renew the oil that is burnt up or that
leaks away. The old oil that gathers in
the bottom of the crankcase will become
wa.y and dirty. 1t will lose the very
feature which renders it desirable as a
cylinder oil and will cause trouble by
cumming up the piston rings and carbon
izing. If the course of the oil that is led
through a circulating system be followed
it will readily be seen by the most mex
perienced amateur that this cleaning out
is necessity. and that its omission will
entail undesirable consequences.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19
HINTS TIC.
MOTORISTS
Removing Rust.

When an engine has been lying unused
for some time rust will often accumulate
in the cylinder jackets. and. being heavy,
1t falls to the bottom, collecting any other
particles with it and forming into solid
mass. thus preventing the cooling ele-
ment from getting to the lower portion
perienced users, recommend softening
agencies that do not easily dissolve abso-
lutely. but the writer strongly deprecates
the introduction of any substance that
does not form a saturated solution. There
is nothing better or cheaper than common
washing soda. which has the advantage
that 1t can be obtained at any village
store. 1t is best to dissolve the soda in
warm water before pouring it into the
radiator. otherwise the crystals drop to
the bottom. and it may be some time
before a proper solution is obtained
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19
Alcohol the Ultimate Fuel.

Alcohol is the fuel which answers these
requirements, but as 1t cannot be used to
advantage in the present motors. it will
probably not enter into the field for many
years 70 come. but when il does. ii is
claimed it can be produced in enormous
quantities from garbage and other waste
products and sold retail for low as
10 or II cents per gallon. In motors de-
signed for its use with compressiOns of
$50 pounds to the square inch this fuel
gives weight for weight and size for size
of motor greater efficiency and almost
~ per cent more power than gasoline.
Its time will come
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19

the home state. Then the visitor would
be noted when in another commonwealth,
and If he were unfair in his use of the
roads he could quickly be apprehended.
1t is manifestly unjust that an entire
class should be subjected to persecution
because of the acts of few. In many
communities the great body of law-abid-
ing motorists are assisting the authorities
in wedding out and bringing to justice the
small percentage which does so much to
prejudice public opinion. and for time
retards the advance of mOtOr-driven trans
portation.
The A. A: A, through it's fOrtyone
state bodies and 311 clubs, represents in
organized form the half million motor car
owners of the country.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19
Flooding the Carburetor.

Flooding the carburetor and printing
are common means Of starting in cold
weather. as is also the shutting OF the
air passage, allowing the full suction of
the motor to fall upon the spray nozzle
These should not fail with motor that
has been running we'll up to that time
With cold and stiff motor, however
even printing will fail at times and the
other methods produce no effect what
ever. In such instances five drops Of
ether to each cylinder of the motor have
been found efficacious by many physi-
clans and others who know of this
method Another trick that has been
tried with success is the placing of about
n tablespoonful Of carbide in small tin
having a friction top. hole is then
cut through the cover and the cover
placed on the tin. Through the hole in
the cover il run a small rubber tube or
a piece of hose into the air intake of the
carburetor. Through another opening in
the tin is poured a half glass of water.
After waiting for about half minute the
motor is cranked.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-19
A Federal Number Would Help.

1T has been said that free roads are a
necessity in a free country and during
these tag days for motorists. who are
interstate as we'll intrastate in their
goings and comings. there is excellent
argument in favor of a federal number
to supplement the registration required by