The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-03-20
Automobile News

Automobiles that are buIlet-proof are advertised by a dealer in Mexico City, Mex, who knows what the pub lie wants.
 An aluminium foundry, which will make a speciality of castings for the motor car and engine trade, is being esta blished at Waukesha, Wis.
 Racers, with rare exceptions, are us ing ordinary gasoline of about 65 test. The days of doped fuel are past and discountenanced in racing circles. Open ports act as an auxiliary exhaust valve to clear the cylinder much quicker than would be possible with the one exhaust valve.
 Since Montgomery, Ala, achieved as phaIt pavements, boys have discover ed the exciting possibilities of a pair of roller skates and an automobile. Several accidents have occurred to boys hanging on behind cars, and the police have now adopted the dungeon punishment to break up the practice Offenders are confined in dark un- derground cell for an hour Or more.
 A bill has been introduced in the Maine Legislature providing for the conipusory lighting of all vehicles, re- gardIess of whether the same are mo tor propelled or horse-drawn. The only vehicles exempted from the ef- fects Of the measure are baby car riages, wheel barrows and go-carts- l law is favorably considered by the Legislature and by great number or the residents. of the State
 After driving a touring car in the rain, keep the top up until it Is thor oughly dry. If it is lowered and packed away in the casing or "boot," :" the lining is apt to mildew and rot It is also a good plan, if any nois- ture has penetrated inside the car, to take the seats out and, if possible, sun all the upholstery until 1t is bone dry.
 According to Chief Dunn, of the po- lice of Omaha, an average of from fifty to seVenty-five accidents a week are due to automobiles operating in various cities of the United States. During the five weeks ending January 23d according to the chief, 1,230 per- sens were injured and 208 killed, among these sixty-two in New York. Chief Dunn expects to submit his sta tistics to the National Association of Police Chiefs, which is active in re- ducing automobile accidents.
 Of the 99O,G00 cars now registered in the various States, more than 900, 900 are gasoline cars. and these easily rep resent a present value of $75O, ,OO0, GOO Or more Complete and accurate fig urcs showing the growth of the ga4so- line industry from year to year are not available However, census re-
 
 ago, 1S,OOO cars were produced at a value of 5000. 900, and that in 1909, three years ago, 12O, 900 cars were pro- duced at a value of $135, 100000. Thus 1909 produced 102, 900 more cars than 1904 and the value was $116, GOO, GOO greater. For 1912 the output is est1- mated at 25O, 900 cars, valued at from $25O, GOO, 900 to $500, 900, 600. Thus, since 1909 three years ago, the product and it's value have more than doubled
 The wonderful growth of the motor cycle industry since the first crude crude affairs with small gasoline en- zine mounted on the front forks and propelIing the machine by a friction pulley is shown in the statement that one American firm will manufacture million spark plugs this year for mo torc%cle use alone. The Splitdorf Electrical Company, which was re- gently merged in a $3,000,00O com bination, was the pioneer in the man ufacture of ignition apparatus and the far-sightedness of the Torrington Company of Torrington in acquiring this veteran house has been conclu- sive1y proved by the vast bulk of bus mess done so far this year, amounting g to over 100000 magnetos.