The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-01-10
Useful Side Of the
Auto Feature OF 7
Big n. Y. Show

~H~'p - A-N"S
aaisra is the dominant note Of the
fourteenth automobile show in Grand
Central Palace. has been made plain.
From the showing OF complete cars
on down through the accessories and
parts exhibits, utility Is the outstand-
ing feature. Even most of the "show
cars are practical vehicles, designed
for a. specific. use. Vehicles OF this
class were the closed cars with interi-
or fittings Of the most luxurious char
acter. Yet it was only h interiors
which differed from runabout and
touring cars of the same makes. And
SO far as the interiors were concern
ed the operating mechanism was en-
tirely the same "
with scarcely an exception, design
ers have had in mind first the driver
and next the other passengers. In a.
large number Of cases it has been
made possible for the driver to enter
and reach his seat from the side
where the steering wheel is located,
instead of having to climb in from the
other side (sometimes past the front
seat passenger). To render this pos
sible, extra tires are carried elsewhere
than on the running board; and in a
few cases the cushion of the drivers
seat is designed to be lifted SO as to
give more room for the driver as he
takes his position.
The removal, of spare tires from the
cunning board is only one although
the principal step in the direction of
clearing the running board of the inn
pedirnents which it has formerly car
r~ied-+battery and tool boxes. etc. The
result is very pleasing. The running
boards are as clean as the proverbial
whistle. The articles formerly carried
on The running boards have been dis
posed of in various ways. Spare tires
are nearly always carried at the back
of the cars, substantial irons have
been fitted for this purpose.
The comfort Of the passengers has
been borne almost constantly in mind,
passenger variety, the rear seats be
ing roomy and with thick cushions
that are lower at the back than in the
front to give a. more comfortable posi-
ton. Where the touring cars are de-
signed to carry several passengers the
auxiliary seats r usually different
from the makeshift affairs one has
been accustomed to sec. Some of them
are provided with arms n they arc
Of ample size and have more of an ap-
pearance of permanency than has beer
usual. In some of the closed cars tho
rear seats are almost like arm chairs
The convenience as we'll as the com
fort of the driver has been looked
after very carefully. He is provided
with electric lights in the dash, which
enable him to examine all of his guag.
2eS, Indicators, ETC.; self-starters being
practically universal; the starting
crank having almost disappeared ant
he merely presses a button to start
centre control being in a considerable
majority he has no trouble to reacl
either his gear shifting or his emer
gency brake lever. Thu he has every
thing requisite for the operation a.
control Of the seemingly complicated
mechanism of the al under his eye o
at hand, His wind shield affords ade
duate protection. The steering whee
is brought close to him n the APP
pliances for regulating the spark an
the mixture of gasoline and air ar
conveniently placed
BY comparison with the show Of
year ago very great changes have ak
en- place in the interior appearance Q
the cars. The "streamline' body $
widely heraaded, is really here. Their
are some cars which have not bee
conformed to the new movement, blu
they are in a very considerable minor
ity. In fact, If progress continues
there will be a "prowlike" body t
reckon with. Some Of the cars show
save Prov shaped dashes, but tn
"strearnline'' body usually, has
square front and slopes upward an
outward from the radiator to abou
midway of the body. The evident de
sign Is to give the appearance of
stream flowing from the front of tn
hood. Undoubtedly this design offer
suggests a ship. In every possible wa
the design Of the hood and body har
rr1onizes with this idea and the resu
is very pleasing.
while there are perhaps fewe
GLASSES and motors shown than {
previous shows he ones on eXhibitio
undoubtedly mark an advance. The
show the mechanism more clearly, an
when they are working models Gre
uuently consisting of the motor an
transmiSsion) they run with a smooth
ness and silence that is little short {
marvellous. The cutting away of part
totshow their mechanism is very con-
plete and illuminating.
Wire wheels may be coming blu til
time when they may be regarded q
standard is still in the future. AS W
their is confined almost entirel
to large cars. The di~stinctivenesS {
these wire wheels is ~undeniable, ar
the cars On which they are found al
among the most striking in the SHOW
Although embracing four floors tt
show is yet ~splendidly arranged All
with a surprising orderliness. TT
general scheme of b exhibits is ver
simple. On the first and second foo
are cars only, while around the wal
of the third floor are more cars; tt
remaining of the third floor and all
the fourth are devoted to accessorie
parts and motorcycles. The groupir
is very we'll done and visitors hay
little trouble in finding any exhlb
they are looking for. The subordlnE
ton of decorations results in intere
being centered upon the exhibits. III
aisles arc sufficiently wide to perm
visitors to move with reasonable e.
pedition, and there is a roomy ar
home like appearance particularly
the first floor, which causes favorao
comment.
Despite the d~isagreeable weather
Saturday afternoon and evening Il
exhibits were viewed on both occasion
BY good sized crowds. Yet the al
saace of congestion permitted the vi
itors to make their examinations Wit
out trouble.
There was general approval Of DO
che exhibits and their arrangement
for while there were no SPECTACULAR e
fects, such as marked the MAIDS
Square garden shows, the sight pr
sented was a very pleasing one.
Even a superficial examination OF t
accessory and parts exhibits makes
clear that there 10 much to rep