Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-18

came into use very naturally, and as the
use of storage batteries became common
on the gasoline cars the electric light be-
came common also. But 1t was not with
out a rival. The new material, carbide or
calcium. came into use in the last years
Of the last century, and the small lights
on the bicycles were followed by larger
ones for the automobile. The brilliant
fame Of acetylene gas generated by the
carbide and water so far outshone the
best lights OF a very few years ago that
this light took a front place for night
driving. Simple generators for making
the gas as needed or tanks for storing II
in some quantity have been provided and
a large number Of the automobiles in use
today are fitted with one or more gas
lights for night driving. However. the
brilliant gas only served to stimulate the
electric Investors. who at once set about
to furnish practically as brilliant light
and means Of producing II as a part OF
the engine equipment until today we have
the magnificent electric lighting systems
which permit lighting the car inside and
out by turning the proper switches with
out leaving the seat and which make it
veritably a travelling palace SO far as
lighting is concerned
Stream-Line Cars.
The motoring world has heard more
about stream lines applied to motor
cars and also about smooth interiors
this year than ever before. and yet to
great many the terms are unfamiliar.
few years ago the general public
knew nothing about stream lines Only
few scientists and an occasional
boatman understood the meaning OF
the term. At the show this week the
Washington public will be given an
opportunity of seeing many examples
OF stream line bodies, many of them
for the first time. which will not in
some degree exhibit the influence of
the knowledge of air resistance on
rapidly moving body.
The horse-drawn vehicle needed not
this refinement because of their slower
speeds and because. being preceded by
the horse they were not directly OPP
posed to the air. The automobile, like
the boat saves much power by being
built with the matter of air resistance
fully considered. In this, as IN every
thing else. that which is right looks
right, SO the refinement added in this
direction has resulted in a very mate
rial added beauty. Beginning at the
front, radiators offer the first oppor-
tunity for Improvement, and the v
shaped or rounded radiator which pre-
sents rather a boat-like end to the
vehicle is becoming more common;
Even where the radiating portion stun
is fiat the tanks and corners are OF
ous result as well as a smoother and
finished appearance.
Hoods taper from the front to larger
dash and cowl or even form one piece
with the cowl and offer no joints LOT wina
resistance or weather exposure 1t is
readily seen that an unbroken surface
presents less opportunity for water to
enter on a rainy day and that the more
nearly boat-like the body the better II
protects the mechanism from the ele-
ments The once simple dash consisting
of a vertical or partition has been nearly
lost in the process and today the front OF
the body behind the engine is housed COM
pletely and extends to the operator and
front passengers. In a number of cases
the doors that join this front to- the seat
sides are placed well back on the seats
so as to make entrance to the seat more
easy while permitting the cowl protection
to be carried even closer to the riders. :,
Not only do the sides of the body SVEN
outward in easy lines, but they have been