News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1915-04-07
States Soon win Be a Unit in
Condemning Use of Muf-
fler Cut-0ut.
UNNECESSARY, SAY EXPERTS
Allegation That Drivers Use 1t With
out ovocation-Surely Addition
al Noises in City Streets Should
BE Avoided Wherever 1t
Is Possible.

Agitation against the use of muffler
cut-out is receiving much attention
from leading authorities of the auto
mobile industry, and it is predicted
that it will be only short time before
every state will enact laws prohibiting
the unnecessary practice of allowing
the exhaust of gasoline motors in auto
mobiles to escape into the atmosphere
without passing through a silencer.
Some states have already taken def
mite action, passing laws against it's
use particularly in Massachusetts,
where the motor vehicle law provides
that every motor vehicle must be
equipped with muller or other suit
able contrivance to prevent unneces-
sary noise, prohibiting further the use
of any signaling device that makes a
hash, Objectionable or unreasonable
noise, forbidding the use of any siren
horn except in the case of fire appa-
ratus or ambulances.
1t is contended by those who use
the cut-out that unless it is used
there is loss Of power due to back
pressure. Repeated tests by Profess
sor Hutton, chairman of the technical
committee of the Automobile club of
America, and other experts prove that
the use of the muller cut-out gives
practically no increase of power. It's
use is largely confined to a class of
motorists who desire to call attention
to themselves or their car rather than
for any useful purpose.
Numerous operators use the muf.
fer cut-out under slightest provoca-
ton, frequently without any proyoca,
ton at all and make no secret of the
fact that the sound of the exhaust is
music to their ears. Manipulating
the cut-out is illegal in Connecticut,
and there are some other states
which also have passed laws against
this form of noise-making. Wherever
1t has been taken up, after a short
time the law has proved satisfactory,
and although the first instinct of the
motorist is to object to it, the average
man who is interested jim the comforts
of his neighbors does not long make a
fuss about it. The city streets are full
of noises and as far as is possible those
that can be avoided ought to be elimi-
mated. One of the pioneer automobile
dealers, who has investigated the sub
ject carefully and believes motorists
generally approve of the so-called muf-
fer cut-out law, says:
"The public has demanded a noise
less gasoline motor car for years and
engineers the work. over have been
working with that end in view. For
years we have been making tests of
the six-cylinder type of motors by
means of the dynamometer in our lab
oratory and in other ways to ascertain
whether there is greater efficiency to
be obtained by the use of the cut-out.
In the early days of the two and four
cylinder type of motor opening the
cut-out gave some increased power
and speed, but today the leading manu-
facturers' product is at the point of
perfection and the cut-out is not neces.
sary. EXhausts from the two groups
Of cylinders are kept separate, which
eliminates back pressure, that feature
and inclosed valves with their guides
under force feed fabrication having
much bearing on the subject of quiet
less.
mo expense has boen spared to de-
7elop motors which are silent yet pow
9rful, and our hearty support will be
lsed to put the proposed law into eff
ect."