Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-12-07

ogy, in the Transvaal. He reports
that .165 gallon of ethol is consumed
compared to .125 gallon of gasoline.
This is about the same or a little less
than the efficiency that was secured
from natalite.
1t is the prediction that by 1920
there will be 100000 automobiles in
use in the United States. The num-
Der today is about 2,250,0OO.
The owner of a large interest in
one of the leading companies has this
to say about the future demand for
cars:
When you stop to think of it
there are few articles for which such
a demand exists as for the motor
car The automobile is product
which every one, man, woman and,
above a certain age child, wants.
There are not many products in this
class. Everyone who has the price,
for instance, does not want a type
writer or an adding machine. Most
articles have a limited field, even
though everyone could afford to buy
them But with the exception of a
few cranks, very limited in number,
every grown up can and does enjoy
motoring and wishes to own a car.
That is why every reduction in price
enlarges so rapidly the size of the au-
tomobile market. We have not yet ap-
preached the saturation point in this
country and increases in motor car
production seem to me certain for
many years to come"
A new tvVo-cycIe motor, which is de-
clared by experts to eliminate most of
the Objectionable characteristics that
have previously been experienced with
two-cycle motors, has been developed
in Philadelphia and is now being used
in trucks and tractors intended for
war use.
Instead of using the crank case as
a pre-compression chamber, the low
er end of the cylinder is used. The
connecting rod is outside the cylinder
and connects with the piston through
a slot in the cylinder wall.
This invariably efficient pre-com-
preston is said to make the operation
of the motor at any speed and regard
! less of the age of the machine as eff
| ficient as the four-cycle motor, while
all the simplicity of the two-cycle is
maintained. This improvement is be-
| lieved to make the two-cycle motor
available for automobile use.
Contributing in so-eaIIed reaistra-
ton taxes over $20.OOO.0O0 yearly to
| the upkeep of the nations roads, dis
| eliminated against in that horse
| drawn vehicles are neither tagged nor
taxed nor restricted in crossing and
recrossing state lines automobile own
| ers are not receiving with an vast en-
thusiasm the proposal that they shall
pay again substantially in the cost
of war preparedness.
What may accentuate their dissent
from once more being singled out is
that in many states owners now pay
three taxes; for registration of the
car. operating license for its driving,
and also under the head of personal
property. In Mississippi and Ohio the
state supreme courts decided that it
was unconstitutional to tax an auto
mobile owner for registration in excess
of the clerical cost of the issuing OF
the identification number, as he was
already paying under the head of per-
sonal property. New Jerseys courts de-
cided that more than one tax could
be imposed, and other state courts
have ruled variously. Because of the
conflicting opinions, the American Au-
tomobile Association carried the New
Jersey case to the U. S. Supreme
Court and a ruling is expected in the
next few months.
Incidentally. it is estimated that
some five million acres are necessary
to raise feed for the several million
horses in the country. The substitu-
ton Of vehicles using gasoline and
electricity would release all this acre.
age and divert the labor engaged in
its filling to the needs of humans.
Why the lawmakers should pick out
gasoline and petroleum products and
automobiles as the particular things
on which to place a special tax, when
petroleum products have become an
absolute necessity as a producing fac
tor in the industry of our country and
the automobile itself has proven to
be the greatest factor in economic
transportation that we have had in
recent years, is a source of unconceal-
ed surprise to motor car owners.