Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-29
AUTOMOBILE NEWS NOTES
FROM WORLDWIDE FIELD
Erection of Half-Niile Speedway ny
Dodge Brothers Relieves Detroit
Streets of Testers.
OLD ABBOTT DEBTS PAID OFF
Consolidated Car Company Pays One
Hundred Cents on Dollar Il Year
Ahead of Time I.imit-A. Ii. Will
lemin Gains Meritcd Promotion.

No longer will demon road testers
OF Detroit make speedways of CON
eested thoroushfares III the automo-
bile city The condition has been rem
edied by at leas, one Detroit automo-
bile company, namely. Dodge Brothers.
who have jus, completed q half mile
speedway test hill and sand pit on
the factory grounds FOR the purpose
OF keeping their test men a; home.
Here daily some 200 experienced me-
chanics can be seen working out at
top speed on the banked speedway,
STRUGGLING through the deep sand in
the center of the track or climbing
the sieeply graded test hill in an eff
fort 20 find flaws in their various
mounts The entire project is tri-
butte 20 The Sa;ety-frst movement. No
pedestrians are allowed on the track.
and the old danger OF running over
children playing III the streets has been
entirely eliminated.
Because Detroit is situated in fiat
territory. enEineers a the Dodge plant
decided that the advantages OF hill
climbing could be secured only by
building All artificial hill This test
hill! IS located in the center Of the
speedway Enclosure. built entirely OF
steel, and j. 80 feet long and so feet
VIDE. Il has TWO approaches. with
warning grades. allowing Desters 10
i.y OF; ears on gradua! and steep as
cents.
owe. $4,000 fee, of lumber have
gone into ;he construction OF the half
mile track :, IS built on a founda-
Iio. ot clay ara cirders. banked at
The turns and surfaced wiki fine
grade Of pine r!ankng. which has been
creosoie5 % afford a dus;less and
smooth surface
The speedway test IS but one OF
NAM given Dodge Brothers cars be-
:ore heiaE Q I'd for shipment. All
motors are frs; worked ont under cleo
t-io ?ove- and then taken TO the easo-
lire hlock-lestinE room. Each motor
power or the dynamo meter before
! = turned over TO the road testers,
= 3 wiliemin. who for three years
HUp7 Motor Car Company has been
promoted 10 the position Of assistant
general manager. Mr.. Willemin is one
OF the pioneers and bes,-known men
in the automobile industry.
He Hrst sprung into motor car prom
inence as purchasing agent for the
Brush Runahout Company. with which
concern he was connected in 1905. He
then become assistan, general manager
for the Lion Motor Car Company. and
later took charge Of the fillmore. at
Clyde. o. and closed out the concern
for the General Motors Company.
The Consolidated Car Company. Of
Detroit. organized last December to
take over the business. good will and
other properties OF the Abbott Motor
Company. and 10 assume the indebted
ness of that company. has just COM
rletcd payments to the Security Trust
Company of Detroit, trustees Of the
original Abbott Company, covering n
full loo cents on the dollar TO the
creditors.
This procedure on tho part Of the
Consolidated Car Company has Gre
ated something Of sensation in the
business world AS matter of fact
il is the first case in the history OF
tho automobile industry in that sec
lion in which a motor car concern be.
coming financially involved has worked
out and paid the original creditors
100 cents on the dollar.
one Of the most interesting features
Of the business mems military ins,ruc-
rion camp Al I'lattsburc. y. y in COM
mand Of Major General Leonard Wood,
was the train OF motor cars, among
which We're Two Cadil!acs, fully
equipped for military purposes. one
OF these was one OF the fully armorcd
and armed eicht-cyl!ndcr Cadillac
cars which recently made the notable
trip across the Continent in the squad
ron under. tnmmatId OF Colonel r r.
Davidson. OF the Northwestern Mill
tary and Naval Academy The other
was Il field hospital. also on the eight
cylinder chassis. which attracted much
attention.
Mrs Mar Cummings, Of Louisville.
Ky WHO enjoys a national reputa-
tion as an artist and designer OF tnc
emhro!GHr!es, WAS an interested visitor
10 the OHIO Electric Car Company's
plant ia Toledo, O.. recently she was
attracted by the beautiful! lines OF the
ONO Electric. and after carefully in
spcctns the car, placed her order for
model 81, winch was finished II. spc-
c!a colors ana upholstcr!cs In mar
mony with her individual tastes.