The Washington times., 1916-08-05
Gas Device Discussion
Renewed BY Radiator
MANY Letters Are Received Commenting and Con-
demning These Fuel Savers, But Few Are Found
Worthy of Printing.
BY MONTE soHN.

Response to TIM Radiators request
for opinions on the question Of gas
Swing devices and compounds
brought forth q great many letters
Unfortunately the great majority
OF these could not be published.
Some were too utriolic In their dis
paraGement, others bore the unmis-
taxable stamp of affiiistion between
writer and agent. A few letters
from manufacturers enclosed testi-
monials from motorists In Nome.
Tampa. .Baffin's Bay. Yuba Dam
and TNrlsc.
Local discussion was not as COM
prehsnsive on either side OF the mat
ter as necessary for publication.
from Z worthy article in Lesiies
Motor Review recently. 10 peculiarly
fitting to the topic. .. Ed
Horsepower From Nothing.
It 10 entitled Making Horsepower
from Nothing" and 10 As follows:
You have probably heard tho
story Of the motorist. who. as a firm
believer In every claim Of the man
ufacturers Of devices designed to
save fuel. brought figures TO the aid
Of his reasoning end discovered that.
by using a certain kind Of auxiliary
valve, he could nave 10 per cent of
his gasolene; by the use Of \ pre-
hcatcr no could save another 30 per
cent; and by the use OF a special type
Of chemical and a spark plug, anoth-
sr " Rsr cent 2. ~Ss Ss seven Ia, Af IL,
motor would actually make gssolenc,
for the claims Of all devices totaled
ITO per cent saving.
Depends on Motor.
THE modern motor. with a prop
eriy designed carburetor intended to
tit that particular machine. with
it's pistons and cylinders free from
carbon. with It's piston rings a tight
fit. with the valves well ground and
adjusted to q nicely. and with q
lubricant Of the correct body and
quality which will help to reduce
friction and form q. gas-tght seal
between moving piston and station
airy cylinder. will give a wonderful
efficiency and will prove econom-
ical In operation.
Therefore. II the owner. instead OF
spending considerable sums for the
purchase of attachments and access
sories which nevcr can be expected
to live up to the absurd claims made
for them by their promoters will ex-
pend a smaller amount for the prop
er attention to his motor and ad-
Justment Of the carburetor, and will
purchase fuels and lubricants OF
will find that the car manufacturer
has treated him fairly after all and
has given him q car which. with
proper care. will produce better re-
suits than could be obtained by the
attachment Of devices which are
credulity Of . large portion OF the
motoring public.
May Work on Old Car.
There 10. OF course. actual merit
to any device. attachment or
chemical which will reduce carbon
formation and produce an effi-
Client mixture. There are, many
cars In service today built before
modern design was able to pro-
duce the present day efficiency
and economy in automobile oper-
alton. On such cars many OF these
devices may produce the adver.
results. But In such instances the
reliable manufacturer Will specify
that his claims apply only to in
stallations on certain cars under
gwen conditions, ana Will not en-
deavor to create the impression
that such results will be obtained
regardless OF make. model. or year
OF car or OF It's present efficiency"
We have spent nights and guam
titles Of hard earned increment at
fashionable resorts. We have been
insulted by bellhops at the finest
hotels. We have paid maraudinR taxi
pirates twice their usual exorbitant
rates for delivering us from hither
to yon.
But we never feel the thrill Of
extravaganza 30 keenly as when We
breakfast on q pullman diner.
Recently, after paying &e.& for q
few breakfast food. we lamped tho
following, on the back Of our menu:
THE all-stecl passenger coaches
and restaurant cars Of the Pennsyl-
vania railroad are designed to- re-
sist TO the utmost any sudden
shock
"but them says the man
who sits at the next desk. the mod
ern. almost all-steel mosorcar Is