The Washington herald., 1916-02-18
MOTOR GOSSIP
BY "sT, GROGAN.

E J. McCaffery. District manager for
the Federal Rubber Company, who has
just returned from a trip that took
him as far south as Florida, is very op-
timistic over the tire outlook for the
coming season. People are buying motor
cars today that a year ago thought a
machine was beyond the reach of their
pOcketbook. and, of course. If they buy
cars they must purchase tires" said Nc
Canery.
z. L. Miller, an old Washington boy,
who, during recent years, has been max
ing his home In Philadelphia, has as
sociated himself with the Federal Sup
ply Company. He will look after the
outside business for the firm.
Session 1s of the police regulations
states that no vehicles shall pass or ap-
proach within fifteen feet of any street
car while the same is stopping or stopped
for the purpose of taking on or letting
off passenger, nor within such distance
OF the place where a passenger shall
have left said car until the passenger
shall have reached a place of safety.
There are some operators OF machines
who, while they come to a stop when the
street car does, seem to have SO much
confidence in their own ability as opera
tors, that they interpret the law to be
that a passenger has reached his point
Of safety the moment he alights. AS
soon as the street car gets under way
they drop into first II necessary, accel-
crate the motor and then endeavor to
dodge the unfortunate who has been de-
posted on the street, without giving him
half way chance. Perhaps they are
expert enough to miss the poor pedes-
trian. but It gives the latter an uncom-
Portable feeling when he sees two or
three cars coming at him and all try
ing to see just how close they can come
to him without colliding. The man on
foot does not always know the opera
tor of the machine is competent to play
the game of dodge and the traffic Of
ficers are very apt to take the same view
and afford the culprit a chance to explain
to the judge just haw capable driver
he is, and more than likely he will be
called upon to contribute to the Golfers
of the court.
Henry Harrington. an authority in the
motor truck field, estimates a sale Of 15,
900 commercial cars during the year 1916
and says that the country will see trucks
used IN ever increasing numbers. Mr..
harrington estimates the value of the
ginning of 1912 there were only 10000
motor trucks in use in the United States,
while today there are 10000.
Mr.. harrington does not believe that
the motor truck manufacturers need
war orders. He points to the fact
that all truck factories are working
overtime to keep up with orders from
American users. The parts makers,
working night and day, are simply
unable to supply the present demand
One year ago war orders were bless
ing. but today the output of a ma
jority of the firms in America is taken
by American business, and the Ameri-
can business men who do not shop
early are liable to find a shortage in
this field.
The 1915 season opened with a
greater range of models and prices
than ever before. Motor wagons from
$50 to 500 pounds capacity sell at $500
to $3.50. In the 1.000-pound class prices
range from $3.50 to s1,1o0. The 1900
pound models show a price valuation
of sS4o to s2,100. A one-ton truck can
be bought at any price from 1870 to
s2.450. The one and one-half-ton
trucks vary in price from S1,450 to
$4,000 In the two-ton class one can
| choose between s1.475 and $4,000
Among the trucks of greater load ca
pacity prices range all the way up to
| $500. In the list of motor truck
manufacturers are 221 makers of gaso-
| line trucks. twenty-four electric wagon
concerns and two making steam
trucks. Between them they list nc
fewer than 4s3 different models-407
gasoline, SO electric and 2 steam.
A significant sign that the vogue
of the motor truck is countrywide is
the fact that these manufacturers are
located in thirty-one different States,
ranging from Massachusetts, to Texas
in the East and South, from New York
to Minnesota in the North, and includ-
ing Washington, Oregon and Caliror-
MIA in the extreme West. Michigan
leads with forty-one truck makers
New York is a close second, with
| thirty-seven. while Ohio, with thirty
one, Pennsylvania with twenty -five
, Illinois with twenty, Massachusetts
with thirteen, Indiana with twelve
and Wisconsin with eleven, also cut
! . respectable figure in the list