The Washington herald., 1916-08-27
AUTOS NOW IN favor
FOR VACATION TRAVEL
Increasing Number of Good Roads,
and Up-to-Date Hotels and Garages
Encourage Touring Parties.

Returning motorists from their va
cations speak of the number OF cars
that they have met with on the road
In this there is nothing unusual. The
man today who owns an automobile
takes advantage of every opportunity
TO get out into the open. He bought
the car with the dual purpose of bust
ness during the week .and pleasure
for his family and himself on Sum
days, holidays and vacation time
Railroads, steamships and interurban
street car lines have complained dur
ing the past few years of the loss of
patronage due to the motor car.
Automobiles today are so near per-
feet that any man with average in
telligenCe and who, when the occa-
sion arises. stops and uses his gray
matter without trying first to make
use of every wrench and hammer in
his tool kit, can travel most any
where with assurance of reaching his
journeys end. While the automobile
is to certain extent complicated, it
is built as near foolproof as possible.
1t is on rare occasions that trouble
is met with, and when this happens
it is generally of a minor nature, such
that any one can repair, at least tenn
porarily, so as to get them to the
nearest representation Of the machine
they are driving, or to a good repair
shop.
Roads are good also. so that trips
by motor car are not the tedious
Journeys that they were formerly. As
an example, in 1912 it is figured that
there were less than a half dozen
machines which made the transcon-
.tinental trip. This year, though the
touring season is but half over. it is
claimed that more than 200 cars have
jOUrned from coast to coast carrying
pleasure parties. 1t is the same with
trips to all other sections of the
country. In front Of every hotel along
the more popular motor routes it is
a common sight to see at least fifty
machines parked while their occu
pants are either eating a meal or
resting.
Journeys of FIVE, seven hundred and
thousand miles are not thought worth
more than passing comment now days.
A little attention or grooming of the
car before the start. and then on the
way is about the manner in which most
people who take motor trips prepare for
them. They pick out the spot they want
to visit and then motor there, knowing
that in most every instance thsy will
have good roads If not the entire dis
tanCe for at least the greater portion of
It
So far as gasoline, oil and tires, II they
be needed en- route, are concerned, there
Is a garage in every hamlet passed
through In this day and age the ga
rage would not consider itself up-to-date
II It did not have at least one good brand
Of oil in stock aid at least one tire of
each Of the sO-Called popular sizes. Prices
asked for these goods are only slightly in
excess of what they can be bought for
at home. the difference perhaps being
that at home they received a small cash
discount while on the road they were
asked t. pay straight list price.
Accommodations for the family can be
found almost anywhere. Hotels which
few years ago were on the verge of star
vatiOl have suddenly taken on a new
lease Of life. The proprietor has fitted
them up to the best of his ability, makes
Ii point OF serving good wholesome
food. and is getting the business. He
has provided rest rooms for the ladies of
the party where they can remove the
stains of travel A lOunging room for
the men where they can SIT at ease, en-
Jay themselves and await the call to din
ncr Most Of these hotels have a garage
IN connection where the car can be stored
for the night and necessary supplies
bought.
Oftentimes motor parties when they
start out have no definite place in view
as the end Of their trip. They simply
travel until they get tired and then turn
round and start home another way. OFTEN
the party. Some go even so far as to
Ike rtmDin- outfits with them and put
up wherever night may overtake them.
Year by year the number of these motor
parties increases and they will con-
tnua to grow more numerous as the
conditions of our roads improve Some
portions Of the country have been a
long time in seeing the light of good
roads. but eventually they will be at
traCted by it. Those States that have
seen the benefit to be derived from them
are already reaping a large return on
their investment.
The car owner. no matter how
avariCiOus he may be at home. once
You get him out on the highways and by
ways his attitude changes and he be
comes very generous. He wants the best
and is willing to pay for it. 1t IS not
good thing to judge the temper of his
pOcketbOOt by the car he drives. 1t may
be Of ancient vintage but it is his pride
and JOY.
He IS willing to back 1t up with his
hard-earned money and don't be too GER
tain that he may not come out best in
the race, for some of the cars that to-
day look out of date still have enough
left in them to give some Of our multi
cylinder machines just about all they care
for on the hills or on the levelI