The Washington times., 1917-10-27
TIRES ARE TESTED
UNDER REAL ROAD.
TOUR CONDITIONS

In the present-day haste OF the
business world, many products are
used with. little or no thought of the
constant study and expenditure made
by manufacturers to improve the
quality OF their productions. Ger
talnly there is no product of COM
paratively recent invention that
shows more-rapid Improvement than
the rubber tire. And its value as an
invention may be fully appreciated
only when realized that the rubber
tire made the automobile possible.
The Ftrestone Tire and Rubber
Company OF Akron, O., have adopted
a unique method for q constant per-
sonal test OF their tires under all con-
ditions Of roads and weather. At a
greatly increased expense over their
former methods OF testing they have
made a complete departure from the
usual test methods of tire manufac-.
lures This was evidenced by their
test feet No. J, consisting of five
heavy automobiles. that stopped here.
Wednesday. The feet is an express
sion Of the company's belief that the
most reliable information is gained
over the car owners own roads in
AAohy SeoNCS- ouN lney COinDlno Win
1t the great benefit mutually derived
from personal contact with these car
owners In all sections OF the country.
On Long Tour.
Fleet No. 3 Is on trip that will
take them to Boston by way Of Wash
ington, Baltimore. Philadelphia and
New York. Their return trip will be
made through the Berkshire Noun
tains of Massachusetts, to Albany. N.
Y, then TO Syracuse. Rochester and
Buffalo, N. Y, and Cleveland, Ohio.
The trip Is made on a schedule of
$50 miles a day. The distance must
be covered in addition to time con-
sumed in calling upon the many deal
ers and branches. This, to give them
nrst hand information, regarding the
new fabric tire construction which
the unprecedented success Of the Fire
stone super-size cord tire prompted.
Both cord and fabric tires, some OF
which have several thousand miles
previous to the trip, will have had
long and severe test when the cars
finish this route. All tires were Of
hcially sealed to the wheels when the
cars left Akron. The tire score has
been perfect to this point, but where
AC~Co1oAg
seal tire expert in attendance would
make careful record OF all conditions.
Equipment Interesting.
The equipment Of the cars is par
ticulsrly interesting. Large metal
shields painted in the company's
characteristic orange and blue an
nounce the number OF the test feet
and the slogan Most Miles per Doll
lar" Each shield contains photo
graphic illustrations of the many
Firestone products. These decorations
with the uniforms Of the drivers at
tract considerable attention wherever
the cars are parked. The company
is giving out very instructive litera-
ture on the cars and repair of tires
and attractive souvenirs to car own
ers.
Tour Director Hugh A Fargo and
Fleet Captain Fitzharris have select
ed roads that take the feet from the
path Of greatest travel in many places.
They relate trying. experiences on
these bad roads in the rains that have
been heavy west OF Pittsburgh. The
complement Of ten men all seemed
quite content with the keen cold
weather in the mountains. although
they admitted 1t Is penetrating In
these big open cars.
Tomorrow these experts will be
testing tires that figure prominently
as equipment in our present world
conflict, over roads that horse-drawn
munition transports slowly picked
their way in the great civil war.