Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-09-15
MOTOR HONKS
By Otto Horne

WUIUn nUNNS
BY Otto Horne |
For years the Federation of Ameri-
can Motorcyclists has been the lead
ing organization among motorcycles.
1t has fought consistently for clean
racing, good roads and reasonable
laws regulating motorcycle traffic.
During the past year 1856 new mem
bers have been added to me roll, and
debt lifted that for some years has
retarded the growth of the organiza-
ton. Shelby A. Falor of Akron, Ohio,
is president.
That electric vehicles Tor CONNER
Cial purposes have effeCted ;le inva-
sion of the Transvaal in the past few
months, is indicated in the motor
news that comes from that newly de-
veloped motor country. Many light
vans are seen on the streets of Johan.
nesburg, which are being used by the
post office department and leading
commercial houses. The particularly
desirable economies in tires, power
costs and general upkeep have don
much to popularize electrics there.
At the Packard speed tests run last
week on the speedway at Sheepshead
Bay, N. Y, new speed marks were set
for l, 2, and miles. The engine
used was a Packard aviation twelve
cylinder, which permitted a complete
circle Of the two-mile track in So sec
onds-at the rate of 124 miles per
hour-a new worlds record. The time
for miles was l min. 81 1-5 sec, and
for miles, minutes flat-a:3o new
records.
The two hundred deaf mutes of the
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Akron,
Ohio, were honored last week by a
visit from a party of French delegates
sent here by the French government.
The Goodyear mutes found very little
difficulty in understanding the French
system of signs, and listened" to
very interesting talk on the devas-
tation of the city of Rheims, by one
of the party.
To cooperate with the railroads iii
promoting a better understanding as
to freight matters and to insure ad-
yantageous rates on crude rubber and
finished rubber products, representa-.
tives of the rubber companies in Ohio
have organized the Northeastern Ohio
Rubber Shippers association. R. q.
Kreitler, traffic manager for the Good.
year Tire & Rubber Co., Akron, Ohio,
is chairman of the executive commit
tee of the new traffic body.
That motorcycles are to play a very
important part as equipment Of our
forces in France, is indicated
in the awarding of contracts amount.
ing to nearly S1,OOO,0O0, covering 1000
machines to be delivered to the war
within the next four
Motorcycles have become in
in war, both in transpor-
tation service and despatch bearing.
No modern army now attempts to
fight effectively without them.
A transcontinental bicycle tour OF
more than usual interest is the one
that has just been completed BY
fugene Estoppey, from Coronado, Cal,
to New York City. He rode an Indian
bicycle on Goodyear tires, and carried
q complete camping outfit En- route
he obtained letters from the governor
of each state traversed, which he pre-.
sented to President Wilson upon his
arrival at Washington. He is veteran
rider in his fifties and an all-round
athlete. Upon reaching the Hudson
river at Jersey City, he decided that
ferrying across the river was hardly
exciting enough for him. so he swan
the river amid the plaudits Of an en-
,husiastic crowd that had gathered to
greet him on the New York side.
Many persons who know Ralph de
Palma as one of the most daring rae
nG drivers of the American speed |
ways are not aware that he made his
first bid for newspaper publicity as a
bicycle rider, as an amateur in 1898. F.!
After four successful seasons he
.urned professional and won a no.
able victory in a 12-hour race at !
Rochester. n. Y. A year later he cast
aside the leg-powered vehicle for its ,
lew propelled brother, and as
/ motorcycle racer he gained consid- |:
,rable success on Eastern tracks.
After four years with the two ):
Wheeler he became innoculated with !,
he automobile racing and since 1907 :
las been known the country over. as !
/ successful racer His most notable
Tictory was the winning of the great
'00-mile race at Indianapolis in 1915.
: One of Seattle's enthusiastic lady