Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-09
TELLS HOW TO GET HOME
WHEN AUTO BREAKS DOWN
Simple Expedients Devised by "NIa.
chinery-Wist" When Engines
Went Wrong.
MADE LIGHT WITHOUT MATCH
Another Mancuvcrcd With Broken
Steering Gear by Unique Use OF
Two Pieces OF Plank, Some Rope
and Two Men at the Helm.

Ihc trouble with most Of US" writes
Harold J.. blanchard In an interesting
article In Motor Life. is that We are
somewhat awed by the automobile.
Although we understand how II
works. We have not the same easy
familiarity with II that we assume
with the family lawn mower or sewing
machine, and the difference i'm compIi.
cation does not wholly explain why
this should be. There is something i'm
pondcrable about the clever combina-
tion or parts which go to make up the
modern machine. However 1t is well
that we should stand In awe. II NO
didn't we should be getting into
trouble with the mechanism at all
times. Nevertheless, when some un-
usual circumstance arises It is we'll TO
overcome this feeling long enough to
PULL the mind out Of the rut and f,nd
tie romedy that the emergency de-
mands.
"A wild young motorist who was
never so happy as when traversing the
sparsely settled mountainous districts
Of the South was coasiing silently into
valley one day when he heard tiny
squeak issue from under the hood and
then the engine stalled. investigation
revealed that the distributor brush had
broken. and had been ground up. 1t
was forty miles to the nearest town !
and once there. II woald be Il case OF
from Atlanta. lie concluded that the |
machine simply had to be fixed. there I
was no other way out OF it.. SO he
fished around in his tool box until he !
found stir piece OF wire. He bent II /
to the desired shape and secured II |
solidly in the brush holder in such a |
way that It jus, touched the distributor
segmcnts ie started the engine. and .
Il ran with fair regularity. missing /
only occasionally. and without further |
trouble he was able to get home.
AN owner who had driven his car to
the summit OF a mountain In the ApDa-
sachian system late in the afternoon /
found darkness upon him with per-
tectly good pair OF acctyienc headlights
and no matches Attempting to return .
without lights was out OF the question
because the road was steep. rough. /
narrow and tortuous, as It zigzagEed +
for seven miles down to the base. sud 4
denly the solution dawncd on him. lie
soaked some waste I'm gasoline. placed /
II on the end OF stick. and removed !
the SPARK plug. bringing the waste
close To the points. Then he turned /
on the switch and crankcd the engine.
and directly he had light This process
need not be dangerous IL carefully /
done
"a car with broken steering gear
was brought safely to town from
somewhere in the wilds OF New Mex
leo with the aid OF two planks. some
ropc and two men who acted rs
steersmcn The planks were tied to
the frame at the front, and extended
back SO that the fiat side OF each
touched a front wheel The free end
OF each plank Was In the hands OF /
a man on the running board An in
ward pull on tho right plank would /
apply pressure 10 the front part OF
the RICH, front wheel and the car \
would run TO the left. Thus the car
was stcered by one man or the other .
pulling in on his plank. his partner
casing away at the same time.
TOO much speed and a high stone
in the center OF the road temporarily .
brought car 10 grief b. bending its
front axle The nearest blacksmith
shop WAS miles away. not 10 mention
the distance to a garage. Fortunately.
A railroad track was near at hand
The axle was removed. placed just In
side RAN and separated from it
by block OF stone at each end. /
short length of log was placed against
the other rail in line with the bend In
the axle. The base OF the jack was I
placed against the other end of the .
log. and the head Of the Jack then
almost reached the axle. A few pow
crful strokes on the jack handle and
the axle was forced back into its
original shape.
USE ROPE TO KEEP FROM
DRIVING on FLAT TIRE
Ingenious and interesting the
ways OF avoiding driving on a fat
tire. Rope. IL II is available. may be I
stuffed into the shoe with fair success.
Grass or hay may also be used. and |
sand and dirt are also hailed as SUBJ
stitutes.
"A hot radiator makes a very salts
factory steam vulcanizer which has
helped many motorists out Of trouble ,
when there was puncture TO NIX. The |
water should be just boiling. 1t re-
quires a little Judgment to say when |
the tube Is done. but even a second
class job, or possibly a second attempt
Is better than driving on a fiat tire |
Cementless patches are preferable, but /
sometimes they are not available"
N-,,ou - o1.,,~ e.. -.