The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-09
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ACTOR IMPROVEMENTS.

Contrary to the general SUPPOSE
a, 1t is more dangerous to be in
ance of, than behind. the process
i in the matter of introducing i'm
avements in a motor car" says +
Akers, sales manager of the REQ
TOT Car company. II am remind
of this by the fact that Just at this
se all manufacturers are either
tipping motor trucks with pneu-
tic tires, or making il optional
n the buyer.
Dear me.-what a fight we had
Y, our hands three years ago when
brought out the first REQ speed
-on and equipped il with pneu-
tics.
We were 20 certain then that we
re right that we did not even give
option on solids nor have we ever
re SO up to this day.
After the most exhaustive com
alive tests with several trucks of
same model. some equipped with
,euruatics and others with solid
ras, our engineers found that from
Try stand point the pneumatic tired
x was infinitely superior.
"t'irst--It was more efficient for
" reason that 1t would travel at
;trly twice the speed and thereby
s.4ke twice as many trips in given
ne.
In fact a one-ton truck on pneu-
4tics would carry moro tonnage day
and day out than a three-ton truck
tounted on solids and therefore
nited In speed.
''Seeond-The upkeep cost was al
ost unbelievably less. due to the fact
at not only cid we obtain more
n.leage on a. set of pneumatics than
! solids, but that the air cushion eff
T cts wonderful saving On the
fIiassis.
The term solid tire lis correct
q hen there IL load resting on the
;nbber. the section between the felloe
t the wheel and the ground Is prac-
tcally solid.
Not only that, but after two or
5lree Thousand miles tho resiliency In
ne rubber has been exhausted or, as
tive motorists say. the rubber tires
t3ot pun, but meaning fatigue) and
. cquires moro the consistency OF
n God than OF Eutta percha-
Also our engineers found that the
f3si consumption was less for the vel
J aown reasons that any pneumatic
tired vehicle requires less power.
Another factor that was much II
favor of the pneumatics was the alb
sance OF injury to loads OF fragile ma
trials. Perfshable goods suffer less
IN a pneumatic tired truck than the1
DO in solid tired vehicle ever
though the latter go at half the speed
This experience of ours was no
unique In the industry. however. a
any old-timer will recall. II he jus
thinks back a moment.
The four-cyl!nder motor had
hard time making It's way agains
popular prejudice.
r,ent that II one cylinder give
trouble alone, won't four cylinder
give four times as much trouble p
Finally popular opinion accepto'
Two cylinders but no more and In
sisted that the engine must he amid
chips because II II was anywhere els
=. would throw the car out of bal
Gnce.'
who would have a motor any
where but under the hood today--ou
front where II is easily accessible?
Then take the lighting problem
First we had kerosene lamps an
hen came the carbide tank.
with some reason there was oh
lection to this on the ground that
vas dangerous.
THE prest- o. Lite tank which FOL
owed was more readily accepted al
though a lot OF people had to be con
vinced that II the car got into
snaash-up. the gas tank would not eS
rlbde and blow everybody to H-ger
many.
'It sounds ridiculous at this la,
cate, but II is a fact. that althoug
every motorist wanted to get ava
rom the drudgery and the danger c
cranktng his car. there was a tremer
dous opposition TO every form Of Sc
starter.
"One argument against the electri
starter was that the motor would al