Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-05-21
Horses. Autos, Or A;rplanes?

As 10 the bargains in the airplane
market, as has been said, the close OF
the war has released an immense sup
ply of flying craft. A number OF Cam
adian machines which cost about s., uV5
10 build, for instance. are being offered
for sale for $4,000 each. II is possible
to buy Canadian two passenger craft
as cheap as s2.50o One Of the best
known American airplane ni2nufactur-
ers is selling a fast two-seater. similar
TO those used so effectively in the war,
for $500. There is, In fact. a sur
prising variety of machines of varied
designs offered at prices between these
two figures.
Obviously an airplane-eycn a fly
yer type of airplane-can not yet be
bought at flivver prices. IL is only
when the prices quoted are compared
with those OF the high class autono-
biies now on the market that they
seem moderate. A good limousine
made by one. of the standard manu-
facturers CO pable of high speed. costs
more than $1,000. a PAIR of we'll
matched biooded horses before a we'll
appointed carriage might cost almost
anything. In the present market
pair of fancy carriage horses would be.
very likely to cost upward of $1,000
each, and carriage from fashionable
maker $1,000. or even more.
Also there are literally thousands of
experienced army air pilots today. And
many OF them are open, 1oy positions.
Wages have not been standardized as
yet. but it is safe to say that an ex-
cellent pilot could be employed for $50
week. perhaps less. An expert aero
mechanician ought not to cost more
than s35 a week. and on such salaries
they would lodge and clothe them
selves. For a reliable and skiliful
chauffeur in these days OF high wages
ii is necessary TO pay $50 or $40 a week
with probably $40 month for foot
man. In both cases the owner of the
car would probabIy have. to supply
! board and lodging. and il he INDUCED
in livery he would, haze to supply il
as well. y coachmau who would prove
both useful and ornamental in driving
a well-appointed carriage would de-
mand at least $50 month, and expect
10 be boarded and supplied with liver
les in the bargain
The comparative cost OF gasolene for
airp]anes or automobiles is very inter
esting. A fairly heavy car may run
| about twenty miles on one gallon of
| sasolene. but that is a high figure. II
| is estimated that an ordinary car win
run 2e0 miles on gallon of oil. ii
| ordinary two scatter airplane on the
| other hand. commonly consumes egh:
! gallons of gasolene per hour. II the
| aircraft be travelling at 100 miles per
| hour. it will consume one gallon for
| about twelve miles flown The fuel
expense. it will be seen, is greater for
flying than for motoring. The aero en-
| CINE, being much more complicated.
also consumes more Oil than the auto
| mobile motor
The expense of feeding two good
| horses in these days or high grain
prices is large. In most cities i,
would probably not be less than 81 per
! day each. To carry on: the parallel,
| let US suppose that the horses did on
| an average ten miles per day, the fuel
mile rate would be about 40 cents per
mile. 1t has been estimated that 1t
costs 20 cents per mile to drive high
| powered car and cents. per mile for
| a very cheap car. The fuel cost OF
the airplane would obr:osuly be be-
tween that of the automobile and the
! pair of horses.
AS general rule an automobile is
overhanled once a wear. 1t must be
| taken off the ground, thoroughly gone
over, and new parts purchased to re-
new those worn out. The cost Of such
an overhauling is likely to rum in the
case Of good car. from $50 to 500
and may amount very often to much
more. An airplane engine, as rule
| requires to be oyerhauled after fifty
hours OF flying. The pilot and mech
anician attend to this. The expense Of
\ overhauling and renewing wornout
parts is likely to average, about $500
In other words you can enjoy In the
4 neighborhood of 5000 miles of flying
without repairs to your engine.
One economy in flying over motoring
is the saving in tires. a SET of ures
as every motorist knows. Is usually
guaranteed to run 5000 miles without
renewing, or something like the dis.
lance expected of an aero engine with.
out repairs. THE tires incidentall,
cost $50 each. This saving may be SCI
of. against the slightly greater cost o.
overhauling the engine. The housing
of an airplane is obviously more diffi'
cult than sheItering an automobile o.
4 horses, and here the parallel Is Dill
ficult. AS rule two-seater air
plane requires shed about forty Zee
square for it's hangar. Such q space
anywhere near city is obviously ex'
penslve, while the fields for taking, OF
aud landing present another cost!
Il item. Indeed. here Is the chief difficui
ty with making airplaning q sport q
aIl-eyHn for the rich. Until y y
solved ftfe man OF moderate means, u
populous regions at any rate. must re