Evening star., 1922-01-15
KINGS AUTOMOBILE
NOW HACKING CAR
Once Owned by Albert of Bel.
gium-Attracts Attention
in Baltimore.
Special Dispatch to The Star,


BALTIMORE. January 14.-Some
one once said that most race horses
wound up their lives between the
shafts OF ragman's dray or fish,
monger's wagon. He deplored the
whethes the same can be said Of
automobiles of kings is problemati.
cal, but there is now in Baltimore.
doing piebeian service. an automobiIe
that once was owned by q king.
Now . "HackinE Carr
The costly and handsome limousine
that Albert, King OF the BeIEians,
once called his own. in which he
toOed the battlefronts during the
world war-a car that Belgian SOL
diers cheered on Sights now, using
the vernacular Of automobile drivers.
a "hacking car" in this city.
Lined up with a host of other good
and bad cars, none Of which has a
similar history, this aristocrat Of au-
tomobiies waits for fare on the
Baltimore and Annapolis railway
terminal at Howard and Lombard
streets.
1t looks just as one would expect
car used by royalty to look, and
though much of its former splendor
is hidden under a coat Of sedate ma
room and black paint, the unusual
body and chassis lines have not been
disturbed. and it stands out from the
cars which rub tenders with 1t as a
debutante out Stunning"
The rather long wheel base, the
unusual and distinctly foreign engine
hood and radiator and the heavy
brass ornamental fittings are what
first attract the eye of those who
pass by. But the interior of the
limousine body Is what holds the at
tention.
From the velvet covering on the
floor to the dome in the roof the
interior Is finished in mahogany and
oak inlafd. The seats are fashioned
more like costly furniture than like
the usual automobile seat. and are
covered with heavy. gray, whipcord
material. The royal colors that once
decorated these coverings have been
Directly in front Of the front seat
is miniature chifronier. It is
equipped with a disappearing mirror
and drawers which open to the touch
of hidden springs. In these are re-
ceptacles for brushes and shaving
materials, and King Albert may have
shaved himself more than once. u.s.
ing the mirror, while on the battle
front with his army.
The windows in the machine are
made of heavy glass. which. It is
said, a rife bullet cannot penetrate.
anu tnouBH tne DOoy lS maQe OF
aluminium, between the aluminium
and costly interior decorations is a
sheet of armor plate. which would
resist bullets from guns heavier than
rifles.
Cnn Look Like Army Truck.
Around the top of the car is a
brass railing. placed, 1t is said, SO
that khaki curtains can be draped
around the royal car. giving it the
army truck. When King Albert had
it. the car was equipped with wheels
and tires like those used on army
trucks. The mud guards, too, are of
the military type.
The power. plant Of the limousine is
while no larger than that used in
many modern-priced cars in this
country, because Of an enormous fly
wheel develops great horsepower. 1t
is said the machine can attain a speed
of from eighty to ninety miles an
hour.
The history of the limousine from
thetime in left the ownership Of King
Albert is rather vague. 1t is said
Douglas Fairbanks. the film star.
bought the machine while in Europe
and brought it to this country to use
in making several pictures. 1t was
sold several times afterward and Just
bert H. Richards Of the Eutaw Motor
Sales Company.
Richards removed the massive brass
headlights and running lights. which
used acetylene, and replaced them
with electric lights. He also removed
the twin tires on the rear wheels.
These are about the only changes that
have been made in the machine.
Traces of the royal yellow, in which
it was once painted. can still be seen
where the coach worker who painted
1t could not get his brush.
Though the machine is known oM-
cially here as a Metallurgique, with
license tags 10-926H. 1t still is known