The Washington herald., 1922-07-23
Truck Firm Plans
Steam Touring Car
Expect Plant to Reach Capac.
ity Output of New Product
By September.


be interested in the announcement
made today by r. r. Howard,
president of the American Steam
Truck Company. Of Chicago, of the
arrival in motordom of the new
American Steamer five-passenger
phaeton or touring car.
The car is now going into pro-
duction. the factory having fooled
up for 300 cars a month. and while
few demonstrators already have
been delivered, regular deliveries
are promised within thirty days.
1t is expected that the factory will
be working at capacity before Sep
tember.
For the first time in automotive
history a passenger Steamer has
been offered at a popular price
1850 {. o. b. Chicago. The average
price of Steamers has ranged be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000.
The company has met with much
success in its production of Ameri-
can Steamer trucks, and the new
passenger car is based on the same
| principle, steam under the hood"
which popularized the trucks.
Those who have seen the lighter
vehicle in operation are enthusiastic
in their praises, especially OF its
'foolproof'' burner and boiler and
its ease of motion which conveys
the impression of a car driven by
radio instead of by steam.
1t is the result OF twenty years
experiment. perfection being at
tanned gradually, point by point.
and the new made in Chicago"
steamer is put out with the In
dorsement of every automotive en-
gineer of standing in America.
The car comes in response to a
demand for a moderately priced
steamer simple in mechanism and
easy to operate" said Mr.. Howard
The principal reason why so ,ittle
development has taken place in the
steam automotive field has been the
inability to provide a burner and
a boiler that would generate s'ffi-
cient steam and at the same time
be compact and simple.
/ 1--WE feel that we have given to
the world something now that the
man on the street, the tyro, can
handle safely and with perfect sat
isfaction.
| 1--WE have designed a steam APP
paratus that provides plenty of
power quickly. The burner ignttas
| from the dash by the mere turn
of a button, and working pressure
is attained in about two minutes
| from dead cold. The Steamer, w,
believe, Is more reliable than the
gas car, is oprated with less
trouble, and at the same time has
the greater advantages of stored
power, fiexibility. long life, and low
mainte nance cost.
| "One slow turn of the valve
starts the fire going. At pressure
lof 500 pounds the fire is shut of
automatically, and when the pres
sure drops downward about SO
pounds. the fire cuts in again until
full pressure is reached.
THE burner is especially adapted
| for consuming low grade fuels,
such as fuel oil. distillate or kero-
sene, andst the fire box is lined with
a refractory material which stores
up considerable heat.
"The boiler. of watertube type
located under the hood. is construct
| ed to take care Of severe expansion
and contraction, and will Withstand
overheating many times without
leak or spreading of the seams.
The engine when making 500
revolutions to the minute delivers
to the car a speed of thirty miles
| an hour, whereas gasoline engine
| at 500 revolutions per minute de-
livers a speed of about 10 miles an
hour. We do not know the maxi
mum speed the Steamer can attain
| but II has made in demonstration
more than IS miles.
| Another advantage Of the Steam
.er over the gas car Is that no un-
usuai precaution is necessary to
| protect IL against freezing In cold
weather, as there is no water in
the radiator, and steam engine
does rot have water jackets. Thf
Steamer can be placed in a cold
garage. or left on the street In zero
weather, and the stored Jup heas IN
the fre pot together with the hot
water in the boiler, will keep II
safe for many hours.
I'VE believe we have In the new
Steamer the car the world has been.
waiting for, and it's safe to say
the engine will do duty for 100000
miles. give upwards Of ten years
service. and run for $4,000 miles
without overhauling."
| The car is upholstered In heavy
genuine leather and has gypsy
type top. sun and rain-proo!. and
q bsvs1sd plate -rlass window in the
rear. Other models, roadster, sedan
ana emma Nrill ha ann 6unced later.