Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-26
EARLY MOTORISTS
HADOWN WORRIES
Or. Barton Often Found That
N0-Pound Battery Could
Not "PuII" Capitol Hill.

The horseless carriage, excursions
to Cabin John and Great Falls, Gibson
Girls, Rough Riders and gasoline
dime a gallon.
Washington in those days, the turn
of the century, was the PEDESTRIAN
Utopia and the motorists Mecca, me
electric surrey, the steam mobile ana
the gasoline buggy were thruStlng
themselves upon the awed yet skep'
teal Capital populace. There was no
sneed limit. merely the prohibition of
reckless driving. which applied to
horse-drawn vehicles as well. Any
thing over 35 miles an hour on the
level in the year of 1928, or 1903, for
that matter. was an unimaginable at
tainment Of speed.
The electric was the first mode OF
self-propulsion along the city streets,
and Dr. Wilfred NJ. Barton, with his
1899 model, was one. of the pioneers
&C Washington motordom. lie nVeu
ut the time on Capitol Hill, whence
he would coast into town as he
perched perilously on the drivers box.
The return journey uphill was, if any
thing, more exciting, for the storage
battery, occupying the rear or the
surrey and weighing 400 pounds, was
liable to become exhausted. and 1t
often did under the strain of the
climb. DR.. Barton remembers that
it required several men pulling rope
to supplement the motive power or
his car when he wished to coax it up
the garage incline. Others who placed
their faith in electrics were Charles
J. Bell. Frank c. Henry, r. Golden
Donaldson. DIR. Sterling Ruftin ana
DR.. A. J. Carrico. DIR. j. o. Skinner
still drives the electric runabout he
bought in 1905.
Engineers Licenses Needed.
Prior to 1903 District motorists were
not burdened with the formalities or
license tags and operators permits
The advent of the steam car, or loco
mobile" as II was called to distinguish
IL from the gasoline combustion en-
CINE. led the local authorities TO lnsti-
tute third class steam engineer examl.
nations for drivers of locomotives,
while gasoline and electric automoolie
owners remained temporarily exempt
Col. NJ. A. Winter, DIR. Frank +. GID
son. DR.. Harvey w. Wiley, Harry NOT
ment, William l.. Robins and q. BOWIE
Chipman were among the daring al
yenturers who boiled over the pave
ments in Their vehicular volcanoes.
Gasoline contraptions of one and two
cylinders launched themselves 1ortn
before the nervous gaze or both occu-
nants and bystanders about the year
1902, and somewhat later four GYM
der automobiles. They had a plane
tary transmission system, two speeds,
and were chain driven. A spectacular
feat of the time was the surrounding
nv Rudolph Jose in a one-lunger OF
I6 of the front steps of the Capitoi.
Mr.. lose engineered his bout with
gravity at daybreak to avoid the pos.
sible disapproval of officialdom. All
went well until the driving chain OF
his car parted, when he had to retreat
precipitously with what little aid ms
brakes afforded.
Considerable sensation was caused
about town when Royce Hough, also
a veteran in the automobile business,
took some visiting Indian chiefs, in
full regalia, for q ride through the
Soldiers Home grounds. The painted
warriors whooped with glee. while on
lockers trembled in CONSERVATION.
The leader of the Soldiers Home
Rand. John s. NJ. Zimmerman. was no
doubt surprised at the mechanical IN
trusion, for he was practlcaiiy the
first Washington citizen, together with
Thomas Bones, to risk his limbs on a
motor cycle.
Clothes Made the MotOrist.
The preparation for an automoblle
ride in the petticoat era was a sar-
torial ordeal in itself Goggles, sew
eral LAYERS of wells, linen buster ana
bonnet were absolutely necessary ao
juncts to an automobile expedltlon,
not only as protection from DUST, TOT
windshields were unknown and nome
adjusted buggy tops the only shelter
from the elements, but as a sign OF
being stylishly dressed for the particu-
lar occasion. SIS,
The early automobile tonneau. with
@ rear door for access to two rows OF
hard upholstered seats facing eacn
other and the immediate roadside,
were thoughtfully equipped with an
aIl-embracing wicker basket to carry
the baby, emergency rations ana extra
clothing in the event of breakdown.
There was certain amount OF leg
room on the drivers seat, but mem
hers of the family in the rear doubt
less often felt that they were cooped
I'D for life, even during one of the ire
Quent pauses that had to be made to
replenish the water in the radiator.
Many prominent Washington resi-
dents We'd with each other In the
what was then considered foolhardy
operation of the gasoline car. A 30
mile jaunt in the first few years of the
century was a considerable undertake
ing; a whole day would be set aside
for such an escapade. Some of the
hardy spirits who have survived to
tell the tale are Arthur C. Moses, DR..
Clarence A Weaver, Col. M. A. Win
ter, DIR. Frank Z. Gibson, John F.
wilkins, DIR. Walter A. Wells, Col.
Henry May, who was one of the very
first to appear with a car in the Dis
trict: Frank II. Edmonds, Mrs. Scott
Townsend, Alexander B. Legare,
whose luxurious machine is Illus
trated; w. l.. Tuckerman, II. l..
Thornton, John w. Childress, Capt.
Ridley Mclean, w. Beale Bloomer
and Harry Wardman.