Evening star., 1927-09-04


traceable to failure OF the cars power
plant in pinch
In an isolated case. of course, fail
J,re might be recorded against one OF
the superior engines of today. 1t
would be an isolated instance, how
ever In the main. the engine is a
model of unwavering service.
Sturdy construction of chassis is
another factor in making the new car
infinitely safer than its predecessor
In addition. one might cite greater
visibility in closed cars, stronger
bodies. non shatterable glass and
many similar contributions to safety
ON the part OF the manufacturer.
Every one knows the part the balloon
tire has played i'll this important
sphere.
Thus. with but portion of the
mass of evidence presented, the car
makers contribution to street and
highway safety we'll may be said to
challenge comparison.
X x * X
Last January when the automotive
industry was taking stock of its
resources and the outlook for the
future after the Autumnal easing off,
one of the best-informed observers
in the industry voiced his conviction
that 1927 would see cars sold. but, he
added with emphasis, they'll have
to be sold" His implication was
clear. He meant that the manufac-
turing and retail organizations could
not sit back and wait for buyers to
come into the salesrooms of their
own accord
The industry has acted upon this
warning. Cars have been sold. Per-
haps not quite as many as III 1870,
but enough to give some companies
a bigger margin than they had last
year when sales touched the highest
peak in history.
Just as the factories have been
intensely occupied with the problem
of turning out constantly improved
or new models to meet a public taste,
SO have the retailers been occupied
with disposing of the product given
them. The organizations that have
taken this attitude, from factory
down to retailer, are the ones that
have made 1927 a good year in spite
of the skeptics.
One of the points occupying the
attention of the industry today is
that of avoiding repetition of the
situation of last Fall and Winter.
And, nearly everyone is conhden that
there will be no recurrence of that
repercussion which was felt through
out the entire industry. No record
breaking production performance is
expected. it is true. but on the other
hand the best minds in the industry
foresee a period of normal, active
production and sales.
Last year. the industry was caught
mapping. relatively speaking. This
that condition.
Until about s. years ago, road
building was within the province of
the county or township, the State
having virtually nothing to do with
this now important phase of trans
portation. New Jersey was the first
State to depart from the prevailing
custom. This commonwealth passed
a law in 1891 providing for a certain
measure of State participation in
road building.
Under the original New Jersey
law, the State was not given entire
control over any of the roads, the
purpose of the legislation merely
being to establish a State department.
employing skilled engineers. The
function of this department was to
act IN an advisory capacity to county
officials with view to improving the
character of the road construction
work being done in the State. The
local authorities were privileged to
refuse State aid
The State, under the law, appro-
priated money from which one-third
of the cost of the roads was to be
paid, should the county request aid
from the State highway department.
After New Jersey had pointed the
way. State aid. with minor modifca-
tions, was adopted in every State in
the Union. BY 1910 the principle had
been accepted in nearly a score of
States and since then the others
have swung into line.
X y
Placing of stop" sign at Four
teenth and Euclid streets northwest
is definite step in the direction of
clearing up one troublesome intersec-
ton. Euclid street crosses Four
teenth irregularly. SO that motorists
driving eastward must make partial
left turn in order to continue their
course after crossing Fourteenth
street. Southbound traffic. going
down hill at rapid pace, frequently
narrowly avoids collision with cars
emerging from Euclid street. 1t is
the west side of the intersection
which causes the greater difficulty,
and it is there that the sign has been
placed. Strict observance now is all
that remains to make the remedy
fully effective.
Here's an interesting bit of his
tory:
On August f, 1922. King James
of England ruled that only vehicles
Of not more than two wheels, drawn
by not more than FIVE horses. were
to be allowed on certain roads of his
country, and no loads were TO exceed
1000 pounds in weight
Today one often sees signs which
place maximum loads at anywhere
from $4,000 to 10000 pounds. Some
jump in 305 years!
Approximately 1900 miles of roads
are to be found in Turkey, of which
only 4.400 are in good condition. Much
of the latter mileage. however, is not
passable for wheeled traffic except in
| summer.