Evening star., 1928-12-23
In the Motor World
BY q. ADAMS HOWARD.

space Will hang an electrlcally
Illuminated sign, in which the
name of the car will appear in
opal glass letters. In the exhibits
along the four walls these signs
will be attached to the wall. They
are to be so placed throughout
that no difficulty will be expert
enced in finding the makes of cars
one is seeking.
AS the visitor enters at the main
portal on Lexington avenue, he
will be greeted by two huge mural
paintings ON either side of the
lobby. These works of art are
symbolic of the progress Of the
| automotive industry, and should
be quite impressive, f1anking the
high wide marble staircase. The
walls are to be hung with woven
tapestries on wood paneling, the
largest tapestry being 80 feet in
length.
AS for the decided innovation
in the new, grand Staircase-thiS
is being especially built from the
rear center of the main floor to
the mezzanine, where a splendid
array of cars will be located. 1t
should prove a great convenience
to many who prefer to use the
staircase rather than to walk to
elevators which are at the front
end of the building. Furthermore,
a panoramic view of the show
should be impressive as the visitor
mounts or deScends this staircase.
1t starts from the main aisle to-
ward the rear of the building and
forms q "Y" as it branches into
two StaircaSeS to the balcony.
This, of course, will be carpeted,
and the baluStrades tastefully and
quietly ornamented. The newell
posts at the base and others at the
angles will uphold bronze can
delabra in indirect French light
ing effect, while at the fork Of
the stairway is to be hung a huge
tapestry by Lorenz Kleizer.
The meZzanine will be similar
in treatment to that of the main
floor, while on the third and
fourth the effect will be kept har-
monious, but modified to accom-
modate such displays as acces-
SorieS and shop equipment Sec
tions. On the fourth, the columns
have been treated with walnut
panels, a little more in keeping
with the shop equipment offerings,
while the third floor, which will
have foreign cars exhibited for
the first time) as we'll as American
models, will present a most at
tractive arrangement. There is
a permanent inside center stair
way from the third to the second |
and to the fourth stories, so that |
all floors are connected by both |
elevators and interior stairs.
New York again appears a little |
blase!
An Interesting Test.
An interesting test was made |
recently for the purpose of ascer-
tanning why the average motoriSt |
on long trips travelling 45-55 miles |
an hour, whenever possible, is able |
to only maintain an average speed |
in the lower sos.
The test showed that while a
driver may maintain a top speed |
as great as traffic regulations per-
nit while on rural roads his aver |
age for the day will fall at least |
Is miles an hour under that |
figure.
Cars in the tire test fleet were |
equipped with device that indi-
Gated the miles per hour the cars !
travelled at all times, the number |
of stops and the length of time
for every stop. Although it was to
the drivers interest to cover as
many miles as possible the cars
stopped seven times each IL hours
for period of seven or more min
utes for each stop. When they
stopped for less than seven min
utes the stop was not counted.
Practically no difference was
observed between the average day
and night mileage, although the
cars travelled over familiar roads
both day and night. Highest
average speed was made between
the hours of 10 and II o'clock both |
day and night, although the
higher average was not great. The
difference in amount of traffic on
rural roads at various hours 0f
the day and night made little
in the average mileage
1t was shown that out of the
"a hours cars were either idle or
travelled at a speed of less than
% miles an hour % per cent of the
time. Included in this was time
required for meals and for chang
ing drivers and for making minor
repairs on the road.
AS these tests were conducted
on we'll improved roads with
which the drivers were thoroughly
familiar it is easily understood
why motorists on long trips over
roads will maintain an
average speed much lower as COM
pared to their top speed on
straightaways.