The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-24
Today's Science
BY DAVID DIETZ

UoUNG children who watch their father climb
/ into the family automobile and "step on the
starter probably do not realize that there was Gay
when the automobile didn't start that easily.
The Department of Arts and Industries Of the
Smithsonian Institution has just added one OF the
first automobile self-starters to its permanent eXh-
billions Placed on the market in 1912, it sold for
$3.50.
On exhibition also is one of the advertisements
that told the public about this first self-starter
every successful device for the public amuse-
rnent" reads the circular, passes through period
of such enormous popularity that the puonc over
looks its many unprotected details in the desire to
be among the first to possess it. In no other piece
of machinery has the truth of this been more force
fully demonstrated than in the automobile
"Chief among these undesirable features is the
necessity of cranking the engine. To the average
woman it represents an insurmountable dithculty
in the handling of car, while to man who is not
hampered by physical jncapacity it is an exasperat-
ing inconvenience and source of embarrassment
which can scarcely he exaggerated"
"COMPRESSED air, gas, acety,ene gas and spring
~ starters have appeared in rapid succession"
the advertisement continues, but all possess one
great disadvantage-that they will not always start
the engine and fail utterly unless all conditions are
favorable"
The average owner of an automobile today will
smile at that advertisement, especially if he stops to
picture himself cranking the automobile each morn
ing as he gets ready to leave for the office. What
a way to start the day There would be need for
settng-up exercises on the radio if that still
the case
Of course, the present-day automobile would
never have been possible without the electric self
starter
Realizing how rapid the progress in this field has
been, the Smithsonian Institution has started to
make as complete collection possible of light
ing, starting and ignition equipment.
VIEWING the progress of the last twenty years
" in the automobile industry it is interesting to
speculate what the next twenty years will bring
forth 1t seems safe to hazard the guess that event.
uay the gearshift lever and the clutch pedal will be
eliminated
I remember with interest the last interview I
had with DR.. Charles P. Steinmetz, the electrical
wizard of the General Electric Company During
the last few years of his life Dr. Stenmetz gave
siderable thought to the problem Of an electrical
automobile.
To him, in theory, the electrical automobile was
superior to the gasoline car He dweed IN partic-
ular upon the of operation. There was no gear
shift in the electrical car. You merely pulled the
throttle and the car started The wider you opened
the throttle the faster it went.
Dr. Stenmetz realized, Of course that the prob
lem Of satisfactory electrical automobile depended
upon the invention of type of storage battery.
This subject in his mind frequently, he said.
1t is interesting to note that Thomas A. Edison
also giving much thought to the storage battery
during the latter years of his life Had these two
men of genius been younger with more years
of life ahead of them they might have altered the
history of the automobile.