Evening Star Newspaper, January 30, 1921, Page 59

FLASHING BEACONS BOON T0 AUTOISTS Dry Land “Lighthouses” Compel Attention-of the Motorist. Probably every Washington motor- st has noticed the new traffic signal at Executive avenue and the Speed- way, near the southwest end of the Treasury building. And probably not one in a hundred knows how this “beacon” is operated. Similar “beacons” are being widely used throughout the country and are a development of the lighthouse idea for ships. Instead of electricity, acetylene is used for the flashes, which occur sixty times a minute. This particular one is constructed of sheet steel with a cast-iron housing, tne dissowed ucewykne in ihe i being sufficient for four and one-half months' overation without attention. It uses 0.8 cubic feet of gas every twenty-four hours. The cost of acety lene being 21; cents per cubie foot, the total operating expense of this signal for one year is set at § The cost of installation was $165. Color schemes have been carefully worked out by the company manufac- turing these dry-land “lighthouses.” \The company believes that when the ired color is used it should indicate extreme danger, and a complete stop- page of the vehicle until the type of danger is ascertained by the driver. ‘What the Colors Mean. The following colors have been adopted, which. if universally used, Wwill mean much to the motorist: Red—Indicating first-degree danger, to be used only at railroad crossings, dead end of road or lift bridges. All traffic to stop and proceed only when nature of passing has been ascer- tained. Yellow — Indicating. second - d “danger, at curves and grades. Yellow ghould 'indicate a danger where the Mdriver must slow down and proceed with caution. Green—Indicating moving or traflic danger only, and to be used at road ir.tersections. White—Indicating a clear roadway. Shortly after the installation of the new signal two representatives of the American Gas Accumulator Company. which myukes the -bescon” called upon William Phelps Eno, interna- tional traffic expert, to ask his views on the proper kind of signal. Mr. Eno has received the following letter from G. G. Kelcey, represent- ing the company: Explains Its Benefits. “Two weeks ago Mr. Gulick and I called to discuss with you the traffic beacon which we have deweloped from our lighthouse practice. You were also interested in the system of colors. which we have applied to these beacons. “l am summarizing our conversa- tion in a letter to you and review the traflic situation as we see it, the causes of this condition and the way in which we expect the trafiic beacon to solve the problem. “‘Authoritative information gathered by the Prudential Insurance Company of America indicates a steady decline of railway and street car accidents and a constant increase in automobile accidents per 100,000 population in ited States.” This information automobile traffic deaths to steadily increased from 374 in 1506 to 9827 in 1919, and that, at present, there is an appalling increase of approximately 1,000 deaths froi automobile traffic per year. are about twenty times the death rate and the property loss is probably as high as 815 000,000 per year. ““This alarming growth of accidents cannot be charged, except incidently, to the increased number of automo- biles. The fault is with a small per- centage of the drivers of motor cars and the lack of proper police comntrol of such drivers through the strict | enforcement of simple and easily un- derstood traffic laws. Inadequate po- lice forces are a contributing factor. “Traffic rules which are not simple and clearly understood are disregard- ed. No real enforcement of them can ‘be_accomplished. “The problem reduces to making the rules for traffic so plain and clear that a driver who disregards t must do so deliberately. You en ! have a basis for real enforcement | ot traffic rules by your police: Compel Your Attemtion. ie to openly violate the law. ‘A flashing light compels attention el { punch of colored light. On the base of the traffic bea- « con is worded a warning, visible un- | der approaching headlights. 7 presses the meaning of the color flash. * It tells exactly what a motorist is to { do. These characteristics are 8o easily understood that all drivers, every- where, know instantly what they mean. “Place one of these beacons at & street intersection or at some other dangerous place and you give traffic a compelling warning and direction that justifies immediate police action it it is digregarded. This is the so- . lution of the trafic problem. Each beacon 18 as good as an extra man . on the police 1orce. It works twenty- four hours a day. “The characteristics are right. The . color system has been approved as |\ a national traffic standard for cities | and highways by the American Asso- ciation of State Highway Officials and other national organizations, fifty cities are using it in connection with our traffic beacons and a hun- dred and fifty more have expressed thetr approvai of it. AGA Traffic Beacons already in use are regulating and controlling traffic parts of the United States, sometimes with practically mo police enforcement to support them. Beacons in all in_many places have stood without ¢ automobiles striking eady electric lights or oil e “be and broken. that trafic understands their meaning and that they do regu- late and control i SHUTT meke radistor. P oot nw. Here You Are! We are overstocked on 31x4 Goodyear Non-skid Tires and 35x4Y%2 Goodyear Non-skid Cords. Get our prices. Retreading—Vulcanisiag Herriman, Your Tire 1524 L St. Maia 118 Yellow Fronts. - meet all traffic requirements. Each of these colors indicates a definite traffic { situation, easily understood and defi- ! nite in the character of warning it that ex- over them where lamps re_;nt«uy knecked down 'hey have demonstrated that thy have the respect of traffic, perfectly for Radiatore work from the dash. New cares installed any Freeze-proof Badiators for Ports. Wittstatt's Acto, Radiator and Fender Mfg. Works—Two places, 319 13th s.w., M421% TH Washington has acquired a lighthouse, erected .in Executive avenue, between the White House and Treasury. The lighthOuse is a mew signal, with an acetylene light, which shows at regular intervals similar to signals in harbors. The new light blinks day and night. PLAN GREAT DRIVE FORBETTERROADS Two National Organizations to Meet in April at Greenshoro, N. C. Gov. Charles H. Brough, president, and J. A. Rountree, director general of the United States Good Roads Associa- tion, have issued an official call that the ninth annual convention of the United States Good Roads Association will meet in Greensboro, N. C.. April 18 to 23, inclusive. Governors, probate judges, mayors, presidents of chambers of commerce, g00d roads associations, automobile clubs, farmers' associations and all ! other organizations interested in good roads have been requested to appoint delegates that will attend this conven- llon, which promises to be the most important good rouds convention that has been held In this country since the good roads agitation was started. The Bankhead federal aid appropriation, which every state in the Union has been receiving on the fifty-fifty basis for the past eight years, will cease in June if this or the next Congress does not re-enact the measure. This con- vention will take steps to urge Con- gress to pass the measure. Action in- dorsing a system of national highways will be taken. Prominent Men Expected. Already many distinguished men have accepted invitations to attend the con- vention and participate in the same. The association has members in ev- ery state in the Union, and many of them have signified their intention of attending the meeting. n connection with the meeting, the United States good roads exhibit will be held, which will be confined (o many new types of road building machinery and highway transportation equipment, road materials, machinery and equipment 1um in the construction and main- tenance of roads and pavements. A se- lect number of automobiles, trucks and tractors will also be shown. The road department at Washington has been requested and is expected to have an exhibit that is worthy of the government. Highway Association to Meet, Too. During Good Roads week the Bank- head National Highway Association, ich has members in thirteen states, 1 whie “Our contribution to the traffic|will hold its fifth annual meeting in problem is to make the right-thing- lo-do at the-right-place-to-do-it soiat least 1.000 deleatys i absolutely plain that to do anything| Invitations have been éxi Greensboro. This association will have in attendance. tended to other highway and subsidiary organizations to hold meetings and conterences during the where a steady light is ineffective.| week. + The traffic beacon flashes with a sharp Director General Rountree, who has Three colors, i charge of the executive affairs of the red, yellow and green, are used. They| United States Good Ro: ads Association and the Bankhead National Highway Channel Bar Bumpers Spark Plugs Spark Plugs . Vulcanizers . Foot Pumps . Foot Pumps . Quadro Screw-drive: Anti-Rattlers for Fords Grease Guns ... Parking Lamps, oil Parking Lamps, electric. Yankee Lamps, tail. Yankee Lamps, side Towing Chains . Jacks, light Jacks, medium Stillson Wrenches, Radiator Covers for For Hood and Radiator Cover Tire Covers, 33x4 and up. Running Board Mats.. Steering Wheel Locks (Ford) Tire Covers, 30x3%; to 33x4. Phone Main 3445 Association, will go to Greensboro, N. C. early in February, with a staff of as- sistants, and open headquarters, where he will remain for the mext nlnet‘y days romoting these three great meetings. PrGov. Eigmugh president of the United States Good Roads Association, expects to visit a number of the governors in more than a dozen states, personally inviting them to attend the convention and deliver addresses to the same, also to see that good delegations attend the meeting from their respecfive states. FIRST CAUSE OF RATTLE IN MOUNTING OF SPRING Larger Parts to Take Care of Pres- sure of Big Loads Proposed. Wear takes place in the spring mountings because the parts are too small for their work and because llhere is no proper means for lubri- jcating them. The movement on. a spring bolt is almest continuous, but it rocks to and fro over a very small arc. Hence when elther grease or oil is forced in it very soon rubs off the heavily loaded side of the bolt, and, there being insufficient movement to emear it back again, the parts which are really doing all the work may be quite dry, even when there is plenty of lunricant on the other mde of the bolt, where it does no good. To cure this there are two possi- {bilities. One is to use grease, but make the parts much larger, so that they are better able to support the load and so that the pressure will not 5o rapidly drive out the lubricant; the |other and better way is to arrange for a constant small supply of oil from reservoir or magazine that will only need refilling once or twice a year. A system of this sort is being used on a number of commercial trucks to- lday. Incorporated with each spring racket is a little box holding a few ounces of oil, and from this box wicks lead the oil through the bolts directly to the points where it is needed. When the car is standing still no ofl flows, but directly the bolt begins to rub dry the oil oozing up the wick is wiped off and keeps things lubricated. With careful design this system costs hardly anything more than the con- ventional “one-hoss shay” type of spring mounting which the publie now puts up with because it knows no better. The man who has owned cars for a year or two knows what an improvement of this sort would mean and It is up to him to ask for it—In ; Special . TIRES $9 80 | 30x3% . Snap them up! CHAS. E. MILLER, Inc. Formerly Miller B Auto Supply House, 812 14th St. 4 Doors North of H 5t Call or write us today! REGULAR SALE PRICE PRICE $10.00 $5.00 . 100 45 . 28 45 . 150 110 . 3z 250 . 250 2.00 . T8 - 50 . 750 5.00 .35 50 . 128 85 . 225 175 135 1.00 2.0 128 h.. 220 135 500 250 15.00 12.00 . 250 100 « for Fords. 5.00 350 400 250 450 324 7 \Motor Trip to Richmond .\ = = | 2 [HISTORIGROUTE HAS FINE ROAD Can Now Be Made in All Sorts of Weather. For the first time since the begin- ning of automoblile touring the south- bound motorist has a dependable, all- weather route from Washington to Richmond, Va. Taken in connection with the recent improvement on the Lincoln highway in New Jersey and completion of the long stretches of concrete between Philadelphia and Baltimore, this gives practically a high-class thoroughfdre from New York city to Washington, which is the first long stage of the through trip to the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida. Three or four years ago the trip from New York to Washington was ordinarily considered enough for two days. Now. according to the A. A. A. touring board, one only neceds to make _a reasonably early start from New York city and keep going at a fair average speed to make Wash- ington with comparative ease in a jand many lesser engagements were E SUNDAY STAR, JANUARY 30, " 1921—PART 3. the possession of those cities always: a main objective, was carried along for the greater part of four years. Fredericksburg, scene of the tre- mendous assaults by the Army of the Potomac under Burnside, against the intrenched Army of northern Vir- ginia under Lee, is the most impor- tant _intermediate point on the through highway. Only eleven miles south of Fred- ericksburg occurred the battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Wwhen, after the Gettysburg campaign, the armies of the north and south faced each other again on the soil of old Vir- ginia in May, 1864. Not many miles distant, sometimes on the east and sometimes on the west of this route, the battles of Bull Run, Chancellors- ville, the Wilderness, Cold Harbor fought. Alexandria Has Rare Relies. The tourist desirous of looking up landmarks and points of inteest dat- ing far back of the civil war period will find plenty of subjects to en- gage his attention. Alexandria con- tains, next to Mount Vernon, the largest number of personal memori- als to the “Father of His Country.” BATTERY Ignition_and Starter SERVICE makes of batteries re- All repaired. and rebuilt. charged, single day. Enough time may be taken in the forenoon of the second day to make some short runs around the National Capital and reach Rich- mond, a farther distance of slightly under 135 miles, for the setond night out. Trip of Appealing Interest. The territory traversed by this stretch derives its greatest interest from the fact that it was one of the principal battle areas of the civil war. Washington and Richmond. once rival capital are situated scarcely more than air-line miles apart, yet the contest between the federal and confederate armies, with For $410° S S = N 1017 14th St. I should be judged—as and accentuate built into the car. Mid-Winter Clearance Sale Automobile Accessories To Reduce Our Stock We are Offering Real Goods at Real Bargains All articles listed below are of Standard Make and Quality. Any and all are worthy of your consideration. A Real Saving of Dollars and Cents. Don't mislay this—look it over carefully NOW! Ascertain your needs. not only for the present, but for the future. prompt' and Courteous Service to All. From those who cannot call personally we will accept mail orders. Holdfast- Tire Patch.. Tire Carriers, side for 01 Steiner’s Hydrokit Hydrometer ‘and Distilled Water . Combination Pliers, mckel finish. Combination Pliers, mottled finish. Combination Pliers, black finish Coil Box Protectors,.... Anti-Freeze, gallon cans Macbeth Lens . Osgood Lens Liberty Lens .... Road Lighters Mirrors Cut-Outs_for Fords. Cotter Pins. “Hammerlock”...... Assorted sizes, 1,000 in box. Windshield Cleaners . Spark Plug Cleanser.. Enough to clean 50 plugs. Rim Tighteners, box of 20. Serew-drivers, 2J4-inch Screw-drivers, 6-inch .. Screw-drivers, 8-inch . Screw-drivers, 8%4-inch . Socket Wrench Sets. .. FEDERAL AUTO SUPPLY CO. 477 Penna. Ave. N.W., Washington, D. C. Model 15 Touring Car Balance Small Monthly Payments DORT DISTRIBUTING COMPANY We want you to judge Auburn Beauty as-it strength and durability The present Auburn is the result of twenty- one years’ engineering knowledge. The Motor Company of Washington Conn. Ave. and R. . Ave,, at M St. Phone Main 6177, parier and _genersiol ition, s res, tubes and acces- Federal Battery Service, Inc. 1314 9th St. N.W. Phone North 0340 2800 Sherman Ave. (Cor. Girard) Phone Columbia 5137 00 YOU CAN Telephone Main 2153 it serves to emphasize The Joy of Big Power— without the burden of big expense Eighty horse-power—in a Peetless Eight! Yet, with all this in reserve, the Peerless Loat- ing Range consumes only half fuel-rations for city driving and all ordinary purposes. The big, high-powered car built primarily for speed wastes fuel at fifteen miles an hour. - The gentle, smooth car, built espedially for moderate running lacks power. The Peerless Eight, with its half-rationed Loafing Range and its fullfed Sporting Range, combines the distinctive virtues of both these special types of car—a trickle of power for the city and boulevard; a torrent for hills and the open road. Will you let us show you these contrasting power ranges in actual operation? NEW PRICES Touring Car $2,990 Rosdster $2,990 Coupe $3,680 Sedan #3950 Sedan-Limousine $4,210 F. O. B. CLEVELAND : Sabject fo change without netice ‘Was tax not included. THE PEERLESS MOTOR CAR COMPANY CLEVELAND, OHIO PEERLESS EIGHT - LOAFING : SPORTING RANGE RANGE THE TREW MOTOR CO.. Telephone Main 4173 14th St. at P e I - REGULAR SALE PRICE PRICE $ 50 150 175 .90 A5 . .60 35 . .50 25 . 250 125 125 80 . 525 pair 3.75 . 4.0 pair 2.00 . 3.00 pair 2.00 . 300 pair 2.00 . 5.00 3.00 . 200 150 . 150 box 1.00 35 35 60 25 35 0 AS 8.00 TRy RS e ree! Announcing H. C. S Destgned and Built by Harly C. Stutz Your Ifispécti'o.n Is . Cordially Invited Washington H. C. S. Motors " 1127 14th Street N.W. Telephone Main 1466 Open Evenings Week of January 31 M, C. S. MOTORr CAR, COMPANY INDIANAPOLIS ¢ U. S.A. HARRY C.STUTZ, President