Evening Star Newspaper, April 21, 1929, Page 57

In the Motor World BY G. ADAMS HOWARD. OR some time past there has been a regulation designed primarily for the Fmtectlun > of pedestrians that not only has been ccmpletely disregarded by motorists, but its enforcement has been completely disregarded by members of the Metropolitan Police Department. This totally dlsregarded regulation is to be found under paragraph Y, of sec- tion 14,]01’ nlclte z(en‘ 'fioncfic‘l: phraseology, it states: “No vel shall purgywlthln 20 feet of the approach side of a car stop sign.” Regulation Clear. No regulation could be clearer or set forth in fewer words. Yet what does that mean after all, when drivers of automobiles pay no attention to it and police offi- cers are likewise as derelict? It means that the pedestrign must suffer either his gocd Dalth or worse from the dereliction of two parties. While this column is for the edification of the motoring world primarily, it cannot at any time forget the rights of the foot trav- elers, and is at all times for safety to all residents of the National Capital. The faults of motorists and pedestrians will be picked out without fear or favor, for after all is not the motorist a pedestrian tomorrow and vice versa? The above regulation was pro- mulgated for the safety of the edestrian. It was framed so that e or she would not have to dart out into the street blindly be- tween parked cars, to catch his or her coming street car. At the same time it was framed so as to keep the motorist from hitting the would-be boarder at a time that his only punishment would be anxiety and worry. Violation a Menace. Violation of this regulation is a eat menace. Not only should he automobilist refrain from dis- obeying the order, but the police- man at hand should strictly en- force it. Greater good could be done humanity in this case than ::hecking up on the overtime vio- ator. It has been said that the sign rohibiting parking in such cases s too small to be read by the aver- age motorist. He sees the sign “car stop,” and the lettering un- der it appears to be an advertise- ment of the traction company. If such is the case it should be cor- rected. But in the meantime a few arrests would cause the mo- torist to be a more cautious read- er. The pamphlet on traffic regu- lations does not appear to be an advertisement, and every motorist should have a copy and be fully acquainted with it. Maryland's Waterways. Maryland for a long time, and iustl_\n too, has prided itself over he State’s good roads. There seems, however, to be one blot upon its escutcheon. That black mark is Bladensburg. Yearly the main highway connecting Wash- Ington with Baltimore, and An- napelis, too, is severed by Spring floods or heavy rainfalls during the year. The ctherwise fine road- way is turned into a small rivulet of no mean proportions. When too many automobiles are stalled, due to submarine ignitions, the highway authorities Kkindly re- route the traffic. ‘This occurs several times a year, and has for a long period of time. Neighboring homes' suffer as well as machine owners. Yet nothing at all has been done about it. The event could be scheduled in the Hagerstown Almanac or any other. Maryland, with its gaso- line tax, could well afford an im- provement here. The situation at present is ridiculcus. “Carry Me Back.” Trying to be fair to motorists and pedestrians alike, let’s try to be the same way with both States bordering on the District of Co- lumbia. So what’s the matter with Virginia’s highway depart- ment? Having implied such a uestion to Maryland, it would gn!y seem fair to interrogate the Old Dominion. Especially during the apple-blossom season, and in the Spring thereafter, residents of this city are wont to traverse the scenic wonderland of that re- gion to our south. Two of the rincipal thoroughfares are cer- En.lnly forbidding. Richmond, Pe- tersburg and thereon are allur- ing. 5\“ what of the direct routes to the Valley? Years ago one asked, “How iS the road to Luray?” The answer was, “Good, except a stretch between Warrenton and Sperryville.” The question also was asked years ago, “How is the road to Winchester, by way of Fairfax?” The answer then was, “Good, except between Aldie and Middleburg.” What the answer was then is the answer now. Oh, yes, they have been working on it for some time. For some years. Convict labor has been employed. It would seem that they have mighty })oor convicts in Virginia, if viewed rom their work on the roads. In the words of the Civil War song by Charles Randall, it looks like “Potomac Calls to Chesapeake” might be reiterated. Help is need- ed somewhere! Danger Signals. “All right, let’s leave the two States alone and go for a story on Conduit road, which is Federal property. A yarn comes from Officer Ferguson out that way. It was when the Government was laying new water mains. Most of the upper roadway was torn up in spots. Signs bearing “Dan- ger” were numerous. An old Ger- man driver was noted driving his car along the roadway at a mod- erate rate of speed. But every time he came near a danger sign he sped up to—well, way above what the law allowed. Ferguson ac}aproached him. “What is the idea?” he asked. “You step on it every time when you shouldn't.” “Well,” the German replied, “where I was from, when I saw the sign ‘danger’ I always tried to hurry away.” He was from the blasltlng coal regions in Pennsyl- vania. Sergt. Milton D. Smith, diminu- tive representative of the police force, reads the ads. “Say,” he ex- claimed recently, “I see where the automobile manufacturers say it is a two-car-for-every-family era. Now I think it should be a garage- for-every-family era. I don’t know what city allows all-night parking like Washington.” The policeman may rival the late Vice President Marshall in “what the country most needs.” William H. Harland, director of traffic, is on a business trip north- ward. He will return tomorrow. His assistant, M. O. Eldridge, has been called out of town because of the illness of his mother. In- spector Brown is at present acting traffic head. He being out the other day, Sergt. Joe Harrington, hack inspector, was asked if there was any news. His only reply was, “No, our department is caring for the Daughters of the American Revolution; we are too busy for any news.” Autos Help Railroads. One of the leading new sources of freight income for railroads comes from the shipment of motor vehicles and other motor trans- ?ortnuon products, according to he annual report of the Southern Railway. Fairfax Harrison, presi- dent of the road, comments on the situation in his report as follows: “While the automobile has taken from us a substantial part of our passenger revenue, it has at the same time made a large contribu- tion to our freight revenue, no less than 15 per cent of which last year was derived from the trans- portation of automobiles and fam, oil and gasoline, road-build- ng materials and other com- modities which moved by rail to widespread use of the auto- mobile.” “Newecaritis” Described as Afliction By Humorist for Edification of Fans “Automobiles do not make the man. But they make the impression. “Not that people are vain. They Just don’t want to be cluck-clucks, :;peclsny in these days or salesman- ip.” True words are thus spoken by H. I. Phillips, humorist, in analyzing the rise of the automobile industry in the May issue of the American, Magazine. “In the days when I hAdd my first car,” says Phillips, “you could take off ten pounds just thinking about a punc- ture. There were numerous rules for Tunning a car and the last one was: ‘Phone for a mechanic.’ . “How times have changed with re- spect to selecting a new automobile. A few years ago choosing & new machine was a serious and important under- taking. It was regarded as requiring great study, deliberation and investi- i\lnuon' Not so many_years back a man d to be wary. It was considered proper precaution after becoming in- terested in a certain car. w0 look up owners of the same make and find out whether it would always run, how dependable it was in cold weather and 4f it would go up hill unassisted. “Will It Take Hills?” “‘Performance’ was the big item. Body lines, trimming and color were relatively unimportant. What a buyer wanted to know first of all was: ‘When I go out in it, what are the chances of getting back?” “‘Is it any good on the hills?” was another leading query, and it was the custom of all automobile manufacturers to compete. in hill-climbing contests and fill the newspapers and magazines with advertisements of what their rat- tlers could do when driven to it. “Cars in those days came in four standard col?hm—bhick, blue, gray u;d red. Any other color was a L’ ‘Those were the days when yflumh it a car marked $3,500 and then found |e had to buy $1,000 worth of ac- wwnsbetorenwre‘dyhmpheu and do things. “Today performance is taken for granted. The generally :pnklnx. is that all sutomobiles will o what is expected of them and that at n “me will a man have to and walk back a few miles for a dnfl petty, haps, but we all have our r-u'fi?"m “It’s a curious thing how a brand-new car will thrill a mg ‘There seems to old boat. Back in the buggy days men became s0 fond of horses that they hated to see them sold, and I have known le to wax sentimental over the sale of a bicycle that had been in the family for years. But I have yet to observe a fellow shed any tears when he had to turn in a last year's automo- bile for a this year's model. “My present car is a good enough wagon and should satisfy me for an- other season or two. But it won't. Al- ready I am stopping in front of show room windows and admiring new models. Again I am pausing too long over those wondrously colored adver- tisements that make the magazine so Arabian Nightie. “There's danger ahead. I'm getting newecaritis.” |HOW HEAT AFFECTS TIRES IS RECORDED Ten Degree Increase Often Adds 25 Per Cent to Tread Wear, Experts Say. It is & well known fact that heat is one of the greatest enemies of tires, but few people realize that an increase of 10 will often increase tread wear supply demands created by the| ber [} It you quarts g \ AN NO MATTER HOW CAREFULLY ~ =~ YOU MAY DRIVE THROUGH ONE OF. WASHINGTON'S MUD HOLES, THERE 1S ALWAYS ¢ SOME GOOFUS WHO DOESN'T CARE A HANG ABouT THE APPEARANCE OF YOUR CAR! BY FREDERICK C. RUSSELL. So long as men are ready to observe the woman at the wheel and criticize her driving why miss the opportunity to give them something to admire and imitate? Most women who are doing any ex- tensive driving have conquered the habit of stalling the engine. As a matter of fact, the new engines are so powerful and so efficient in their low speed oper- atlon the conventionat stall has become somewhat rare. In its place, however, we have a new type of stall that is a direct result of the super-power of the brakes. ‘This occurs when you bring the car to & sudden stop. Trained to leave the clutch engaged as long as possible in order to use the engine as an auxil- ilary brake, the driver is caught un- aware by the rapidity with which the brakes stop the car. Before the clutch pedal is pressed out ,the car has stopped and the brakes have stalled the engine. Watch this. It's happening to the best of drivers. ‘There is no need to feel that the man at the filling station has given short measure just becauss the gas gauge on the instrument board does not register high enough. Many gauges do not register accurately until the engine is running. If it becomeés necessary to change a tire and the jack will not go under the car conveniently, place the spare tire on the ground and drive the wheel with the flat tire up on it. This rule may come in handy for the woman who | L.acka is directing an inexperienced male as- sistant in the work. It always is best to remove the spare tire before jack- ing up the car, anyway. Any woman who wants to prove her superfority as a driver has only to put the car away in its space in a public garage. Shoes play an important role in safety. Many a man has found his wide golf shoes pressing on the accelerator when he wanted merely to press on the brake pedal, and women who go driving with brand new slippers fre- uently court trouble when their feet 519 off the clutch or brake pedals. Rub- pads can be had for the pedals and are recommended for women who use the car when they have on their newest and best furbelows. Why there should be two means pro- | in vided for controlling the gas and what the exact difference is between the accelerator and the hand control on the steering post are problems which seem to puzzle a number of women. Most drivers are not conscious of hav- ing any need of the hand control and perhaps are justified in wondering why the situation isn’t simplified by letting the accelerator attend to the entire be no sentiment in the ownership of an | job. job. Accelerator and hand control each operate the throttle, which is simply the valve that permits more gas to be suck- ed into the engine. There is a strong spring on the accelerator, however, which instantly closes the throttle when you lift your foot from the pedal. The hand control, however, has no spring, so that it can be set to run the engine at a variety of speeds. Thus. it is handy for warming up the engine and for setting it for a higher speed if it tends to idle so slowly as to stall. There is a setting for. the hand con- trol at which the engine runs at a for most convenient gear shift- ing. The explanation for this would be. rather “technical, but drivers who experiment & little with the hand con- trol will note the difference. Occaslon- ally the hand congol nlnconv;nie?: for feeding gas to the engine when ~ to keep the ne right foot on_the e pedal as in starting up hill, ‘Women who are annoyed by having beggars and peddlers—or worse—ap- proach them while they are at the wheel have only to remember the unique dows of door locks. don’t know exactly how many of oil the engll:e should hold o B ricnccd. youht e inexperien Mg '2: pte:onsult the instruc- the | brown and HIT-AND-RUN CASES RISE. Baltimore Has 57 More Instances This Year Than Last. COLORS FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLES ARE DISCUSSED Brilliance and Harmony May Be Obtained by Study of Business and Type of Car. BY HOWARD KETCHAM, Director Paint Advisory Service. A good deal of attention has been given during the past year to the re- finishing of busses and delivery wagons, for, with the increasing use of indi- vidual and striking color schemes in motor cars in general, the days of the old-time black commercial vehicle are about over. There are several things to be considered in providing an at- tractive and suitable color scheme for such vehicles. A good deal depends upon what the purpose of the vehicle is. Vivid red is a good color for a fire engine, but it would not be so good on a florist's wagon. Old-fashioned com- mon sense will dictate the proper view- point to every owner. Certain types of delivery wagons with closed bodies and severe body lines call for colors that will not accent the unattractive features of the design. In this connection, cold, dark shades of blue and dark chocolate browns are ex- cellent colors, Good examples of these colors from which to choose are: Overland blue, Byram blue, La Tosca blue, Gettysburg blue, rne brown, wanna brown, rich loam, which is a gray brown; fallowfleld brown. Both the dark blue and the brown take sil- ver, gold, cream, vermilion and orange as a trim or lettering color. ‘The attractive appearance of any colored object is accomplished by close attention to detail. Visibility is an as- set to attention value in this type of vehicle and, as such, warrants careful consideration in using the secondary or accent color to good advantage. Appearance Appreciated. Shop keepers in all sections of the United States are commencing to ap- preciate the appearance value of their delivery carts. Shades of orchid, violet, rose and delicate blue tints have been adopted generally by the florists as symbolic' of their trade. Each florist has been able to use secondary and ter- tiary colors in such a way as to assure individuality for his own vehicles and this way he has been able to estab- lish trade-mark value for his wagons. Garish colors for business vehicles are now passe. We have begun to agree with the early Egyptians that harshness and lack of harmony offend, but that brilliance and richness can be effected in good taste. Early colorists studied nature for their color schemes and learned how to create subtle har- monies. Nature still teaches us. The attractive color grouping is the orchid, the subdued green and blue of earth and sky, the rare colorings of birds and fish, the hues of precious stones, all sup- ply us with hints for the use of colors. Laundry wi look ¢ and at- tractive in white, pale yellows, light blues and tints of green. Such colors as yellow violet, Cinderella gold, bril- liant gold, storm cloud hue, darker than mist blue, mountain mist blue, blue with considerable gray, bay tree green, Verdancia green, light green and water-glo green lend themselves effec- tively to the decorative motif. Blues may be used effectively on white or yellow base colors. White contrasts splendidly when used on blue and green, yellow or pale gold. Bronze is effective on pale greens similar to those described above. Colors for Hearses. ‘The growing use of motor hearses has given rise to some perplexing as to what may be done with them in the way of color. The feeling is that. just because hearses have always been black or white is no reason they always should be, any more than just because fenders were black for a long time they must remain black. One of the newest types of motor hearses seats about 30 people and carries the casket as well. Such busses may be lacquered in dark blue or one of the maroons and still be proper to the spirit of their use. Lanvin maroon with black and gold is in good taste, as also are 'zynmm. stri on the brown, or pewter pot ( green gray) and blue gray trim- =_= Each Auto in U. S. Made Average of 5,590 Miles in 1928 Each automobile in the United States last year traveled approxi- mately 5,590 miles, according to esti- mates made by American Motorists’ Association. ‘The estimate is based upon gas- the 24,492,124 med with silver, or Rancocas beige and light maroon with gold on the maroon, or dusk rose with sflver and black or silver and lanvin. Men’s and women's specialty shops are using properly combined colors to express the feeling of their services also, Many of them are tasteful and dis- tinctive and seem to express the mean- ing of the vehicle very well. Browns and beiges, the popular colors of the year, predominate. Some examples in favor are rust gold and premet dark tan with gold lettering on the tan, metropole and rendezvous gray with silver lettering on the gray, leaf brown and prairie grass with black or yellow on the prairie grass. VEHICULAR DEATHS GAIN IN BALTIMORE REPORT Accidents in First Three Months Total 2,088, Most Requiring Medical Aid. Special Dispatch to The Star. BALTIMORE, April 20.—The quar- terly report of the accident prevention bureau of the police department shows a slight increase in vehicular accidents in the city in comparison with the same period of last year. Of the 38 per- sons killed by vehicles this year 31 gllulilies were attributed to automo- es. From January 1 to March 31 of last year, the police records show 33 men, women and children killed by trolley cars, automobiles and railroad trains. Automobiles were held responsible for 21 deaths. ‘The three-month period of this year shows a total of 2,088 vehicular acci- dents in Baltimore, in which 1225 per- sons received injuries requiring treat- ment by physicians. ‘The police records disclose that fewer children are killed during the months school is in session than during the vacation period. TOWARD RECORD FOR 1929 Special Dispatch to The Star, DETROIT, Mich, April 20—Despite faint .rumblings of doubt that have been heard in the last week, automobile manufacturing apparently is sustaining the huge volume destined to make the year 1929 the first on record in which the total of cars and trucks will exceed 5,000,000. In the light of reports from key authorities that continue to be made, the stories that all is not right with the industry gain little credence. Several days ago in Toledo, the Great Lakes regional advisory board, a co-operative industrial body whose aim is to expedite and regulate freight movement in the Middle West, listened to reports forecasting a 9.6 per cent business increase during April, May and June over the corresponding period of last year. In connection with this, an estimate prepared by the traffic division of the Natlonal Automobile Chamber of Com- merce was submitted, showing that freight car requirements of all the plants would be 36,500 cars greater this year than last, the total as calculated reaching 164,791. This, it is pointed out, indicates that the March total of 595,000 cars and trucks registering the: 20 per cent greater than the best previous period of the same length is certain to be beaten in April and also indicates that the grand total of 1,154,857 for Janu- ary, February and March, the first guarter, may be eclipsed by the end of une. . Chevrolet Co. Figures. Some idea of what the record volume in automobile production means is con- veyed in figures issued by the Chevrolet Motor Co., which show that during 1928 the 16 plants producing the cars handled required $46,000,000 worth of materials. This total was $11,000,000 greater than that of 1927. In 1928 the Chevrolet organization received 272,- 368 carloads of freight, comprising commodities of all kinds used for pro- duction purposes. In dead weight this represented a movement of pounds run- ning into billions—7,968,000,000 being the approximate figure. These figures were the basis of the production by Chevrolet of 1,189,124 units shipped to dealers during the 12 months of 1928. For this year the scheduled produc- tion of Chevrolet was first set at 1,250, 000 and has since been boosted to 1,350,000 cars and_trucks. Volume of Chrysler Corporation plants, according to. Walter P. Chrysler, president, reached a total of 122,758 units in the first quarter of this year, as compared with 112,977 in 1928. The in- crease in Chrysler and Dodge shipments combined was about 10 per cent over the combined shipments in the same period of last year. Plymouth sales for the three months were 22,696, as against 23,076 Iast year. Dodge sales are referred to as “spec- | tacular,” In January, February and| March 42,000 cars were shipped, 18,000 | being shipped in March. | Reports from Kenosha, Wis., head- quarters of the Nash Motors plants, say that Harold H. Seaman, president of the Seaman Body Co.. body producer for Nash, has been added to the directorate | of the Nash Co. Nash owns & half in- terest in the Seaman plants. Institute of Technology. General Motors Corporation has start- ed real development of its “automotive Reports From Key Authorities in Industry Indicate Total Cars and Trucks Will Exceed Five Million. as the General Motors Institute of Technology, situated at Flint, where the Buick, Chevrolet and Fisher body plants are located. ‘With the growth of the corporation’s personnel from an average of 46,000 during 1921 to an average of more than 208,843 in 1928 has come the necessity of developing young men to handle major executive positions and giving them the requisite technical training. “What makes the wheels of industry go around will always be men, no mat- ter how automatic the machinery may become,” is the way the idea is ex- pressed by Alfred P. Sloan, jr, presi- lent. The General Motors Institute of ‘Technology, before 1925, was known as the Flint Institute of Technology. It was the brain child of the late Dallas Dort and was administered by the men who worked in the factories and at- tended its classes as pupils. The late Harry H. Bassett, while he was presi- dent of the Buick Motor Co., became | interested in it and as a result of his efforts the school was taken over by General Motors. ‘The corporation maintains the building and equipment, as well as paying the salary of the director of the institute. Outside- of that the institution is self= supporting, many of the students being enabled to pay their way through tech- nical courses while holding jobs in the General Motors Corporation factories. ‘There are facilities for 2,800 day and evening school students, there are 42 members of the faculty giving their en- tire time to the work and in addition 60 part-time instructors, who are men from the plants qualifying as experts in certain lines. A total of 7,652 students enrolled dur- ing 1928. In March of this year there were enrolled 2,600, as follows: Engi- neering, 500; trades, 68; automotive service, 165; spare time (Fall term), 1,815. In addition to these there were 4,000 in what is known as the extension course. The building is four stories. The ground floor is used for trade class Tooms, drawing rooms, student head- quarters and shower and locker rooms. The first floor is devoted to automotive service laboratories and classrooms, ma- chine shops and toolrooms. The sec- ond floor contains general offices, libra- ry, physical, chemical, metallurgical and electrical laboratories, assembly hall and gymnasium. The third floor has draft- ing and class rooms. (Copyright, 1020, by North American News- Ppaper Alliance.) ROAD 429 MILES. Longest Stretch in Maryland From Crellin to Ocean City. Special Dispatch to The Star. BALTIMORE, April 20.—The longest continuous improved road in Maryland stretches from Garrett County to Wor- cester, and is 429 miles long. Beginning at Crellin, a town on_the Maryland-West Virginia dividing line, this road runs through Oakland to Cumberland, Frederick, Baltimore and (‘J‘;Ier the Havre de Grace Bridge to Elk- n. g Then it continues to Easton, to Salis- bury and to Ocean City. It serves to give some idea of the progress made in improving the highways of Maryland and thus integrating the remote and the university,” or what is officially known | populous centers of the State. . OWNER ENTHUSIASM and upwards’ LANSING MICHIGAN 109 IN.WHEELBASE 1685 D STEGERS MOTORS 645 Maryland Ave. N.E. PENNSYLVANIA MOTORS 1008 Wilson Blvd. Clarendon, Va. The good tHings the Durant Six- THE SIX~SIXTY owners say about Sixty constitute the most powerful single influence in the present record-breaking sales. Oumer enthusiasm is readily under- stood when you find Six-Sixty specifications combine advanced engineering features usually found only in cars much higher priced. AND~—FOR *595—THE DURABLE DURANT FOUR- FORTY—A CAR WITH AN IMPRESSIVE RECORD A e.0 0 C AR Factory Branch DURANT MOTOR CO. OF VIRGINIA; Inc. 1731 Fourteenth St. N.W. IRVING T. DONOHOE MOTOR COMPANY 1623 L St. N.W. BEATTY BROS. Marshall, Va. CHRISWELL MOTOR CC. 1345 Riggs St. N.W. Or any of our Seventy-five dealers in Md. and Va. RAN RELIABLE MOTOR CO. 14th & W Sts. N.W, L. CALLAWAY Great Mills, Md.