Evening Star Newspaper, April 20, 1930, Page 47

THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTO In the Motor World BY G. ADAMS HOWARD. decline, according to the table of statistics prepared ‘by Willlam H. Harland, director of traffic. Mr. Harland notes also that the number of accidents are decreasing. Three persons were killed in January of this year, against séven during the same month last year. In February four deaths occurred, against two in 1929. Four deaths were caused by traf- fic accidents in March, agains ten in 1929. Last year ten death: were recorded in April and for the first half of this month only ope has been listed. So, for the first quarter of this year the comparison stands at 11 against 19 and there is every rea- son te expect this promising ratio will show even greater gains along the right side of the ledger. ‘The weeding out of undesirable drivers is given as the principal reason for these pleasing figures. This weeding-out process is at- tained by cancellation and sus- pension of many permits and the requirement that motorists hav- ing bad records must undergo an examination before having their permits to drive renewed. More Visiting Motorists. It is to be hoped that Washing- ton will continue to lead the cities RAFFIC fatalities in the Na- tional Capital continue to of proportionate size in the list | of low fatalities and by an even| greater margin. These days see a greater num- ber of visiting motorists in the city. This influx, welcome as it | is, seems to be messing up our existing left turns. Unaware of the rotary turn, which is in use in comparatively few places, the visitors are causing much traffic congestion. It is not their fault, however, for better things could be expected in the Capital City, and, so, the residents here should be patient with them and hope that they will return some day, despite the existing traffic per- plexity. If the rotary train must be kept up, and it appears that the powers that be so ordain it, it would seem wise for the traffic authorities to have signboards erected at all the approaches to the city, informing the incoming drivers just what our left-hand turns are. Unfor- tunately, it would probably take a large billboard, for the rotary turn exists only at controlled intersec- tions and the regular turn at others. But maybe an ex-Presi- dent could be employed to write the requirements in a few short words, thus saving much space and paint. Then the paint saved could be used in that entertaining task of writing “keep to the right” that adorns so many of our load- ing street car platforms. Handling of the base ball crowds | at the opening game last week cannot be regarded as entirely satisfactory. For the half hour previous to the calling of the game cars were allowed to come into Seventh street from all directions, eausing much congestion. Don’s Failure Regretted. It is to be regretted that Kaye Don, the British racing champion, failed to do more in his tryouts to break the world speed records at Daytonna Beach, Fla. After attaining the speed of almost 200 miles an hour, engine troubles de- veloped and the beach condition became unfavorable for such bursts of speed. According to the American Automobile Association, through its figures recently compiled, State motor vehicle taxation continued its upward trend in 1929 and in- creased nearly three times as much as motor vehicle registra- tions. At the same time the aver- age per vehicle tax for the coun- try increased 13 per cent in 1929 over 1928. The total increase in motor vehicle registrations for the the total amount of special motor taxes (exclusive of personal pro- perty taxes) for the 48 States and | the District of Columbia was 22.8 | per cent. The District of Columbia, with $13.28, had the lowest per vehicle tax levy. The five States with the highest per vehicle tax levy were Florida, with $50.10; Arkansas, | with $46.73; Oregon, with $44.25; | Vermont, with $43.53, and Vir- ginia, with $42.67. The District of | Columbia might well be expected o be the lowest in fairness to the omparatively few number of miles in its territory with the | States. Following is a summary of other | facts' brought out in the A. A. A. | review: First, the average per ! vehicle tax for the entire country | was $28.56 in 1929, as compared with $25.24 in 1928, an increase of 13 per cent in a period of 12 months. The per vehicle tax has increased more than 300 per cent since 1919, when it was $8.55. Taxes Reach New Peak. Second, special taxes collected from car owners by the States reached a new high peak last year, with a total of $767,011,595, as compared with $624,325,670 in 1928, an increase of $142,685,925. Third, the States’ revenue from the gasoline tax increased 32 per cent in 1929, the total being $422,- 216,641, as compared with $319,- 906,417 in the previous year. While New York reported regis- trations well over the two-million mark, seven other States showed registrations in excess of one mil- lion. These are New York, 2,230,- 430; California, 1,974,341; Penn- sylvania, 1,766,241; Ohio, 1,738,000; Illinois, 1,615,088; Michigan, 1,- 574,496, Texas, 1343307, and Massachusetts, 1,016,916. The lat- ter State was the new addition to this list. In State fees, drivers’ licenses and gasoline taxes, the highest five were Pennsylvania,. $65,131,- 078; New York, $55,539,734; Ohio, $46,950,000; Michigan, $43,310,860, and California, $43,094,142. Pennsylvania led in the amount collected from the gas tax, with $35,970,388, while other leading States were Ohio, $34,200,000; California, $32,932,159; Michigan, $21,309,009, and Texas, $18,373,772. New York collected $16,585,868 from the gas tax, which went into effect for the first time on May 1, 1929, From these figures it appears that taxation on motor vehicles taxes, but has gone far beyond what would seem reasonable and fair. Unquestionably, all the money raised is not going for street and highway improvement. Just what percentage of the amount raised drifts off into other channels can only be specu- lative. Every one agrees with the neces- sity of road improvement and €k- tension, but it does look like the taxation is very high. ‘Thursday and Friday of this week have been designated as the days for the Winchester apple | blossom festival. More than 100,- 000 people made the trip last year | and were not disappointed. An accompanying map in this sec-| tion shows the best route and the intervening distances. Residents of Martinsburg, W.| Va., and nearby may use the con- tinuation of the Valley pike,! known as United States Route 11. This highway is in good repair. ‘The Virginia State Highway Commission. points out that there is construction work on United States Route 340 between Charles | Town, W. Va., and Berryville, Va. It is recommended that motorists using this route take the county road to the left 15 miles beyond Rippon, and continuing right upon entering Route 54. At Berry- ville the motorist is advised to take up Route 340 again, continu- ing into Boyce. From Boyce turn to the right into Route 50, which United States last year was 86| per cent, while the increase in' will bring the motorists into Win- chester over a good roadway. BEST ROUTES TO WINCHESTER FOR FESTIVAL ARE ANNOUNCED All roads lead to Winchester this| week and the roads through Virginia are good. | The State Highway Department an- nounces a detailed report on routes to | Winchester for the thousands of auto- mobiles that will stream over the high: ways to reach the annual apple blossom | festival April 24 and 25. All efforts | of the department are being bent to- | ward letting traffic through on all | Youtes without inconvenience. | Route 37 between Berryville and Win- chester, now closed for comstruction, is | o be opened especially for the festival to accommodate traffic coming down | from northern points by Harpers Ferry | and Berryville, but the construction will be somewhat rough and the report ad- | vises traveling by way of Boyce. Traf- fic from Leesburg is advised to go by Aldie and Route 50 to Winchester on account of construction on Route 54 near Round Hill and the work on Route 37 between Berryville and Winchester. “From Washington over U. S. Route 211 to Fairfax and U. S. Route 50 to Winchester the road is in good condi- tion,” the report. “The distance shington to Winchester over this route is 71 miles. From Winchester west toward Clarksburg and Parkers- burg, W. Va, Route 50 continues 2ood “From Kilmarnock in the Northern Neck section of the State over Route 37 through Warsaw to Fredericksburg, 95 miles, is in good condition, hard- surfaced except about 35 miles near Warsaw. From Fredericksburg motor- ists should continue over Route 37 to | either the | route under construction, one near Harrison- burg, one near Mount Jackson and one near Strasburg, but traffic will be taken care of over the regular road and con- struction work in each case. These sections are rough in places for a mile or two, but are entirely passable. “Traffic coming up from North Caro- lina points around Winston-Salem and Greensboro will find U. S. Route 311 to Roanoke and U. S. Route 11 through the valley to Winchester good. There are no detours and the only construc- tion is between Staunton and Win- chester, already described. On U. S. Route 170, from Danville to Lynchburg, several jobs are under construction from Danville to Chathem, and this route is quite rongh in places. A good detour is provided around the construction, leav. ing Route 170 2 miles north of Dan- ville and coming back to Route 170 at Chatham “From Lynchburg to the valley pike | at Staunton, via Route 18 to Afton, 84 miles, the road is in good condition, the only construction being just north . of Lynchburg, where traffic is going over | | the regular road. |and the valley pike at Natural Bridge. | 39 miles, Between Lynchburg there is construction near Natural Bridge and about 4 miles of the road is rough, but traffic will be | able to get over this without trouble. The distance from Lynchburg to Win- chester is practically the same over Natural Bridge or Afton raffic from around Covington or Winchester_through Culpeper, Sperry- ville and Front Royal, 101 miles, all hard-surfaced. Some oiling will be in progre: until about the 28th, but the road will be kept open to traflic and there will be no trouble in gettihg over it. Farther | along this highway between Sperryville | and Washington Court House, a section | of construction will be encountered and | will be rough for a mile or so. “From Richmond by U. S. Route 1| to Alexandria and U. S. Route 50 to Winchester is 168 miles; by Route 1 to Fredericksburg, and thence by Route 37 through Sperryville and Culpeper, is 157 miles; and by Route 39 to Char- lottesville' and Staunton, and thence over U. S. Route 11 through Harrison- burg, is 222 miles. On the trip by Alex- andria there is no construction; by Fred- | ericksburg and Culpeper oiling will be encountered from Lignum to Culpeper, | and also construction between Sperry- | ville and Washington Court House. On | the route to Staunton, oil is being put | down from Charlottesville 6 miles east- | ward, but this section will be completed | on Monday or Tuesday of next week and the road will be in good condition. “Through the Winchester several places are | coming in from West Virginia points over Route 60, and hing to go by between Lignum and Culpeper | Hot Springs, will find this, road in good condition all the way with the excep- | tion of a section of oiling work between Goshen and Warm Springs. “Traffic from Clarksville, Va, and North Carolina points south of that point will find U. S. Route 15 to Orange, Routes 16 and 28 by Madison Court House to Culpeper and thence over No 37 to Winchester the shortest route The -distance over this route from Clarksville to Winchester is 246 miles, |and it is hard surfaced all the way except about 7 miles just north of Pal- myra. Between Orange and Culpeper on Route 15 considerable work is going on, and traffic is advised to go by way of Madison Court House.” Reached by Three Highways. Colorado is reached by three trans- cortinental highways—the Lincoln on the north, the Victory in the middle and the Santa Fe Trail on the south. Oiling of highways on a lfie scale has begun in Colorado and 4he State valley between Staun- | is spending more than $6,000,000 on its val, which will be held road improvement program in 1930, DOWN THE ROAD—Recollections. C., APRIL 20, 1930—PART FOUR.' —By FRANK BECK yright 1930 by Prank . Beck Bri 440 f[ufi - Trade Mark Reg U S Put OF) NEGLECT OF MOTOR EQUIPMENT CITED J. M. McComb Holds No Other Machinery Is Abused to Same Extent. No other machinery is neglected to the extent of automobile motors and parts, and no other investment made by the average car owner is allowed to deteriorate so rapidly in the opinion of J. M. McComb, president of the Mo- tor and Equipment Association, who has not kept in line with other fadvocates adoption of a program of preventive maintenance by all automo- bile owners. “The highest degree of mechanical efficiency is necessary and desirable for the safe and economical transportation of human beings,” said Mr. McComb. “In other fields of transportation main- tenance of such efficiency is required by law, either State or Federal. Railroads, both steam and electric, must submit to rigid and regular inspection. 'The same is true of airplanes and steamships. “The application of principles of pre- ventive maintenance is recognized in these fields as being good business in addition to being mere compliance with the laws,” he added. “It is just as good business for a car owner to keep his automobile in good operating condition because in that way he protects his in- vestment by holding depreciation down to a minimum. “Preventive maintenance, as we advo- cate it, however, goes farther than keeping up the car's operating effici- ency. The car's appearance and com- fort also can be maintained through proper care and these factors are just ultmpomm in consideration of a car's value. Road Planned Over Alps. MUNICH () —A new automobile road proposed across the Austrian Alps will enable motorists to go from Munich to the Adriatic in one day. the highest motor vehicle road in the country, scaling 8,250 feet above sea level at its maximum point. Apple Blossom Route P — T — MPROVED FOADS e | EARTH ROADS sTATE wsowsy NuMBERS (O | US NUMBERS To Capon Brdge WINCHESTE! (] 7o Staunten , (L faitax CH 16 e 52 Highway to scene of Winchester festi- Thursday and 1t will be | When there's a large truck ahead| and the brakes won't hold, no husband need be in doubt as to what his wife's driving at. Persistence pays. If the vacuum tank has gone dry, it can be refilled auto- matically and quickly by cranking with the throttle closed to the idling posi- tion. But it will fill up eventually if you keep at it, even if the throttle is| opened now and again. Many women have collided simply because they thought the brakes were not holding well enough, and foolishly stopped pressing on the pedal. Persist! It's the big rule in starting or stopping. Just to prove the rule, take the case of a woman who recently returned to| her, parked car at night to discover | that the headlights would not light. | She manipulated the switch back and forth over the various positions, but nothing happened. It was a bit dis- concerting to have eversthing turn se- | rene just a few moments before a serv- | ice man arrived, but it taught her a| valuable lesson in determination. He explained that the switch box at the| bottom of the steering post had become wet, and that the contact points had rusted a little. Just working the switch | served to clean these contacts. Here's the “idea of the week” for the woman who wants to avoid embarrass- ment in starting the engine: _Always watch the ammeter when cranking. If the switch isn’t making contact, the pointer of the ammeter will not filsker during the cranking process. Some- times a switch doesn't make proper contact when first you fllp it to the “on” position. Just another little starting tip is to press down more firmly on the starter button. This makes a better contact at the switch. And good contact is very essential in the starter motor circuit. “Has any one discovered a way to help drivers who habitually start off with the hand brake set?” asks a woman who is a bit weary having the brakes relined. The solution to this problem is simply to set the brake more firmly when leaving the car. If the brake is fully “on,” the engine will stall if the driver tries to get started without the usual formalities. * ‘This“season may see many women take up again the business of learning to drive the car. They will regard every previous attempt as a stepping stone toward eventual accomplishment, rather than as a stone in a wall of defeat. Every city is filled with women who have tried and failed and who this year feel determined to try again—and succeed. Often it is an accident that discour- ages continuation at the wheel, or per- haps it is just a matter of running afoul of the motor vehicle law. With such unpleasant experiences behind one, instead of ahead, there should be every incentive to continue fighting for a diploma in the college of motoring. These difficulties . emphasize certain points about driving that could not be appreciated in any other way. One experienced driver says that she owes her success in driving to a bad | skid with the first car she ever handled. | It gave her “driving sense.” It has been sald that if a motorist doesn’t understand valves she is never. within sight of mastery of the car. This may or may not be true, but ex- perience seems to indicate that know- ing how the valves work is a big stride toward understanding the car generally. A poppet valve, which is the com- mon type, except in engines where sleeves do the work of opening and closing the valve ports, looks like a mushroom. The top, or head, covers its respective valve opening when in the closed _position, the stem extending through a guide until it reaches some intermediary part or parts, which in turn are actuated by raised lobes, or cams, on the engine camshaft. This intermediary mechanism may be a sim- ple adustable rod or ‘tappet, or a rocker arm, push-rod and roller, depending on the type of engine. Theoretically, it is possible to let:the Plugs every 10,000 Miles Worn-out spark plugs cause hard starting, slow pick-up, poor idling, loss of power. d A new set will in- ‘ 4 4 4 4 VVVVVVVVVYY] sure eas) -unini. fast pickup, bri liant performance.| See yourdealerto- dayand insist upon VYVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVYVYY | vision of the American MILADY’S MOTORING BY FREDERICK C. RUSSELL cams on the camshaft strike the valve | stem direct, thus lifting it to open the port and allow gas to enter the cylinder or exit from it. But intermediary mechanism is inserted to provide for adjustments. Since the valves heat, their stems expand. There also is wear on the various parts and changes in| | the seating of the valve head The picture of the conventional valve | is complete when we insert a coil spring around the stem to provide a| means of returning it to the closed position after each opening. From the foregoing sketch of valves | it should be apparent to any woman who will give it a moment’s thought that while it is possible to have the tappets tightened until the engine runs| extremely quietly, the expansion of the | valve stems when things start heating up will prevent the valve head from seating tightly, thus causing loss of power and burning the valve in the| bargain. (Copyright by the Russell Service.) 113,581 Miles Road in Italy. Italy has 113,581 miles of roads, ac- cording to the District of Columbia Di- Association. FRENCHMEN TO VISIT AUTO PLANTS INU. S. Party of 32 Prominent Engineers of Industry Expected to Arrive in America May 19. Thirty-two prominent French engi- neers, representing the Societe des In- genieurs de L'Automobile will arrive | May 19, on the De Grasse, for a visit |to American automotive plants in New York, Detroit, Buffalo, Akron, Indian- apolis and Philadelphia. They will be given a luncheon the day following their arrival at the Engineers’ Club by their hosts, the Society of Automotive Engineers and the National Automobile ~Chamber of Commerce, after which they will entrain for Buf- falo and Detroit, spending several days in that locality and taking part in the Quarter-Century anniversary celebra- tion of the society to be held at French Lick Sprin; -29. $300,000,000 Tourist Trade. American tourists will spend around $300,000,000 in Canada during 1930, | according to the District of Columbia Automobile | Division of the American Automobile | no leverage is exerted. ! Association ‘D6 Smart foown.. - thrifty to drive .o topping its field in value ® @ Judging the value of a motor car is just a common IMPORTANCE OF EY U CLIFFORD BROKAW, Automobiie Technical Adviser. | In the early days of motoring the | driver of a car was frequently subject | to terrifying dreams in which he | thought his steering gear had failed to function and with disastrous results. Not so frequent was the actual occur- rence of such a tragic event, but fre- | quent enough to instill in many mo- torists. visions of what likely would happen under such circumstances. Nowadays, to have anything go wrong | with the steering gear is a decidedly infrequent happening. However, as greater speed has become commonplace in the use of the auto- mobile, dire results growing out of accidents due to failure of steering gears to operate are even more serious. While the present-day automobile driver | need have no bad dreams about this, or even worry about it when operating his car, he should certainly have some | understanding of the steering appa- | ratus. He should be sure to see to it that, based on his knowledge, this part of the machine is given normal care and consideration from time to time so as to insure the least possibility of accidents in this connection. There is hardly to be conceived any more hope- less situation for the driver of a car going at high speed than to find his car lacking in steering facilities. Due to the great skill and care on the part of automobile manufacturers who have done everything possible to make the steering apparatus fool proof, this part of the machine does not often g0 back on the motorist. Even though only a small percentage of motor acci- dents can be laid to the failure of steering gears to function properly, Ufirehnre s'fl%"{? of kthese un{;flvur- able happen make every driver of a car give some thought to this phase of motoring. The front wheels of an automobile have special characteristics which in- sure steering the car without involving great exertion, at the same time giving it the nceessary strength and required flexibility. It is possible to swing the front wheels of a car with very little effort, because of a gear at the lower end of the shaft on which the hand- steering wheel is located. This gear is usually of the worm type, although other types are used. At the same time it is necessary to exert a great deal of pressure on the front wheels in order tc move the steering or hand wheel. Through a linkage which has been worked out, an arm from this steering gear connects through a drag link to a steering knuckle, upon which one of the front wheels is mounted. The other front wheel is made move at the same time with the first through means of a tie rod connected to its steering knuckle. These knuckle joints are, therefore, points of weakness as compared with a solid axle, which makes it necessary that some means of furnishing strength be provided. For example, if the front wheels were placed in a perpendicular position, it is easy to see that a good deal of lever- age would be exerted on the steering knuckle pins. This would make for weak construction, and cause a big re- | sistance to the turning movement necessary to the steering. To offset these difficulties, the front wheels are given undergather; that is, the distance | between them at the spot where they | teuch the ground is less than at their | tops. It therefore follows that the weight of the automobile bears directly on a line with the stcering knu~kle pins and If both. whorls | were poin‘e b oatandy-(ha STEERING GEAR CARE IS DESCRIBED BY EXPERT Mechanical Principle of Operation and Limitation of Stress Is for Motorists. Explair:4 set parallel—this unlergaiher would cause too much wear on the tires. To avoid this needless wear, the wheels are given what is called foregather, which means that they are a bit closer to- gether at the front edge than at the rear. This difference may be only about three-eighths of an inch, but it is very important that the front wheels toe-in that much. The same does not apply to the rear wheels, which usually are exactly parallel to each other. Besides this foregather and under- gather, the steering knuckle pins are given a slight rake so as to produce a | castor effect to the front wheels. This rake consists in placing the steering knuckle pins in such a way that they lean backward. The result of this, when steering, is that the center of turning of the steering knuckle is a little ahead of the point of contact where the tires touches the road. This is done so that the drag, incident to pushing the wheel along the road, is back of the center of turning. In this way the wheels will always point directly for- ward unless interfered with. Should a control rod become loosened the car will go straight ahead. This is all to the good and often prevents accidents. ‘The importance of keeping the steer- ing apparatus well lubricated should be remembered by the owner of an automobile. A regular inspection to see that the pins are kept tight and that the wheels are not too much out of alignment also should be given. With this small amount of care and some knowledge of the fundamentals of this part of an automobile, a motorist should experience very little trouble with his steering device. Mr. Brokaw will be glad to write on any subject pertaining to the automo- bile that a reader may suggest. PLAN AUTO HIGHWAY TO LINDBERGH PEAK Road Will Be Constructed as Far as Possible From Araphoe Glacier to Hell’s Hole. Lindbergh Peak, named in honor of Col. Charles A. Lindbergh, rises from the center of Hells Hole, a tremendous glacial basin of wild grandeur north of the Arapahoe Glacier district. Plans are on foot for the building of an au- tomobile road as far as possible from Arapahoe Glacier toward the basin and then construction of an easy trail to the bottom of Hells Hole. Ascending boldly from the floor of this great natu- ral bowl and terminating in a narrow spire, ‘Lindbergh Peak is connected only on one side with the Continental Divide of the Rocky Mountains by a knifelike ridge. The first recorded climb of it was made in September, 1929. BAN ON BLARING SIRENS Special Dispatch to The Star. BALTIMORE, April 19.—Operators of interurban busses were warned thir week by the commissioner of moto vehicles against the use in cities ¢ the blaring sirens provided for use ¢ the State highways. « ‘The general laws contain a pros against the making of unnecessary noises in towns and cities, a statement issued by Commissioner Baughman said, and the use of these strident horns in city traffic, where a less raucous s will suffic sense matter of weighing what it gives you against what it -b AND UP—¥.0.B. FACTORY v WITH THESE FEATURES costs—and the obvious starting point is the amount of money you have to spend. § What will $1,000 buy in today’s motor car market? A few months ago, such a sum would limit you Unisteel* Construction of Chassis and Body Dowa-Draft Carl .lmpnl.le Neutralizer Full-Pressure Feed Mechanical Fuel Pump ‘buretion Lubrication Fuel Filter — Air Cleaner Thermostatic Heat Control Hydraulic Brakes Hygraulic Shoek Absorbers Rubber-Cushioned Spring Shackles Double Cowl Ventilators Non-Glare Windshield Rust-Proof Parts *In the Unisteel type tion, the body and designed as a unit, of conatruc- chassis are eliminating body sills and all other wooden parts. The body is bolted directly to the chassis, so that the two be- come mutually supporting and mutually flexible. Copyright 1930 by De Soio Motor Corporation S W O R DISTRICT L D ° CHRYS MOTOR CO. (INCORPORATED) 1337 14th St. N.W. Potomac GARNER MOTOR CO. Leonardiown, Md. 4-Door Sedan, $625; Coupe, $590; Roadster, $610; 2-Door Sedan, $675. All prices {. o. b. factory. * 1000 RONEY MOTOR CO, Frederick, Md. NOW ONE OF THE LOWEST- D BY DE‘SOTO L O W E S T L. W. WHITE Norbeck, Md, DEALERS to a six-cylinder car—now it will buy a straig.ln eight—a Chrysler-built De Soto—the lowest-priced eight in the world. q By every standard of value,the DeSoto Eight is atrue leader. You mayI think of it in terms of low price—but you will buy it because of its high quality. A few minutes behind the wheel will convince you, beyond all doubt, that an equal num- ber of dollars cannot buy its equal from any other source. STRAIGHT >>>S>EIGHT LER MOTORS P R I CE D PRODPDUCT 759 E I 6 H T NATIONAL AUTO SALES CO. O. R. Blanton, Prop. 33 New York Ave. N.E. Metropolitan 9225 W. E,. MONCURE Quantico, Va. PRICED CARS IN THE WORLD OUTH EVERYWHERF MORELAND MOTOR CO. ‘Waldorf, M e N g