8
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN, PORTLAND, MARCII 7, lOOD.
SIGNS MAKE DRIVING EASY
Automobile Clubs Adopt Uniform System That Proves of Benefit, Not
Only to Chauffeurs, but to All Travelers.
ABOUT the only signs that the trav
elers of a generation ago could find
along the . average country roads
were dilapidated, half-defaced board
ones, with the Inscription, "Jaysburg,
5 miles." "Jlmtown, 8 miles," or with
possibly a dimly outlined hand pointing
In vague direction with some such in
scription under It as "Onion City."
"Mildewville" or "Simms Corner." At
occasional few railroad culverts there
was the white and Hack warning of
"Railroad Crossing; Look Out for the
Cars," which later boasted the some
time addition of the words, "Stop,
look, Listen." And these were all the
notices vouchsafed travelers.
Even these, meager as they were, and
hopelessly lacking In information, sug
gested a possibility which might come
to pass; and many a wandering way
farer, mired in mud roads, and vainly
ble in this way, that a new departure
was taken. The men and interests who
were directing experiments have at last
completed a wooden sign, metal bound,
which they consider Impervious to the
action of the elements and able to re
sist almost any disintegrating process.
This sign is subjected to a treatment
which makes it fireproof, waterproof
and weatherproof.
During the season of 1909 the Ameri
can Automobiling Association will put
up 10,000 of these signs in localities
where roads have not been properly
posted, and it is estimated that many
thousands will be erected annually, un
til the-principal highways In the ma
jority of the states will be fully fur
nished'with these helpful and time-saving
devices.
The system of road maps has been so
thoroughly gone into, that no pains
have been spared to reduce it to as
great a degree of accuracy as the state
maps have been gotten to. The best
V4
GOOZ
ujife sasm raspIIB y;
CXCROSSIHG
V
STEEP
OXfZZPCVT'
rTFORM ROAD SIGNS ADOPTED FOR USE OF ACTOISTS AND OTHER
TRAVELERS. '
trying to reach an unknown destina
tion, bestowed curses loud and deep on
each a systemless system of befud
dling the passers-by.
With the advent of the bicycle along
the rural hignways, there came a de
mand for road signs in various dis
tricts,' and sometimes by individual en
terprise and occasionally by concerted
action of bicycle clubs, road signs be
gan to make their appearance. Of
course, these signs were good alike to
'the cyclist, the horseman, the drivers
of vehicles and the low pedestrian.
But with the arrlsal of the automo
bile there came a demand so strong, so
imperative and so absolutely necessary
that a system of road signs came into
use which meant something, and fol
lowing this came an additional method
of providing for accuracy and speed in
traveling by means of road maps.
One hundred and twenty-two millions
of dollars were paid for the purchase
alone of automobiles in 1908 in the
United States. Money Invested in other
angles of the business can hardly be
estimated in doflars and cents. This
means that a vast army of machines
are threading the streets and the coun
try roads of America, and it easily ex
plains why the system of road signs
and road maps have become an impor
tant and a necessary part of the tour
ing automobile world.
The good roads organizations, assisted
by members of these bodies both in and
outside of the automobiling associa
- tions, have been erecting large numbers
of signs in many districts of America,
and have at last perfected a style of
sign which they consider practically in
destructible under ordinary wear and
tear and the action, however severe, of
wind and weather.
The first signs put up were of metal,
teut these were defaced by small boys,
who took great delight in hearing the
ringing impact made upon the signs by
the missiles they directed at them. So
many were dinted and rendered lllegi-
and most experienced talent has been
engaged for the work, and by the use
of colored inks and ample directions the
traveling automobilist can be given a
map of almost any of the states Which
will enable him to travel in nearly any
direction without compelling him to
waste much time as to inquiring his
way.
' This is particularly true when the
maps are capable of being used in con
nection with road signs. Where tour
ing is carried on most extensively, in
the East and the Middle West, the sys
tems are used in co-operation, and with
fullest satisfaction.
Here in Oregon the Portland Automo
bile Club has gone to considerable ex
pense and trouble in perfecting a sys
tem of road maps for the benefit of
local travelers and visiting tourists. It
has been a labor of love on their part,
for the expense cannot be refunded to
them. These maps are now ready, and
are another chapter in the advance of
automobiling in the state and the Pa
cific Northwest. They will cover the
country for a radius of 50 miles around
Portland, and will appear in the cata
logue of the Armory show, which will
be distributed free. v.
Road signs, it is safe to say, will be
as welcome to the farmer and the fruit
grower as to the men who own motor
cars. The automobile maps are usually
arranged by counties, and are as ac
curate as it is possible to make thei
with reference especially to having
them peculiarly adaptable for the trav
eling public.
Commercial travelers, agents and
even politicians will welcome the intro
duction of the road signs, and doubt
less in the. future the State Legislature
may toe prevailed upon to do something
in the way of this sensible and compar
atively cheap method of assisting travel
over the country highways. The Port
land show will have some Interesting
exhibits in this lino which will well
repay examination.
MILLIONS ARE SPENT ON TIRES
Investors Seeking Improved Processes Have Already Taken Out 1641
Patents for This Very Essential Article of Automobiling.
AFTER all that has been said
about the wonderful advance in
the building of automobiles, it
Is still true that had not the Improve
ments in tires kept pace with the pro
gress in perfecting motive power, au
tomobiling would today be in a crude
and experimental state. It has been
truly said of the man who pounds the
bass drum in the uniformed corps of
musicians who marcn proudly down
the street "without him, what's the
band?" Kit the present improved mo
torcar tire can as significantly be as
serted, "without it, what's the car?"
The tire of today represents more
thought, more experiment and more
expenditure of vast sums of money
than anyone would ordinarily give
credence to. No less than 1611 pat
ents have been taken out since inves
tigations began to be made concerning
the turning out of rubber tires, solid
and pneumatic, and patents are being
filed every week, almost, aiming at
improvements tn the ones already con
structed. Before the discovery of the possi
bilities' in tho way of vulcanizing rub
ber, or injecting sulphur into ti.e
crude material and subjecting it to a
high degree of heat, there had been ,
no method or making the rubber both,
tough and elastic, and preparing it to
keep those characteristics under dif
ferent degrees of heat and cold.
The bicycle literally paved the way
toward the introduction of the auto
mobile tire. ' Many will remember the
solid rubber tires first Introduced to
eliminate the jarring of the man-propelled
machine. Then cams the pneu
matic bicycle tire; then came the
gradual fading, away of the bicycle,
and the inception of - the automobile
In its various forms, and with this
came the improvements to date of the
- auto tire.
To give the necessary form and so
lidity to a tire, the use of rubber alone
is not sufficient. There must be some
admixture of a textile fabric to pro
duce the required result. ' Linen has
been used, and also silk, but after all
the experiments so far have been sum
med up, the use of cotton has been
found to be most satisfactory. It may
be in time that the outer shell of the
cornstalk may be used In this con
nection, if it can be rendered pliable
enough. Cornstalks have an outer
glaze which is iron-like in Its tough
ness, ana it they could be shredded
and retain their tenacity, and at the
same time be made elastic, they might
be used either exclusively, or in con
nection with cotton, to great ad
vantage.
wowing ruDner is now done to a
large extent by artificial cultivation.
Immense rubber forests have been
planted in South America and Mex
ico, and although fortunes have been
lost in the various experiments in that
direction, fortunes have been gained by
those wh hav fesen aaooe ssfui. There
CAT.KVOAR OF IMPORTANT AU
TOMOBILE SHOWS AM) RACES.
March 8 to 13 Portland Automo
bile Show. Armory. Tenth and Couch.
March 5 to 12 Palm Beach (Fla.)
Motor Boat Reratta. Palm Beach
Power Boat Association.
March 6 to IS Boston Automobile
Show, Mechanics Building. Chester
I. Campbell, manager, 6 Park square,
Boston, Mass.
March 8 to 14 Kr-nsas City. Mo.,
Show, auspices of Kansas City Au
tomobile Dealers' Association.
March 13 to 20 Minneapolis Show.
March 15 to 81 Vienna. Austria.
Show. Auspices of A. C. of Austria.
March 15 to 20 Rochester. I Y..
Show, Convention Hall. Auspices
of Rochester Automobile Dealers' As
sociation. Charles J. Moran. exhi
bition manager.
March 23 to 28 Ormond Beaca
(Florida) races and speed trials.
March 24 Concoura d'tecaaea,
Monte Carlo A. C. ds Nice).
March 25 Course du Kilometre
(A. C. do Nice). '
March 28 Course ds Cot CA. c.
de Nice).
March 2T to April 8 Annual Au
tomobile Show la Pittsburgh under
the auspices - of the - Automobile
Dealers' Association of Pittsburg.
March 31 to ,Ajrll 14 Monaco '
Motor Boat Meeting,
May 2 Targa Florio. Sicily.
May 26 Moscow-St. Petersburg
(Russia) Race.
May 29 Annal Hill Climbing Con-
w test. Giaat's Despair. ' auspices
Wllkesbarre, Pa.. A. C.
June 10 to 18 Prince. Hanry of
Prussia. Touring Trials
June 14 to 19 Scottish .Reliability
trials. .
July IS to 17 Ostrad (Beldam)
races. -
August 24 to 2T Circuit des Ar
dennes; LJederkerke and Voiturette
races, auspices of A. C. of Belgium,
September 6 Mont Ventoux
(France) hill climb. .
September 11 to IB Targ Bologna,
Italy.
September IB Sensmerins; Hill
climb.
auto slow
AT THE ARMORY
MARCH 8 TO 14
Afternoon and Evening
ADMISSION, SO CENTS
Social Function of the Year
SEE ALL THE 1'9Q9 CARS
SEE THE LOCOMOBILE RACER
That Won the Vanderbilt Cup
SEE WHISTLING BILLY
Who Holds the World's Record
See the HOTEL CAR that created
the Sensation t Chicago sod New York Show
Hear Christiensen's Salt Lake Orchestra
See the Great Accessory Display
See the Electrical tcPScenic Decorations
GET A SET OF ROAD MAPS FREE
tomoblle industry has developed so
rapidly and irresistibly in the last two
years, that the market for tires alone
demands the sole attention and energy
of many thousands of men, in their
development from the crude rubber to
the finished product-
The Portland show wilj have exhib
its of the improvements and latest de
signs in modern tires, and it will be
one of the most interesting and in
structive departments in the exhibi
tion. Tires that can be- taken off and
replaced on automobile wheels, tires
built to prevent "skidding." smooth
tires, tires of various trades of cost
and texture, and in general a variety
of tires of high and low degree will be
shown.
Over four centuries ago, during the
second voyage of Columbus, the white
man first learned of the magic quali
ties of rubber. Today rubber, together
with "King" Cotton, shares the dual
reign over space, as exemplified In the
flying tires of the winged monarchs of
the highways.
The perfection of the automobile tire
of today Is an achievement around
which cluster stories of daring plunges
Into almost impassable Amazonian for
ests, among wild beasts and venomous
serpents, and .through the lurking
places of still wilder men. Where
prowls the Jaguar, and where howling
monkeys Jabber from the skyward
pointing tops of century-old trees.
Where rolls the Amazon, the sea-river.
down-voyaging to the sea.
Here have hardy adventurers dared,
their lives and their machetes in their
hands, cutting a path through the
wildernesses, and carrying the fUtg of
commerce to the somber and gloomy
depths of the South American forests.
The bones of many a company have
blended with the ooze and slime of
those perilous fastnesses; the macaw's
and the cockatoo's bright plumage
flashes through vine-hung bowers
where they laid down to their last long
sleep. tfere tne silence, lr aoythlnir.
mourns for their untimely taking off.
But out through the sun-lit lands.
past meadow stretches and laughing
orchards, through reddening tints of
FIVE Were MAXWELLS Out
of the Entire Field of Ten Cars
Think of "What This "Means
In the Women's Endurance run to Philadelphia and return, Jan
nary 11 and 12, the Maxwell entries alone totalled up to as roan?
ears as all other competing makes combined. Of coarse, every Max
well finished.
It is simply because "What Every Woman Knows" who drives
a Maxwell that hers is a car upon which absolute dependence
can be placed so simple1 and easy to handle that it is the logical
car for the woman, and the man, too, who wants motoring with
the trouble left out.
ASK FOR
SOUVENIR
KEY RING
AT
MAXWELL
BOOTH
Model A Jr., $600
Model A Jr. 10 h. p $ 600
Model Ii D, 14 h. p 900
Model H D. 20 h. p..... 1600
Model D A. 30 h. p...., 1900
Model K A, SO h. p 1900
Model L D, Magneto Included
$900
Prices F. O. B. Portland.
PERFECTLY SIMPLE SIMPLY PERFECT
m
IMaxwell Agency
E. E. Cohen. Manager
SIXTEENTH AND AUTOMOBILE ROW
Model D A, Magneto Included
$1900
PHONES
Main 2563
A 4944
Portland. Oregon
field and woods, down dusty tangths of
highway and by-way. whirl tha swift
wherls of the Journeying: motors, cush
ioned by tires whose material has been
wrested from the towering forest of
tropical countries by the hands of the
knights of modem crusade.
It Is the culmination of the struggle
. . .
for perfection, the contest for super
iority which makes the white man the
victor over seeming Impossible diffi
culties, it is the story, and the ro
mance, of the automobile tire of today.
is a demand for the product which has
made the market price very high at
times,, although so indefatigable has
been the exploring of new rubber-pro
ducing countries that quite recently
there has been a great reduction in the
prices of the perfected automobile tire
of today.
It is significant that manufactories.
and large ones, are now devoting their
entire time and energy to manufactur
ing tires alone, which demonstrates the
proportions to which the business has
grown. Rubber tires for horse-drawn
vehicles are of course a portion of the
output, as well as similar tires for bi
cycles and motor-cycles; but the au-
Twelve Rules to Help Buyers
When you reach the show, go first to the Winton exhibit and secure a
copy of "Twelve Rules to Help Buyers." This booklet covers cars of all
makes, grades, sizes and prices and presents in the simplest language a
dozen methods of finding out what car will best serve your individual needs
We have also another booklet, "The Difference Between Price and
Value," which clearly explains why you save from $1000 to $1500
when you purchase a self-starting, sweet-running six-cylinder
Winton Motor Company, of Oregon
PORTLAND SALESROOM. SIXTEENTH AND AUTOMOBILE ROW
, A
CROWE AUTOMOBILE CO.
SIXTEENTH ANP ALDER STREET S
Oldsmobile,
Marmon and Overland
Motor Cars
We are just moving into our new salesroom, at the southeast comer Sixteenth and 'Alier streets,
and have now on exhibition a number of the different models of 1909 OLDSMOBDLES, and OVERLAND
ears, which we will be pleased to show to those who are interested. .
We have 4-cylinder ears, ranging in price from $1300, for our little model 20, four-passenger,
toy tonneau Oldsmobile, np. -
Come and see our Overland roadsters, 4-cylinder, 30 II. P., with magneto gas lamps, gas genera
tor and top, complete, for $1450, delivered in Portland. There is nothing like it at anywhere near
the price.
Onr first shipment of MARMON cars has been delayed, but will arrive Monday or Tuesday.
DON'T FAIL TO BEE THESE CABS. There is no better car built at any price. Only the verv
best of material and skilled workmanship go into the construction of these ears. The MARMON
people take pride in their reputation of never having turned out anything that was not strictly
first-class.
We have installed a well-equipped REPAIR SHOP and are in a position to take good care of
those buying cars from us, and also solicit general automobile repair work.
THE CELEBRATED STEARNS CAR IS ALSO SHOWN AT OTJR SALESROOM
Autos for French Army.
All sntomoMl ti Frunr. hihfr u1
for pleasure or business purposes. sr to
b controlled and registered In such a
way that they n-111 be ready for Incor
poration Into ths servlc of the, Army In
tlma of war. Every year, from January
1 to 15. according to a project which has
Just received the sanction of Parliament,
eTi"u of smmht!s Tn'lftt tv token.
FRICTION TRANSMISSION
MODELS "IT" AND "H.
Body Touring car and roadster
Seats touring car, five persons;
roadster, three persons.
Wheel Base Touring car, 103
in. roadster, 96 in.
Tires Touring car, 32x3i-in.
Roadster, 32x3 in.
Brakes Internal expanding.
Springs Semi elliptic.
Horse Power Touring car 23
24. Roadster, 18-20.
Bore Touring car, 5Vfc-in. Road
ster, 4 3-4-in.
Stroke Touring car, 4-in.
Roadster, 4-in.
Cylinders Double opposed.
Valve Arrangement In head.
Cooling Water, thermo syphon.
Ignition Jump . spark.
Current Supply Dry cells.
Lubrication Mechanical.
Gasoline Feed System Gravity.
Transmission Friction dise and
wheel.
Change Gear One lever on fric
tion wheel.
Drive Eneased chain in oiL
Price Roadster, $1000. Touring
car, $1350; f. o. b. Pontiaa,
Mich.
The Cartercar is a distinctive car; the ear for evcry-day nse. The
repairman's enemy. There are no gears to strip. No clutch to slip.
No water pump to clog. Transmission trouble is unknown. It is
so simple that a boy can run it as well as a man. Any blacksmith
can repair it.
If you buy a Cartercar you will be pleased. We carry cars in
stock and ill. demonstrate.
C. W. VAUGHAN
WITH REIERSON MACHINERY COMPANY
AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE
The Insurance Company of
North America
Issues a Most Comprehensive Automobile Policy Covering:
1 FIRE Arising from any cause whatsoever, including fire
originating within the machine.
2 THETT Including robbery and pilferage in excess of $25.00
by persons not in the employ of the assured.
NO RESTRICTION ON THE USE OR STORAGE OF GASOLINE
LOSSES REINSTATED WITHOUT ADDITIONAL PREMIUM
Hartman ? Thompson
General Agents.
Chamber of Commerce BoHdinc,
PORTLAND, OREGON