TIIE SUNDAY OREGONIAN, PORTLAND, DECEMBER 17. 1911.
MANY NEW LINES DISPLAYED IN LATEST AUTOMOBILES TO ARRIVE IN PORTLAND.
".'it'-
a' -i V ' ,
SAVANNAHTHROUGH
WITH AUTO RACING
Disastrous Result of Recent
Meet Causes Georgians to
Make Decision.
CALIFORNIA MAY GET PLUM
Oldfleld Pwdlcta Gigantic Merger or
Automobile Manufacturing In
terrt aa Rsalt of
Studehakrr Poller.
BY PARSE! OLDnEI.n.
Copyright. 1:11. firn.y Oldfl:t.)
Where will the Vanderbllt cup and
the (rand prise races be run in
The reaaon thla question haa arlRen
In my mind and will, without doubt,
be aaked throughout motoring circlet
borUy, la because there la little
chance that there will be a racing car
nlral In or near Savannah next rear.
This news win surprise many well
posted automoblllitts who have consid
ered that the hustllim Ucorgtana solver
the road-racing; problem when they
provided an excellent course. and
promised that visitors would be fairly
treated during the carnival period. The
real reason there will not be a 1911
race near Savannah Is that with all the
rouging- and overc-hai-glna- the citizens j
snu DUBiufii concerns were g"UIlty or.
the recent meet lost a lot of money and
up to date there has hen no scramble
between the members of the automo
bile club or business organizations to
aee who would put tho amount of the
deficit.
The first week I mas In Savannah
thlnics went fine. It waa two weeks
before the ractna dates. But as soon
as the crowds began pourlna- In. rates
for hotel accommodations soared sky
high and restaurants put out new bills
of fare on which the prices were
trebled In many Instances. Newspaper
writers, usually nrot?ted by reception
committees, were "stuns;" Just aa hard
as the most hapless victim. Nine-tenths
of the visitors went away from the
town declaring- they would never re
turn. -
I remained In Savannah for almost
a week after the grand prize race and
am qualified to spel: of the manner
In which the different automohile club
officials who posed In tne spotlight be
fore and during the races, are now
trying to "pass tho buck" to each
other, since-tne meet was a big finan
cial failure. m
"We've had enouah racing" Is the
popular cry In Faranoah.
"We've had enough of Savannah" la
the cry of the rarlnc drivers and en
trants who were hel.l up for rent for
training camps and supplies.
.
I endeavor to give my readers ad
vance Information whenever possible.
From an authoritative source comes
news that Los Angeles Is going to
make a strong bid for the two racea
next year. A Los Angeles enthusiast
purchased the car which Bruce-Brown
drove to victory In the grand prize.
Thla man wired to the Coat there was
a chance to have the two great races
awarded the Santa Monica course for
next year. A reply reached him a few
hours later to the efret that the Cali
fornia sportsmen would raise any rea
sonable amount of moaey necessary to
stage the races and would guarantees
that there would be no hold-ups in
their dealings with visitors.
I am strongly In favor of the grand
prize race going to Los Angeles, but
the Vanderbllt event should stay In
the East. In the first place. It Is a
moat unwise plan to pull the two races
off less than two montha apart. In the
second place, the name of Vanderbllt.
which spells magle In portions of the
East, does not mean anything to the
people of the West. The Vanderbllt
race should either be abandoned alto
gether or be assigned to Philadelphia
to be run In conjunction with the
Falrmount Park rare or over the Fair
mount course as the Vanderbllt cup
race.
There Is no questioning the fact that
there are far too many racing events.
It should be a survival of the fittest
Philadelphia haa shown that It can run
a big road race In an almost perfect
manner. New York has shown clearly
that It cannot do the same. It should
simply be a question of whether or not
the Quaker City crowd would accept
the Vanderbllt trophy In place of their
Founder'a trophy.
.
In every mall I receive at least one
query aa to whom 1 consider the cham
pion driver of America. Of course, I
have my own opinion aa to the driver
1 believe to be the best and moat con
slstent of them all. but I realise that
my readers do not want my opinion
on the subject, but rather they are ask
ing me to decide which driver haa made
the best all-around record during the
past year.
The year which Is about to end has
produced many champions, all of them
occupying the spotlixht for a ahort
length of time. "W:ld Bob" Burman
came to the front In March as the sen
sational performer In the straightaway
beach record trfxla. Then Burman
stopped for quite a while, only com
ing up now and then with a spectacu
lar drive on mile horse tracks. While
Burman Is unquestionably the most
apectacular and riarlnir driver for short
distance and exhibition races, he has
failed to win even a place In the all
around championship of the year.
Kay Harroun. when he won the 125.
ot Indianapolis sweepstakes event on
May 30, waa proclaimed the greatest
of them all. Then Harroun retired
from the racing game and. of course,
be cannot be accepted aa the all
around champion.
...
len Zengte won the Elgin Road
Hace In August, but aside from a
transitory lot of handshakes 1 pre
dictions for his great future, Zrngle
failed to win another bl race.
Harvey Herrick. the Callfomlan.
won tbe Santa Monica Koad Race
against a fairly representative lot of
drivers snd broae the world s record In
a race at a distance short of the ac
cepted Idea of ti-.e length of a road
contest. Herrick also won a roal race
at Bakersfield, Cal.. on July 4. but the
class of his opponents was below the
standard anil the race waa of such a
local character that It snould not
count. Herrick a. so won a desert aand
plur.ge from Los Ar.geles to Phoenix.
Aria . and wht.e thla was a most grill
ing event from a standpoint of en
durance. It should hard.y be dignified
by te name of a race.
In California, however, they would
protab.y lynch anyone who chanced to
question t.-ie claim that HerrUk la the
champion of the world.
Ervin Berg lull, a wealtriy lad of
Philadelphia, vim the Kairmotinl Park
race after a great drive, but Berg-doll
hlmeelf would hardly claim the cham
pionship title. Then Muiford won the
Vanderbllt against a great field.
i s
Mjeso-o cow I 11 HVi! Ai . ' - "
laB-.'-..-'Jm 'au-JUJSBr-
Bruce-Brown drove in the Indianapolis
sweepstakes race and the Vanderbllt.
He did not win either. But he won the
grand prize for the second time. So,
there Is the lot of winners for the
year. It Is certainly hard to dope any
one of them aa the champion.
While my readers are trying to fig
ure out which driver they want to
crown with the laurel wreath. I am go
ing to whisper a word or two about my
pick of the drivers of the country.
Ralph de Palma Is the fellow I con
sider the best all-around driver of
them all. be Palma failed to wtn a
single big race of the year, but his
seconns and thirds in many big races.
coupled with his greet and consistent
driving on the dirt traeka. give nim.
In my mind, points enough to win titu
lar honors.
De Palma Is a thrifty soul. At lesst
a dozen times thla past year he haa
driven care which had no chance to
win. But Ralph got his retainer and
did the best he knew how. De Palma
wss close up at Indianapolis. In the
Vanderbllt and In the Grand Prize. He
won almost all the track races in
which he started and holds a big- ma
jority of the circular track records.
The announcement a week ago that
one of the largest automobile manu
facturing concerns In the country, do
ing most of Its business direct with
retail purchasers from Its own branch
houses, will henceforth sell automo
biles on the Installment plan, came
as a flash from a clear aky to the ma
jority of dealers and manufacturers In
the trade.
Owing to the standing of the cor
poration and the Immense number of
cars Its factories turn out, there can
be no meaning; other than that other
makers will have to come to the same
basis of trading with the carbuyer. For
years the automobile business has been
conducted along lines nothing short
of arbitrary. No matter how highly
concern waa rated, it had to pay a
deposit on a future season'! order.
even where the machines purchased
were yet unbuilt. It was only a ques
tion of time before the end would
come to such a policy. Competition is
now too great and there are too many
dealers In the field. It costs too much
to sell a car. Concentration of dis
tributing methods will have to come.
Cars must be sold to men who either
have not the ready money to plank
down for an automobile, but who are
able to meet monthly payments on a
moderate-priced car.
The announcement In question will
hasten the formation of a glgantlo
merger of the biff automobile factories
of this country. Wall street haa fur
nished money at times for many more
manufacturers. The "sure-thing' fi
nanciers will soon become aroused to
the crisis of the selling situation and
then the formation of a huge automo
bile trust Is aure to follow. Too many
millions are tied up In the manufac
ture of automobiles to permit individ
uals to dictate the selling policy of
so great an Industry. Combinations
have always taken place In other vast
manufacturing lines, and one is cer
tain to occur before a year passes In
the automobile Industry.
(rntralla Realty Gets Roomi
CCNTRAUA. Wash, Dec. I Spa
clal).lt ia evident from the plans and
speclflcatlona for the new passenger
depot In Centralla that the cost will be
a great deal mere than the original
150.000 estimate. The beginning of ac
tual work on the depot has already
made Its influence felt In the real es
tate field In Centralla. and the price
of downtown property haa isen IS per
Cent during the last- few days. The
monthly payroll of the Seattle concern
awarded the building contract will be
approximately 11500. ,
v ' VAX i
m -Jin J -Ch -A - i J
y C -Tlx -""J
my go up
Continual Addition of New
Features Is Cause.
AUTOS NOW AT LOW FIGURE
Public's Demand for Something New
Each Year Must End In Man
ufacturers Getting More
Money, Says Dealer.
"Glancing over a Hat of the equip
ment furnished by the average auto
mobile manufacturer with 1911 modela,
one cannot help but wonder bow the
motor-car buyer of five years ago took
his machine and was glad to get It,"
says V. W. Vogler. Northwest distribu
ter of the Reo and Apperson. "Radi
cal changes in the construction of the
mechanical end of the automobile have
taken place since it emerged from a
dreamer's fancy to a stern and Im
portant factor in the world's progress.
Vet these changes are as nothing com
pared with the 'nxin's' that oome with
the well-made automobile of today.
The transformation of thla phase of
the Industry perhaps Is more notice
able because It is in plain sight, while
the mechanical features are closed
from view.
"Your modern automobile comes
from the factory equipped with nu
merous little luxuries entirely un
known to the motorist who enjoyed bis
Joy Jaunts In an antiquated car, when
automobile manufacturing waa In Its
swaddling clothes. The people of that
day paid far more money for a ma
chine than Is charged now, and the
product they got would bs scorned by
the 1911 purchaser.
Accessories Are Provided.
"Mohair top, fitted with a covering
to protect It from the duat when It is
folded up and not In use; wind shield,
speedometer, prest-o-llte tank, de
mountable rims; head llghta and side
lights, a heavy coco mat for the floor
of the tonnesu, a full kit of tools, robe
rail and foot rail, tall light, bulb horn
and a complete kit of toola for the re
pair of tires, are aome of the Import
ant accessories that the automobile Is
fitted with before It leaves the sales
room. "In marked contrast with the new
code of things waa the system in vogue
a few yeara back. In those days tbe
customer frequently even had to pay
extra for aide and tall llghta, and In
variably had to stand the cost of the
rest of the little incidentals that en
hance the pleasure of motoring. But'
now all that la done away with. The
purchaacr does not have to stand the
heavy cost of fitting his machine with
these thlnxs. It Is all attended to be
fore he buys the car. i .
"And then aome people persist In
saying that the price of automobiles
haa not underwent the cut that it
should have. It la true that the actual
figures have not been lowered a great
deal; In fact, in some lnstancea, they
have been raised. But look at the qual
ity of material and the grade of con
struction that one gota today. There
la where the big cut haa coma In. The ,
PRICES
cheap machine now turned out la of
far greater value than the car that
sold for 12000 and $3000 five years ago.
The improvements made in construc
tion and selection of material In that
time are so numerous that It would
take columns to enumerate them.
Prices Mar Be Raised.
"Unless some motive power Is dis
covered that will prove cheaper than
a gasoline engine, you can look for no
further lowering in the price of ma
chines. Any one familiar with the au
tomobile industry knows full well that
the rock - bottom price has been
roached. It is safe to aay that there
la aa much money lost as there is made
in the manufacture of automobiles.
Better construction Is demanded year
after year; finer quality of material
and more artistic body designs, Is the
hue and cry of the public And that
same public does not want to pay for
it, it Is demanding something that it
expects for nothing. Because of this
there are very few automobile manu
facturing conoerna paying dividends.
"Our business has reached such a
stage that It would not be a great
Christmas Suggestions
USEFUL, PRACTICAL PRESENTS
Automobile Plush Robes) - All Styles
Steamer Rugs ------ All Colors
Blankets - -- -- -- - All Prices
Miniature Frm Wagons for the Boys
An Acceptable Holiday Gift
Studebaker Bros. Co., Northwest
330 East Morrison Street
PENNSYLVANIA VACUUM CUP TIRES 1Jp-
f pery streets are
1 THE BEST NON-SKID tires IN THE WORLD.
They will not skid in any direction
and are guaranteed for 4000
miles actual service.
A. J. WINTERS CO., Agents
67 6th Street, Bet. Oak and Pine
Auto Supplies
Auto
MOTORCYCLES
INDIAN AND EXCELSIOR
BALLOU & WRIGHT, 80-82 Seventh Street, Cor. Oak
Bob ten
Burman
says :
"Polarine Oil is
the best ever.'
Indianapolis, Ind,
May 29. 1911
"Standard OS Company:
At my first trial today I broke all
workfs speedway records from quartet
to one mile Time for quarter-mile,
8.16 seconds; hiii-mile, 16.63 seconds;
kilometrcv 21.41 seconds; mile, 35.35
seconds. Used your Polarise Oil. a
always. It is the best ever.
Bob Burman."
World's straightaway records
made with
y.TI . ITS TLJ.ffct rS
KHecMtr 1S.88
Mil SS.40
Two mil 61.26
141.73 miUs per komr
Leo It far tbe Aal. CtxnrmMnl Polmnae cu
tlloi mmd iMM-tallott mix. It ju iua ia
the tool-box.
FoUnne aUocoartesia tiroIloo ctUM. lf
brmeH 4Urd buTek.
Standard Oil Company
(bwofpormtod )
surprise to those on the 'inside' to see
prices gradually raise before very long.
Foolish competition will wear out;
when certain companies come to a
realisation that it is hard to make a
success of the work, they will back
out. Then it will be left to the se
lected few who thoroughly understand
the business. And in this elimination
period a veritable 'survival of the fit
test' test it would not surprise us
much if the increase besan to come.
The raise, if any is made, will come in
the medium-priced cars those be
tween 1100.1 and KaOO. It is different
with the high-priced product. ThOBe
manufacturers do not have to give the
value for money received that others
do, and with their big leeway of profit
there Is no occasion for them to boost
the price."
ACTO IS PUT TO XOVEIj WORK
Electric Lighting; System. Furnishes
Lights for Sickroom.
The loss of many lives may be traced
to the automobile, judging from the
many casualties reported in the daily
papers, while occasionally one reads of
the motor car being instrumental In
the savlne; of lLres. Usually this ia
done by record-breaRIng runs In which
valuable time has been soved.
Dr. T. B. Noble and Dr.- A. C. Kim
berlln, two of the most prominent phy
sicians In the Middle West, are using
their Premier cars in a new and origi
nal way in their practice, and It Is be
lieved other physicians In all parte of
the country will copy their methods
By the use of an electrical apparatus
they provide their own lights for the
sick rooms In which they minister to
patients and In many instances they
have been provided with perfect light
In houses that were deficient In this re
spect. Both - Dr. Noble and Dr. Kimberlin
drive six-cylinder roadsters, both of
which are equipped with an electric
lighting system. Plug sockets for
two lights have been fastened on the
dash. To these are attached wires of
any length. These wires are passed
through a window or door Into the
sickroom. One of the wires Is attached
to a globe and shade that fastens
around the neck of the physician,
while the other is attached to a hand
light similar to those used in repairing
automobiles, and is carried by a nurse
or an attendant.
It is surprising, according to the
physicians, how many houses are Inade
quately lighted. Many of the best
houses that are lighted by electricity
do not have lights near the sick bed.
The new lighting system Is particularly
valuable In lnstancea of this kind and
where lights are poor Drs. Noble and
Kimberlin would be pleased to see all
physicians use a lighting system of
thin Kind.
Portland, Oregon
Tire and Tuba Repairing
Massy bootis
FOR CHRISTMAS
Archer & Wiggins Co.
NORTHWEST CORSER SIXTH AD OAK STREETS
Auto and Sporting Goods
BALL008 WRIGHT
Largest Stock
Automobile Accessories
M. & W G. & J. and Hartford
Tires, Monogram Oils
80-82 SeTenth St, Cor. Oak. Portland, Or.
Atterbury Truck
Columbia Carriags & Auto Works, Agts,
209-211 Trout Street. Phone Main 2892.
General Anto Repairing. Bodies and Wheels Built to Order.
BOWSER
Braly-Du Bois Auto Co.
IMMEDIATE DtLiVERY
Phones A 3881, Main 4880 31-33 N. 19th, Near Washington
Crowe
Sixteenth and
RAMBLER STUTZ
MAIS TRUCK (Gear Driven)
The Best American-Made Truck
Distributers for Oregon and Southern Washington.
Iole Unit Power Plants Patterson
$ 1 885.
All Part
T WrrCHELLi MOTOR CAR CO, 16th and Washington
Phonea Mala 6468, A S20&
FORD
Ford Motor
A. J. Edwarda, See. and Her. E. 8ta nd
i&M$$fflttt' TIRES
Vnlcanlxlnc Retreadln. R. E. BLODGETT, 29-81 N. 14h.
THE AMERICAN
1913 UIVDERSLl'NO.
A Car for the Dlaerlmlnatlna- Few The Safeat Car on Earth.
GARAGE STORAGE fiEPAimNG.
Nob Hill Garage & Auto Co., Inc.
690-98 Kearner Bt, Between Twenty-Mret and Twentr-aeeoad.
APPEESON
NORTHWEST AUTO CO.
DISTRIBUTORS
F. W. VOGLER, President
Fifteenth and Alder Sts. Phones Main 7179, A 4959.
PREER CUTLERY & TOOL CO.
Headquarters for
and Automobile Tools
74 SIXTH AND 311
Schacht Motor Gar Co.
COMMERCIAL AND PLEASURE CARS
COR. FIFTH AND HOYT STS.
Our Motto: "Quality and a Square Deal"
Western Hardware & Auto Supply Co.
SEVENTH AND PINE STREETS ,
Vulcanizing, Hardware and Auto Supplies-
Phones: Main 8828. Home A 2016.
Aobura Motor Car Co.
EOBT. SIMFSOtf, Mgr.
5057 Burnside Street
A 7339. Main 2674.
GASOLINE and OIL TANKS
STORAGE SYSTEMS FOR PUBLIC) AA'D PRI
VATE GARAGES,
S. X. Stoddard. Art.. 308 Colum bla Bids. Mala 1-aTfl
Auto Co.
Alder Streets
MARION
K-R-I-T
$ 1250.
Enclosed
JOHN DEERE PLOW CO.
Northwest Distributors,
EAST MOEBISON AND SECOND STS.
Phones: E. 3SS7, B 1625.
The car that comes folly equipped
Best for the Money
Car Agency
Hiwtkorne Avenue. Phone Eaat 648.
Main 7005.
J.W.LEAVITT&CO.
Tom A. Deerina-, Mutt.
528-531 Waahlnft-ton St.
Dlatrtbutor for
Oreson, Washington, California
and Nevada.
STEARNS
EE0
Shop Supplies
OAK STREETS