The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current, December 17, 1911, SECTION FOUR, Page 7, Image 57

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    THE SUXDAT OT?EGOXIAX, PORTLAND, DECE3IBER 17. 1911.
OLCOTT DEFINES
AUTOMOBILE LAW
t NEW BOOSTER FOR LITTLE CAR ARRIVES IN ROSE FAMILY
The Topic of the Day
r4
Each Demonstrating Car Must
Have Separate License,
Says Official.
SECTION OF LAW IS QUOTED
Secretary or Stale Kales That Deal
er Mast Apply for Number for
Each Machine That Is
Brought Into State.
SALEM. Or.. Dec. 1. (Special.)
That "demonstration numbers for
"'demonstration'" can are not Issuable
under the motor Tehlcle law. Is the
substance of a letter which has. been
sent by Secretary of State Ulcott to the
K.-M.-F. Northwest Company at Port
land. The company stated that It de
sired to use IS numbers for IMS. but
did not wish to give all the Informa
tion relative to cars required by law
i It would be Impossible to do so. as
from time to time demonstration cars
arc nsed and these numbers are de
sired for that purpose.
In reply Secretary Olcott says:
"Section 3 of the motor-rehlcle law
previdiair for the "registration of ve
hicles" requires every owner of a motor
vehicle In this state shall for each
vehicle owned cause an application for
r sl.trstlon. under oath, to be died, in
the office of the Secretary of State,
which application shall contain a brief
Inscription of the vehicle to be regis
tered. Including" the name of the manu
facturer, style or type of ear. factory
number, character of power, name, resi
dence and business address of owner,
with name of chauffeur. If not owner
who will drive the same. The bore
or diameter of cylinders. together with
the number of seats, color of body and
number of passengers have also been
asked for In the application. In order
that the horse power of the car may
be obtained, and further that the
motor vehicle registered may be readily
Identified from the description con
tained in the nir.l application.
"In the absence of provision for
Vemonstratlon' numbers. I am at a loss
to understand how a "number plate
Ixsued for a particular car can be law
fully transferred to another car with
out following strictly the formalities
provided In section S. as It Is further
prnvi.ied in section t or the act mat
' 'No person shall operate or drive a
notur vehicle unless such vehicle shall
Save the number plates assigned to It
or the Secretary of State conspicuous
ly displayed on the rear and front of
.iirh vehicle and It shall be unlawful
In display more than one registration
number upon the rear and front of
any vehicle, or any number which does
not entitle the holder thereof to op
erate such vehicle.
"As It Is specifically stated that It
shall be unlawful for any person to
operate or drive a motor vehicle un
less such vehicle shall have attached
the number plates assigned to It by
the Kecrelary of State upon the sworn
application therefor filed In his office. I
am of the opinion that the strict let
ter of the law will only be followed by
the registration of all cars which shall
be operated or driven In this state,
whether for business, pleasure or dem
onstration purposes. The proper and
ssfe course. It appears to me. la to
register the cars Immediately upon
their receipt In this state, affix, front
and rear, the number plates required,
and when said has been made, a-lve the
required notice of transfer as provided
In section f.
"As It still be observed from a reading
of section 3. before referred to. that
the re4inrementa as to registration are
mandatory, this department can only
make the registrations required there
tindersnd issue number plates upon
the sm-orn application for each motor
vehicle desired to be registered which,
contains the Information as provided In
said section.
HARM0NYRULESSESS10N
POVK OF rKACE HOVERS OVER
AVTO CXCB MEETING.
XCMBER OF RACE MEETS FALLS
Game Fast LosJnK Fascination for
Amateurs, and Dealers.
The past season has shown a la
mentable falling off In the number of
track races and hill-climbs when com
pared to previous years. ' Aside from
the number of track meets promoted
by a racing combination, there were
only 11 track meets held during the
season. There were only four "fit 11
climbs of any consequence. Of course
there was a surfeit of road races and
bis; event that taxed the manufac
turers' purse heavily, but when It rams
to the local events In which private
owners and local dealers participated
there were very few.
Louisville. Detroit, Pittsburg. Bos
ton, Cleveland, Hufralo. St Louis. Kan
sas City. Dallas. Tex.: Washington, p.
. and Providence, I"- I-. all itood rac
ins; towns a year a so. had no track
meets during the past season. There
were practically no races of any char
acter west of Kansas City, with the
exception of Los Aniteles and vicinity.
Of the three crest speedways In the
country. Indianapolis, Los Antteles and
Atlanta, the latter two virtually have
been abandoned and one race only a
year will be held at Indianapolis.
It Is rumored that the racins; com
bination which had a monopoly on
the game last year will have a rival In
11S. If this proves true the auto
mobile racing game will take on a
boom, so far as the number of meets
Is concerned. But It Is doubtful If the
manufacturers will participate In mors
than a (ew scattering track events.
Directors Discuss Proposed Club
house, but Fall to Come to
Definite Decision.
FORD IS RETURNED "VICTORY
ontel Board Drcldrs In Favor of
l-.lrl T In Protest Case.
Kruits of a brilliant victory denied
the Kuril model T on account of a pro
test a'ler tii. st car had carried off the
h..n.irs in the roadster class In the
f.Mir-.Uy reilnbllltv runs from St. Louis
to Kansas "ltv an I return last August
have Just been restored to the car. iji
a drclstou haniled down by the con
test board of the American Automo
bile Association. After completing the
run twice across the State of Missouri,
the "ford car had perfect road and tech
nical scores the only car In the road
ster class to show a clean slate at the
finish.
The Ford's victory was protested on
the ground that It had no right to
carry a muffler cut-out. nnr to have
Its steering gear wound with tape. The
referee allowed the protest and gave
the prtx te tnoiiiw car. which had
been penfc-llxed In the technical exam
ination. The case was carried to the
contest board of the American Auto
mobile Association. The bosrd. In re-
versing the decision of the referee, re
stores to the Model T the laurels of
victory sarned In one of the hardest
reliability contests of ths year.
Harmony ruled at the Friday meet
ing of the directors of the "Portland
Automobile Club. Petty bickerings
over the erection of the proposed club
house virtually have ceased and the
minority faction, opposed to the club
house, have decided to abide by the ma
jority vote. The directors unanimously
decided to send a circular letter to the
members of the club asking for an ex
pression of opinion In regard to the
building of the house.
The contention of O. K. Jeffery, one
of the three directors opposing the car
rying out of the plan the club had ad
vocated, that the club grounds are not
desirable. Is refuted by President Clem
ens and Henry Wemme. one of the
directors. Jeffery claims that the place
Is Infested with mosquitoes and that It
has been visited by a very small per
centage of the club members.
"At present there Is no life around
the grounds and no one t otake care
of the land. and. consequently, bad
conditions exist." says President Clem
ens. "But with the rubbish removed,
and the stagnant water drained off the
land, this pest soon would be done
away with. The site Is one of the most
Ideal around Portland and as evidence
of Its popularity among the members
of the club. It la always thronged with
motorists any Sunday during the Sum
mer. I sent a man out there last Sum
mer to keep tab on the number of ma
chines thst went Into the grounds. He
reported 160 on one occasion and 154
another time.
"One of the first acts the present
board of directors done was to send
out a circular letter saying that It was
the club's Intention to erect a club
house as soon as It had a sufficient
number of members. Kver since the
present officers were elected they have
been advocating the plan and have
secured several hundred new members
on the strength of It. And as long as
the majority of the directors have con
tinually voted In favor of It, there is
no reason why It should not be car
ried out.
The membership of the club has al
most doubled since the present board
took office and I think the increase
cams with' the understanding that a
clubhouse would be built. As to keep
ing It up, the club has a revenue of over
t;o0 a year and can well afford to
give Ha members something for their
money.
"It Is child's babble to talk of the
club building or even Improving roads.
What could be done with iiOOO a year
In the way of constructing highways?
It would be like throwing a load of
sand Into the ocean.
Objection has been made to tne
present grounds. There are few more
desirable locations in the county and
surely none thst can be purchased for
a reasonable figure. We own both
sides of the road, have a beautiful river
frontas-a and own the property, it is
not the plan of the directors to build
an elaborate house, nut one or mouesi
nronortlons. There Is no truth In the
assertion that we are going to throw
away an Immense amount of money.
"County authorities are supposea io
provide signs to guide the public over
the roads. They are willing to do this,
and there is no need of the club going
to that expense. As soon ss the map
showing the location of all road, In
Multnomah County Is finished. the
county officials will attend to the work.
-If Mr. Klggs and Mr. Jeffery. who
. rm ao active In opposing the
completion of the board's plan, had
evidenced their disapproval of the club
house when It first came up. there
might be some reason for listening to
their opposition. But they voted for
It. and Howard Covey was the only di
rector to balk at it from the first. His
objection has been consistent."
AUTO CHUG CHUGS
Pope-Hartford pleasure cars and the
Peerless and Chase trucks, for which
he Is the 1'nrth west distributer.
"British Columbia continues to be
good field for tne automobile dealers,
but Seattle Is still in a slump." said
Mr. Keats on his return. The Cans
dian agents are disposing of all the
cars they can get. The country trade
uround Seattle is about the only thing
that keeps up the Seattle automobile
business.
-
Robert P. Hooper, of Pennsylvania
was re-elected president of the Ameri
can Automobile Association at the an
nual meeting held In New York. Colo
nel Frank M. Joyce, of Minneapolis,
succeeded himself as first vice-presi
dent, white Laurens Enos. president of
the Automobile Club of Buffalo, tile
largest organization of Its kind In the
world, was selected as third vlce-presl
lent. Colonel Joyce la looked upon as
the logical choice for president at the
ffpxt annual meeting.
The Patterson Is l.ie latest automo
bile to be represented In the North
west. The Twltchell Motor Car Com
pany, of Portland, last week secured
the Oregon and Washington distribu
tion of this machine, which Is manu
factured by the W. A, Patterson Com
pany. The fnctory is at Flint, Mich.
There are two models of the Patter
son. 30 and 45-horsepower types. The
Patterson company long has been a
prominent figure In the wagon and
buggy field, and although the Patter
son automobile Is little known In the
West. It has sttnlned much popularity
In the Kast. The machines have been
on the market for four years. F. I
Kimball, the special factory represen
tative, signed the Twltchel company
while he was In th'.s city last week.
The self-starting Warren "40." which
la equipped with demountable rims and
an electric lighting system, has ar
rived In Portland. The demonstrator Is
now being used by J. E. Max on, the
Oregon agent of the Warren company,
who Is anxiously awaiting the arrival
of the first carload, so that he can
make deliveries. Ths Is the first 40
horsopower machine that the Warren
company has manufactured, and the
demonstrator Is the first car of Its
type to arrive in Portland.
The Stoddard-Dayton Auto Company,
Oregon representatl v. s of the Stoddard
Dayton. Pathfinder touring car and the
Federal truck, has moved into its new
salesroom on Washington street, be
tween King and Twenty-first streets,
lut company's old salesroom will be
continued as a garage.
Thomas Hutton. a farmer residing at
Elgl, Hurney County, purchased a Na
tional "40" from the Howard Automo
bile Company last week. Hoy S. Wil
son, one of the salesmen connected
with the Portland branch of the com
pany, delivered the car to Mr. Hutton
at Bend. Mr. Wilson drove the car
from The Dalles to Bend. He say
there Is considerable activity In the
automobile trade In that part of Cen
tral Oregon. Including Burns. Bend,
Redmond, Prinevllle and a great era
tributary thereto.
The Rose City Auto Company has
taken over the Oregon agency for the
Ohio electric
WHY does the Studebaker Corporation
spend millions of dollars in establishing and
maintaining branches all over the world when
they could sell every E-M-F "30" and Flanders
"20" they could build through distributers with
one-third the trouble ?
WHY do they spend a small fortune every
year with their agents under these branches,
educating and working with them (even to pay
ing their expenses for a trip to the factory) I
WHY does this same firm after educating its
branch agents go still further by sending ex
' perts direct from the factory into the territory
' to meet the people in their homes, not only those
who are going to buy, but those who have
bought? AND WHY are they the only manufacturers
of automobiles in the world to follow this policy?
SIMPLY BECAUSE they realize and have
demonstrated that the only way to build right,
sell right, and give owners the right kind of serv
ice is to have a personal acquaintance with them.
Every manufacturer guarantees his car, but
the Studebaker Corporation (E-M-F Factories)
is the only one to place themselves in personal
touch with each and every owner; and when they
advertise or agree to do a thing, are right on the
ground to back it up and MAKE GOOD.
Owners appreciate these facts, prospective
purchasers we believe can see the logic, and
results prove them. ;
The E-M-F Northwest Co.
Direct Branch
Studebaker Corporation
L. H. Rose, Manager
Chapman and Alder Streets, Portland, Oregon.
Phones A 2436, Main 5969
FANILY GAR IS POPULAR
HIGH GRADE OP CONSTRUCTION
HELPS CHEAP ACTOS. ,
GOLE TO USE NEW DEVICE
SELF-STARTER IS ADOPTED Bf
ANOTHER COMPANY.
ANKW model, to be handled exclu
sively by the Portland branch, has
made Its appearance In Studebaker cir
cles. It Is a self-starting Rose "eight
of the latest design, and since Its ar
rival here fcas created an Immense
popularity. The little youngster, an
eight-pound boy. was brn to Mr. and
I Mr. U, 11. Rose last !iinday. sini-e that
memorable dale eigm na Deen on ine
tip of ""l"spa" Rise's tongue continual
ly, and despite the fact that the Flan
ders and K-M-K are 20 and 10-horse-power
respectively, prospective pur
chasers have been led to believe they
have etglit cylinders, with all kinds of
power. Mrs. nose Is rapHly recovering
from the ordeal through which she
paseed.
, Keats, of tne Krat Anto Cnm
panv. has returned from a Irip which
took him through Southern British Co
lumbia and Western Washington in the
Interests of the Chalmers, Peerless and
Mechanical Cranker Rapidly Gain.
Ing Favor Wltb Leading Auto
mobile Manufacturers.
A self-starter and an electric-lighting
system have been added to the
Col cars manufactured by the Cole
Motor Car Company, of Indianapolis.
The mechanical cranker adopted Is an
Invention of the Preet-O-Llte Com
pany, of the same city, while the light
ing system is that of the- Ward-Leonard
Klectric Company, of New York.
This move on the part of the Cole
manufacturers, it Is said. Is the fore
runner of numerous announcements
that will be made by automobile man
ufacturers within the near future that
similar additions have been made In
connection with their product.
The self-starter question Is one that
has given automobile engineers much
study. It has ben a subject that is
more or less complicated and the auto
mobile manufacturers have been rather
slow In adopting the device for fear
that Its practicability stage has not
been fully developed
The Prest-O-Llie self-starter now on
the market was adopted only after the
most rlald te-ts. In which the motors
of the Cole. National. Sluts. Stoddard
Payton and other factories were used.
Its efficiency Is guaranteed by the
automobile makers, as are all the self
starters Included as part of the equip
ment of the various makes of motor
cars.
The self-starter Is admitted by all
dealers to be the reigning sensation of
the automobile mart. Its popularity is
wide-spread, and that its universal use
will come within the next two years Is
the unanimous opinion expressed by
automobile men. The announcement of
the Cole company Is only more proof
of the contention that Its acceptance Is
Inevitable and that before the 191S
models are announced half the cars
made will be sold wltuthe- modern
crsnking device. . "
Tendency to Recognise Motor Car as
rtility Vehicle Cause of
Growing Popularity.
Current motor car buying shows a
pronounced trend toward the family
touring car. Never before has there
been such a strong' general preference
for cars of this type. Recent activity
In the selling field has been featured
by a greater percentage of family sales
than any of the old-established agents
ever have experienced.
Two distinct factors have been ob
served in explanation. One is the In
creasing tendency to regard the auto
mobile as an inseparable part of home
life and the other Is the element of
price.
It is well known that tne market
ovement in the popular priced divi
sion has been affected by many new
models embodying higher standards of
value for a given cost and. in soma
cases, lower prices for a given value.
The result was that models which were
known as family touring cars, sold for"
approximately 11500.
Comnetltlon. naturally, figured in the
changing conditions, but the chief
change has been due to economies in
purchasing, manufacturing s.nd selling,
achieved by a few representative mak
ers. ' Now a different complexion has been
given to" this particular market by the
appearance of a car which meets every
requirement of power, passenger capa
city, style and price. This Is the Max
well Mascotte, the latest product of
the United States Motor Company. It
is a 25-horsepower car, fully measur
ing up to the standards of Maxwell
predecessors.
The production and sale of this
model on a large scale Is certain to be
felt by the dealers In popular priced
cars. Then, also, the influence of the
GUdden tour will figure In the situa
tion because that contest was won by
the low-priced Maxwell cars In com
petition with cars of much higher
price and power. This victory empha
sised the reliability of popular-priced
cars and while It particularly benefits
the Maxwell line, the whole low-priced
division is Riven a better standing.
Dealers now declare that a great
deal of caution is being shown by pur
chasers. They are making the most
careful comparison of details as well
as the general mechanical features, at
ths same time making certain that the
manufacturing company is one of in
tegrity and financial responsibility.
This Indicates that the selection of cars
will be made with greater discrimina
tion than ever.
OREGON TO HAVE TRCCK PITA XT
Motor Vehicle to Be Manufactured
in Springfield.
Springfield. Or., has been selected s
one of the first towns in the Northwest
for the msnufacture of automobile
trucks. The Springfield Autotruck Com.
pany has -been organised with a capi
tal stock of $20,000. Welby Steveas.
Mayor of Springfield. Is president;
James I Clark, secretary: .George W.
Perkins, treasurer, and F. D. Tosjr,
manager.
Mr. Tower, who has been connected
with the manufacture of automooiles
for a number of years, will be entrusted
with the management of the new con
cern, the ordering of the necessary fac
tory equipment and general organiza
tion. Mr. Tower came to Springfield from
Detroit, Mich., and recognized it as one
of ths fastest growing towns of ths
state. He declares that it is possible
to build motor trucks much cheaper
here than they can be built In the East.
In order to try out the proposition, a
temporary factory will be erected im
mediately. If the scheme proves a pay
ing one, a permanent factory will be
built.
At the present only part of the motor
truck can be constructed in Bpringueia.
but even on this basis the work can ho
done for much less than It costs in the
East, declares Mr. Tower.
Twenty of the leading business men
of Springfield are said to be Interested
in the new concern.
EASTERN OREGON TRADE GOOD
State Agents Planning for Big In
crease' In Business for 1912.
Eastern Oregon rapidly is forging to
the front as a good field for automobile
dealers, is the word brought to Port
land by Mel O. Johnson, manager of
the Portland branch of the Howard Au
tomobile Company, which has the Pa
oiflo Coast distribution for the National
and the Bulck. Mr. Johnson spent a
week in Eastern Oregon and Southern
Idaho, making a visit to Boise.
"Prospects for the season of 1912 for
the automobile trade are mosi nanering
In and about Pendleton and La Grande,"
says Mr. Johnson, "and. the dealers are
planning for an extensive business. The
same thing obtains 'in Southern Idaho.
The automobile men did little business
there during the past year, but they are
looking for a prosperous season In 1912.
"A number of substantial Improve
ments have been made or are contem
plated In the Immediate future through
out Eastern Oregon. A new garage
and repair shop has been opened in
Pendleton under the title of the Oregon
Motor Company. Mr. Smith, the Ford
agent at La Grande, has plans drawn
for a new garage, and a second one will
be built Immediately after the first of
the year in that city.'
"A creditable piece of roadbullding
has been done in Baker County, Oregon.
The old road leading from Baker City
to Huntington has been re graded and
greatly Improved. The road passes
through, a mountainous country and
follows down the Burnt River Canyon
from Pleasant Valley to Huntington, al
most paralleling the O.-W. R. A N. line.
"The roadbed has been placed In ex
cellent condition, and a number of steel
bridges have been built, eliminating the
former numerous fords of Burnt River."
CXIQtE MOTOR TRUCK BUIIT
Problem of Speedy Loading and Un
loading Is Solved.
Unique features In motor truck body
construction are found In a four-ton
Sampson recently bought by the Shev-lln-Carpenter
Lumber Company, of
Minneapolis. This vehicle was designed
to solve the problem of speedy loading
and unloading of lumber. It Is equipped
with smooth "idling" rollers to support
a load of lumber and a pair of corru
gated "live" rollers, by means of which
the load slides back over the tall end
and is . dumped.
These rollers are operated by cranks,
and when not In action are prevented
from turning by a set of ratchers.
There are binding hooks on the sides
of the body, which Is of the stake plat
form type, with a fence behind the
driver's seat for protection. The wheel
base was lengthened 18 Inches beyond
the standard 172. The body Is IS feet
long.
Bridge Is Link in Highway.
OLTMPIA. Wash., Dec 16. (Spe
cial.) Another connecting link In the
proposed Pacific Highway, running
from Tla Juana, Mex.. to Hazleton,
B. C. will be established when the
new bridge across the Skagit River,
where it is intersected by state road
No. 6, Is constructed. Skagit County
has credited to the highway fund of
the stats $35,000 as its share of the
CHRISTMAS
SUGGESTIONS
FOR
MOTOR
CAR
OWNERS
THERMOS
BOTTLES
LUNCH
BASKETS
BATTERY '
LAMPS
CIGAR
LIGHTERS
GLOVES
WOOL MITTENS
CAPS
HATS
GOGGLES
RAINCOATS
STORM COATS
REAR SIGHT
SPEEDOMETERS
HEATERS
ATJTO ROBES
AUTO TRUNKS
LI
Esimm .i 8i;.f jirywiii,;isiiisi'itWMiiist
mlnJnnianiiifB i. 1iTn.'.""'-"i'''i' i" ' i
Come in and let us help you select some
practical gifts. No trouble to show goods.
Everything the best quality.
PRICES THE LOWEST
Western .
Hardware & Auto
Supply Co.
SEVENTH AND PINE, i.. Portland, Or.
cost of construction as provided by a
law passed at the 1911 Legislature. The
other half of the expense will be borne
by the state, and the State Highway
Commissioner will designate the loca
tlon of the bridge as Boon as an en
gineering force which Is to bs sent
out makes its report.
FITTED TOItBT 'ROIXS'ASD CARDS
in great variety at Harrle' Trunk Ktg
Co., ISO Sixth.
Let Us Show You
Just what it is costing owners in
Portland and vicinity to operate
and maintain their
KELLY TRUCKS
The figures will surprise you but
we will refer you to the owners
themselves as to their accuracy.
Built In IVi, 2Va. S1 and 4ya-ton models.
NEATE & McCARTY, Inc.
694 Washington Street. Phones, Main 6374, A 7577.
White Motor Car Co.
Motor Trucks and
Touring Cars.
ALL SIZES
Corner 19th and Washington Sts.
LOOK UP ITS EECOED
UNITED AUTO COMPANY
634 Alder St. Phones Main 4337, A 7171
Maxwell Columbia Sampson Truck