I
THE SUNDAY OR EGO XI AX. PORTLAND, MARCH 13, 1914.
THE OREGQNIAN 10
OBTAIN ROAD DATA
Auto Editor to Publish "What
Average Motorist Wants to
Know" About Highways.
HAPPY MEDIUM PLANNED
Ke-gular " Information Will Be Ob
tained From Residents Regarding
Conditions of Thoroughfares.
Weekly Feature Idea.
For the benefit of the general motor
ing public The Oregronian will under
take to supply' week by week In the
columns of the automobile section ab
solutely straightforward data on all
the main roads around the city. It will
contain Just what the average motorist
wants to know and not a miscellaneous
collection of matter that tells him noth
ing at all.
Once every week, wet or fine, the
automobile editor will Bet out in his
"road information" car to collect in
formation. He will take roads and
trips starting: with those that are about
15 miles in length or 30 for the round
trip, such, for example, as a run to
Oregon City and back. Once these short
two-hour trips are exhausted, he will
continue with longer one6, until by the
time the usual holidays have begun the
motorist will have at his command in
formation on some 20 routes. -
What is more, he will arrange with
some reliable man along each route to
furnish The Oregonian each week with
information as to the state of the road
along which he travels regularly. In
this way there will be published short
comments every week as to where re
pairs are being carried on, whether
any bridges ha.ve been washed out or
destroyed, where to expect heavy go
ing, any alternative route that is tem
porarily in better condition, and so
forth.
The trouble, heretofore, has been
that information as to the different
roads has come from varied sources.
What is a good road to the hardened
tourists, to the man for Instance who
has traveled across the continent, is a
mighty unsatisfactory road for the
average city motorist, who is looking
for nothing but a pleasant run for his
family.
The automobile editor will endeavor
to strike the happy medium. Jlis in
formation always will be of the same
nature, so that people who traverse one
of the routes lie has been over can
form their own judgment of the others.
In other words, he will put himself in
the position of the average motorist:
he will not expect to find always
smooth going, but he will not say a
road is bad just because it is not as
smooth as a boulevard.
Here is the main information that he
will endeavor to collect:
1. Cxact distances to and between
given points.
2. Clear warnings of what turns and
forks to avoid.
3. The average running time.
4. Gasoline consumption.
5. Places where gasoline, etc., may
be secured, with prices charged.
6. Places along the route, if any,
where food and water may be ob
tained. 7. Places of interest along or near
the road.
8. Alternative return routes.
9. Photographs of the trip.
3 0. Map of the road.
The trips will increase in length from
15 to 200 friiles, and those who follow
them will find a trip for each week
that will take them away into Septem
ber. This is by far the most extensive
information ever attempted in this city
by any newspaper for the benefit of
the general motoring public.
CHAINS CALLED USELESS
J. W, FLEMING SAYS ONLY VALUK
IS IN DEEP SNOW.
Agent Comments On Wear and Tear of
Tire Where Protection la Used
Educational Campaign On.
"Chains are useless on any car ex
cept when deep snow or mud la en-"
countered," is the doctrine of J. W.
Fleming, manager of the local branch
of the Firestone Tire & Rubber Com
pany. Talking along the lines laid down
by his company in its campaign of
education, Mr. Fleming declares: "Many
motorists seem to feel that the rattling
and banging of the chains as they clat
ter against the fenders provide a sort
of immunity against skidding. The
fact of the matter is that most of
these people never think of the terrific
wear and tear which tires receive as
a result of the chains grinding back
and forth on the tread. Often I have
seen a practically new tire with the
tread almost torn from the oarcass as
a result of using- chains.
"Of course, it is possible that some
of these people who are slaves to
chains have never ridden on a real
non-skid tire. A tire which beard a
pattern on the tread la not necessarily
a good non-skid. Tires with non-skid
letters on the tread, clutch and grip
slippery surfaces with a surety which
defies the demon 8kid himseTr. The
letters, and the hollows between, on
these tires form an element of grip
and clutch which prevents skidding
sideways, or forward, after aplying
brakes. '
"And then, too, - in connection with
this question of chains, it should be
remembered that chains are not al
ways at hand when you want them. If
you start out on a little trip, you can
not tell just when you are going to
run into rainy weather or slippery go
ing. If. you equip with tested and
proved non-skid tires before you start,
you will be ready for any kind, of
road rough, smooth, slippery or
whatnot."
IU.L IXTKHCITY RECORD MADE
San Francisco Runs to Snn Jose on
. Low Gear Little "Ghs" Used.
Automobile records between San
Francisco und San Jose and return
have been mude frequently during the
last few years, but a new kind of in
tercity record was established recently
by a Franklin Six-Thirty, which made
the 110 miles on low gear in nine hours
and 26 minutes, and at, the same time
set an economy record, using but 124
3allon.s of gasoline to negotiate the
journey.
The route covered is fully 95 per cent
level road, so that the motor was pull
ing all the time. The motor was left
running at San Jose fur 45 minutes
while the parties were at lunch. The
car Is geared at 12.47 on low and 3.71
on the direct drive on high gear. This
means that the car in this test traveled
:in equivalent of 388 miles on high, or
ut an average of -47 miles an hour on
THE 0R3Q0NIAN WILL OBTAIN INFORMATION TOR MOTORISTS
tttts YEAR REGARDING ROADS AROUND PORTLAND
fffr 1 S vly i I
ijjf vjjis
iff . (0&ALS4
MAP SHOWING SOME OF THE PRINCIPAL TRIPS THE OREGONIAN ROAD
INFORMATION CAR WILL TAKE.
the direct gear. The motor was also
allowed to pifll on all down grades.
The car was driven by W. D. Wallace,
sales manager of the John F. McLain
Company, of San Francisco. -
-
BOY 13 BUILDS AUTOMOBILE
Cliehalis Lad Uses Boxes and Home.
Made Kngine in Real Car.
CHEHAX.IS, Wash., Maroh 14..-(Spe-cial.)
Emil lange, the lS.year-old son
of R. C. Lange, of this city, has re-,
cently completed the building of an
automobile that is a success. Using
some small grocery and dry goods
boxes for the body, some small Iron
wagon wheels from a ooy s wagon ior
the runnlncr sear and an engine of his
own make with a capacity of 2 horse
power, young Lange has made an auto
mobile that is the envy of the rest of.
his friends.
The eneine works successfully and
with apparent safety and develops all
the Bpeed needed to propel the driver
along the streets. A hammer, saw,
jaukknife and other eommon tools
were about the only equipment used
in constructing the vehicle. The lad
got his ideas from manual training
work.
COIN" IS TO (JO FOR ROADS
Commissioners Are Assured of Ex
penditure for Main Lines.
CHEHALIS, Wash,, March 1. -(Spe
cial.). Lewis County Commissioners
Gray, Long and Teaohnor visited tn
Stute Highway Office at Olympia this
week and received assurances that sev
eral thousand dollars will be spent at
once by the station certain main trunk
roads in this eounty. On the new cut
off of the National Park Highway
across Jackson Prairie $1900 will be
available for surfacing with stone. The
sum of 3000 is also available for grad
ing and building culverts on the Pa
cific Highway near Lacunas Creek.
April 8 the county board will open
bids for constructing one mile of the
pavement on the county road (Pacific
Highway) leading from Centralia to
the Southwest Washington Fair
Grounds, between Chehalia and Cen
tralia. DOUBLE SALE OF
"3
: Vtf JR M UfSi lV1 Vi - t
I.N FIRST CAR M. WK1SS, IX KBOXT OK" HIS BK.Hur.'tr. -.... ' v "7 , " "
AVE1SS. BOTH SELECTED MITCHELL SKVESI.P.WSEJiUEK SIX-(.I.TIES.
ROADS
FARMER
w.
P. Perrigo Tells What Im
provements Will Do.
PROSPERITY IS RESULT
Agriculturist Sys Good . Highways
Will Pay for Themselves and
Leave Handsome Profit
on Money Invested.
By W. P. Perrigo, a farmer, of Red
mond, Or.
Why will good roads benefit the
farmer?
They are the means by which the
farmer gets his produce to market.
Without good roads the product of the
field, forest and mine cannot be han
dled; without good roads there can be
no real prosperity for the farmer. Ad
mitting that the portion of the country
now provided with only dirt reads, has
two-fifths of its area developed, I want
to state (witheut tear oi coniraaicuonj
that the remaining three-fifths im
proved would pay In taxes for the
building of first-class roads for all,
without any Increase of taxes on the
lands, and other property now devel
oped. The building of brick and stona roads
will eliminate the upkeep oi dirt roaas,
which of itself would pay the interest
and retire the bonds in 30 years; the
saving .of wear en wagons, narness ana
horses would go a long way toward
retirinsr the bends.
.Fruit of all kinds wilt be bruised, and
will not bring the best price in the mar
MITCHELL CARS TO BROTHERS
..... . -
ket if hauled on rough roads; hay. I
grain, vegetable, all the products of I
the farm can be hauled on a good brick
or stone road at half the cost of haul-j
Ing on the average dirt road, which of
Itself would pay the interest and retire
the bonds in SO years.
Competition to Come.
Sharp competition in all the things
that the farmers buy will-come with
good roads;, the country will settle up
rapidy: manufacturing will increase,
our own clay" will be made into brick;
our own people will build the roads, j
and with the proceeds of their labor
they will buy the products of our farms
and factories. The best schools will fol
low the best roads.
The farmers and the roads, coupled
with energy, intelligence, virtue and
patriotism, form the base (mainly) on
which rests this great republic.
The automobile lias come to stay, and
every farmer wjll want one or more as
soon a he gets a good road (and don't
forget that the millionaire pays his
road tax) and the men who build It,
and the men who dig the ore. and the
men who make the steel, the paint, the
rubber, the varnish, the upholstering,
must eat, and the farmer must feed
them; and the farmer will prosper if he
has good roads.
I feel that the farmer who cannot see
this value (or rather won't see it) is
blind to his own interest, to the wel
fare of his neighbors and his country,
Knowledee Is Cited.
Ignorance is the greatest evil; .knowl
edge is the greatest power for good in
all the world. We think "we. have
knowledge of the fact that good roads
will pay back all the money invested,
with a handsome profit, with the good
roads to boot. ' '
Washington has set the pace tor good
roads, and I see in ' the future those
twin sisters, our Washington, our Ore
gon, beside that beautiful river, the Co
lumbia, becoming world famous for
their wonderful climate, their ever
green fields, their prairiea. forests,
mountains and rivers; their water
power sufficient for all the world.
Farmers, this is your country; give
it good roads. Nature is.a kind mother,
ghe furnishes the material and points
the way; follow as she leads and get
good roads; it will cost but an effort
and your wisdom and goodness will be
a eweet memory to those who come
after you.
SOLID TIRE RULE LIKED
jr. H.
McDIARMID EXPLAINS
PLAN WILL BENEFIT.
HOW
Simplification Assures Lowe Cost and
More Prompt Filling of Orders,
Says Dealer.
Indorsing the aotion of the Society
of American Engineers, who urge the
limiting of solid tire sizes for motor
trucks and motor fire apparatus to di
ameters of 36 and 40 inches, J. H. Mc-
Dlarmid, manager of the Goodyear
Company's local branch, explains how
such an elimination plan should benefit
all 'concerned.
Viewing the matter from an eco
nomic standpoint, Mr,-McDiarmld says:
"To the manufacturer of motor ve
hicles this simplification insures a lower
cost and mors prompt filling of orders.
for where the demand is confined to a
few sizes the production is more uni
form and orders are filled more prompt
ly and satisfactorily.
I "The user is assured of a constant
I tire supply from the local branches or
agents of tire companies. At present
there is often difficulty in promptly
obtaining tires for a car equipped with
what may not be a popular size in its
locality. With two diameters as stand
ard sizes this trouble will be ended.
"To rubber companies it means sim
pler manufacturing processes. Unit costs
on a few tire sizes made in large quan
tities naturally will ba lower than unit
costs among a large variety of sizes.
An elimination of many sines will
finally permit the tire people to selrfv
tneir product lor less to manufacturer,
dealer and user of motor vehicles.''
Mr.-McPiarmid also shows that the
necessary engineering changes for car
manufacturers will be small, "Py fig
uring on the maximum changes, it is
found that the mechanical operation of
the car is affected only by a small per
oent. In designing the car in the first
place surplus horsepower and strength
are several - hundred per cent greater
that theoretically required, so the small
change in wheel diameters one way or
the other is but a very small percent
age of the surplus horsepower and
strength of the car, and will not no
ticeably affect its operation."
Sales Manager Visits Portland.
Sales Manager Arthur I. Fhilp. of
the Studebaker forces, is ' spending
March on the road, visiting Western
and Pacific Coast headquarters of his
organization. He reached Portland
Monday afternoon and left again the
same evening, being more than satis
fled with conditions locally. -
Midwinter Run Is Staged.
Members of the Orange, N. J., Motor
cycle Club, recently held a mid-winter
economy test, in which P. M. Bohsen,
the winner, rode his two-wheeler a lit
tle more than 22 miles on a quart of
gasoline. The other contestants iiver
aged about n.miles. ,
FEATURE OF WEEK.
...ao.vn ala s -? rl ."
HOOD RIVER URGED
TO BUILD HIGHWAY
Prosperity Dependent on Main
Road to Portland Is View
of Business Men.
WORDS OF OWE ARE QUOTED
Extension of Colombia River Route
AV'iH Open Way for Motorists to
Make Trip, Is Statement
Made to Giffard.
. BY WALTER GIFFARD.
The desire to see the Columbia River
Highway continue through and beyond
Multnomah County is not the childish
whim of a few motorists. It is the de
sire of all sane and level-headed busi
ness men. It is the desire of those
who purchase from the upper countries
foodstuffs and fodder, corn and grain,
fruit and merchandise. The prosperity
of the counties spells the prosperity of
the metrbpolls that is the distributing
center for that produce. What is Kood,
River's gain is also Portland's gain,
but Portland cannot gain in the same
proportion as Hood River can.
There is a most important phase
which the men in the apple country
may not have noticed. Their product.
and the successful sale of their product-
depends Largely on advertising and in
creased knowledge. The sale of land
In the Hood River Valley has been
slack for two reasons; first, because the
prices are too high, but, second, be
cause of the difficulty in getting people
to run up to Hood River to look at the
property due to the inaccessibility of
the place.
I was talking to several motorists on
the subject of week-end and Saturday
and Sunday touring, and I was ques
tioning them on' the possibilities of
the Hood River Valley. Their answers
surprised me immensely. The words of
one map will be sufficient, for what he
said they all said, though not in quite
the same words.
One Is M. GM Johnson.
This man is M. G. Johnson. He has
toured a large part of this country by
automobile and in the Summer he takes
trips on Saturdays and Sundays, for
one thing, because he likes it, and for
another because his doctor has told him
to get all the fresh air he can.
"I have been in Portland seven years,
and yet I have never been to Hood Riv
er and up the Hood River Valley," he
said, "and I don't mind telling you
why. At present you have got to go
by train or by boat, and when you get
there, you have to charter something to
take you round the valley. My wife
won't go by train, she won't go by boat
and I cannot be put to the bother of
having to chop and change from one
vehicle to another.
"Resides I like to start in an auto
mobile just when I like, go as far as
I like and then stop there, if I want to
and come back when I like.
"The minute that they get this road
through to Hood River I shall go and
take a week-end trip. I'll take one of
the boys to do the driving and my
wife and I will Just sit back and enjoy
it all. We'll come back either Sunday
night or Monday morning as we please.
And let me tell you right now that the
first trip will only b3 the forerunner of
many, if what they say of the country
is anything like true."
Remote Possibility Shown.
Then it was that I told him the pos
sibility of getting that road seemed
ery remote. Mis reply was snort,
sharp and incisive,
"All I can say is they ought to be
able to see the business prosperity the
continuation of that road spells for
them."
I suggested that there might be rea
sons why they could not see their
way clear to carrying out "the road
work this year; that they might want
to Improve the roads in the valley first.
"Let them build a main road first,
then the others will build themselves,"
he replied, "You Just watch the ac
tivity of. people who've been slack up
to now the minute that they get a main
road connecting up the valley, Why,
they'll be so anxious to see a network
of subordinate roads that they'll get
out and work themselves, if necessary,
to Join them up. I know it. for I've
Seep it happen. -
"I'm willing to bet at long odds that
once, they get ..that road through, there
will not be a motorist who doesn't
make that trip once during the season.
Then you'll find it won't be long before
there's a return road planned or some
thing of that Bort. People will have
learned what one main highway. In
good shape, can do for the locality.';
Those are not idle words; they are
words from a man who has seen the
progress that can be brought about by
means of good roads and the people at
Hood River would do well to bear them
in mind.
TEAM OF 3 CARS ENTERS
MAXWELL COMPANY ENTERS LISTS
WITH EUROPEANS.
Forelsn Buyer Adopts Speed Records
as Standard in Purchanins Car.
Designer Promises Record.
Ray Harroun, famous engineer and
designer of racing cars, indorses his
erstwhile rival. Bob Burman, in saying
that all previous speed records will
undoubtedly be shattered in the big
Memorial day classlo on the Indianap
olis Speedway,
That European manufacturers will
make frantic efforts to regain their
lost ground in the American market by
building cars t)iat will retain the cup
i a certainty.
That American makers have awak
ened to the fact that European buy
urs regard speed prowess as indicating
the value of a car, is also true. Only
a few American manufacturers have
taken the matter as seriously as Euro
pean manufacturers, however, and con
sequently the representation will be
small and the preparations less care
fully made. (For example, many Amer
ican makers will enter only one cur,
whereas the European hardly ever
Announcement
John A. Walter, Auto Supplies, affiliated
with WALTER'S filling stations. Corner
of Broadway and Ankeny. Marshall 2490.
A FAIR QUESTION
When are you going to put on a
Diamond Squeegee Tread Tire?
Price and Quality can't be equalled.
ARCHER AND WIGGINS
OAK STREET. CORNER SIXTH
Automobile Supplies
Bosch Plugs and Magnetos Win
Vanderbilt Cup and Grand Prize Races
Best for winners means best for you
BALLOU & WRIGHT
BROADWAY AT OAK
AUTOMOBILES
CI D JP Distributors for Oregon and South. Wash,
. ii. DOSS OC VO. also. Portland Agency. 615-C17 Wash. St.
BOWSER
AGE
tive.
Vulcanizing and tttlnuuUns. U- - "LOUtift X. X0-31 Nvrtn lta St. Main 1004.
NORTHWEST AUTO CO.
Factory Distributors of
Cole, Lozier, Reo Cars
BROADWAY AT COUCH STREET
Main 8887 A 4959
stakes his chances on less than a team
of three.
First to enter the list on even terms
with liuropeans is the Maxwell Motor
Tiiron 1-nrin? tiars designed
V. V mi j.u 11 . - . " - ,
by Ray Harroun, are now almost ready
ror the test unoer wiuun me "wis?"
has guaranteed they will make a lap
(3Vi miles) on the Indianapolis Speed
wav in less than 1:37, a second faster
than any tar lias ever negotiated a lap
on that track.
It iB a little too late for the Ma
.....n m,.un.. 1a hiiild fun to com
pete in the French Grand Prix, but it is
hinted that next year the company will
do that also. - The limit as expressed
in piston displacement for the Grand
Prix is smaller than that of any stand
ard American car. The smallest Max
Well car, for example, the "S5-4," has
nearly twice too muoh piston displace
ment to make it eligible for the Grap'J
I'rix.
If the three Maxwells make a credit
able showing against the Frenoli, Ger
man and Italians, on the Jndianapolig
Speedway, it la more than likely that
another team of three will be made
to conform to the European standard
and to race in the bis Kuropean classic
next year.
SPECIAL TRAIN WELL OX WAY
Jorty-Car Auto Freight to Be at
Spokane Tuesday.
The special train of 40 double.decked
cars, containing Buick automobiles con
signed to the Howard Automobile Com
pany for distribution in the Pacific
Northwest, is now well on Its way tp
its destination.
The train reached Minneapolis, Minn,,
Tuesday and was held, there one day
for exhibition purposes, bannering and
photographing by the officials of tne
Buick Motor Company.
The train left Minneapolis Wednes
day evening, March 11. and is due to
arrive in Spokane Tuesday.
At Spokane the train will be reban
nered and photographed, and on Wed
nesday morning, March 18. start on
the daylight run across the State of
Washington from Spokane to Seattle,
with stops at Sunnyside, Takima and
Ellensburff,
Manager Mel G. Johnson, of the How
ard Automobile Company's Portland
branch, went to Spokane last nighty to
apend a couple of days in that city on
business before the arrival of the train,
and will accompany the train on the
daylight run to Seattle.
WORK ON BANKS MILL ON
Twenty Men Employed Xear Site
Half Mile From Town.
BANKS, Or., March 14.9peclal.)
Work on the new mill of the Eccles
Fir & Lumber Company is about to
commence in real earnest Two car
loads of material for the mill building
came in during the week and two more
carloads are expected any day.
About 20 men are now employed near
the site of the mill, half a mile from
town, and the track-laying for the spur
track is heing carried along expedi
tiously. ......
Last week W. H. Eccles, president of
the company, visited Banks and reas
sured the citizens that he would live
up to his promises regarding the scopo
of the project and the number of men
to be employed. He also renewed his
Sporting L.oods
R
E
O
TRUCKS
GASOLINE and OIL TANKS
SYSTEMS FOR PUBLIC AND PHI-
-'ATE tWAHAGKS. S. V. Stoddard, Representa
4l JorDett huh- sin
assurance that local men would receive
the first consideration. The company
has epened an office, renting the
former office of the Banks Herald.
A successful peach grower, &. J. T. Bush.
In a recent talk at Hochester. N. Y.. naid
that SUO.OOO bushel" ot peaches rotted on
the tp'ea In one ,New York county alone In
V.I13. tor lack of cars to tranvport them to
market.
Have You
Guaranteed Your
Power Supply?
' You should 'and the time to do so
is oto -when your engine is being
overhauled. Have the piston rings
examined power guarantee depends
on them,
Do you want to repeat lat year's
annoying experience with power de
ficiency i hill-climbing difficult y
carbon in the cylinder bacU-firing
and smoky, dirty engines?
It's simply a question of the piston
rings. Power depends upon securing
proper compression, and this is im
possible where piston rings are de
fective. You'll find your old-style,
one-piece rings at the bottom of power
troubles. They wear quickly, fit
badly at all times and soon lose the
necessary tension against the cylinder
wall. When you try to get tomprcs
sion, the gas blows past them and
through their unsealed openings. Sur
plus oil gets up into the combustion
chamber. They are wasteful and in
efficient. XI you want unfailing power satisfac
tion, change your equipment to
They'll give you the power you
should have.
FOX MOTOR POWER Because being
two-piec they have so uoiealed open
ings. The halves beinc Interlocking and
concentric and having opposing point
of expansion, tension en the cylinder wall
is always uniform.
MINIMUM CARBONIZATION Because
surplus oil cannot get up into the com
bustion chamber.
SERVICE Because they are made of special
Processed Gray Ires of wonderful tough
ness, that never loses lu elasticity and
will outlast the motor.
STRENGTH Because of construction on
the angle-iron principle which gives them
the greatest strength.
OPERATING ECONOMY Because they
make every drop of fuel count and save
waste of lubricating oil.
MAINTENANCE ECONOMY Because
they do not wear or mar the roundness
of the cylinder.
.MADE IN ANY SIZE
From 1 Inch to 100 inches In diameter to fit
any engine, pump or compressor. They are
easily adjusted. ()
"Ask the User"
Piston heajiRm:ki!; rings
In use on
over 180,000 Automobiles
Installed by all garages and repair shops.
The f ollewhig supply nooses are distributers:
Portland. Ballou & Wright. Broadway at Oak.
Scault, Ballou & Wright, 817 E, Pike fat.
Manufactured by
McQuay-Norris Mfg. Company
SL Louis, Ma.