The Sunday Oregonian., May 31, 1914, SECTION FOUR, Page 7, Image 51

THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX. PORTTAXD, MAY- 31, 1914.
115-MILE GAIT QN
ROAD IS DESCRIBED
Harlan Babcock Tells of Tre
mendous Speed Dashes
With Burman.
rtlDE IS LIKENED TO FLIGHT
Peculiar Sensations Experienced- as
Death Is Courted While Kod
Apart Posts Look Like
Picket Fence.
BI HARLAN BABCOCK.
Part II of- Mr. Babcoek's exciting ex
perience. Auto. Editor's note.)
BATTLE CREEK, Mich.. May 30.
The ride was replete with exciting, not
to say hair-raisin?. Incidents. We
pressed the 100-mark on a beautiful
stretch of macadam a sensational fin
ish to the most sensational auto ride
ever taken by any two men in this or
J any other country, I honestly believe.
uiciaeuxajiy we were piusterea ueyuuu
recognition with mud at the finish
faces, hair, hands and clothing.
What made the trip ail the more
thrilling was the fact that in the
course of the event we encountered
every kind of road in the world good,
bad and impossible and likewise all
sorts - of weather' fair, medium and
stormy.
LIGHT CARS XOT TIRE SAVER'S
Heavy Machines Win Prizes In Ajax
Mileage Contest.
The fact that the relation of weight
to upkeep and maintenance, is some
times distorted in the public mind is
clearly evidenced in the list of prize
winners announced by the AJax-Grieb
Rubber Company who distributed $5000
to motor drivers showing the highest
mileage, starting April, 1912, and end
in? last month, on Ajax tires.
Klfteen prizes were awarded and the
first three, who pulled down the big
money J500, 4300 and $200 are all
drivers of cars which are not placed
in the lightweight class. The three
winning cars and their mileage records
were a locomobile -owned in Marlboro,
Mass., which rolled up the high score
of 16.7S2 miles; a Packard, owned in
Detroit, 13,900 miles, and a Cadillac,
owned in Victoria, B. C, 13,761 miles.
Light cars were entered and oc
casionally appear in the list of win-
HEW TRACK SPEEDY
Tacoma Course Built to Give
Every Aid to Drivers.
NOTED RACERS SIGNED UP
Officials for July S and 4 Meet Are
Selected and Details Arranged.
Builders of Speed-way Ex
pect Records to Fall
TACOMA, Wash., May 30. (Special.)
Speed was the word ever before the
designers and builders of the Tacoma
speedway and every refinement known
to modern science has been incorporated
in the building of the track so that
drivers will be given every possible
help. The track- is almost completed.
In line with getting; every detail ar
ranged as soon as possible officials
for the race meet were selected. The
officials will be: Judges, A. B. Howe;
MACHINE BUILT BY MUNICIPAL SHOPS TO OIL STREETS.
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APPARATUS WHICH WILL SAVE MONET FOR CITY.
By means of a modern crude oil spreader which has been built at the municipal shops, on the Eiist Side,
the city expects this year to save considerable money in oiling the roads and also expects to get tne work
done better than in the past.
The oiler, nqw in operation on the East Side, has a number of features which aid in applying an even
coating of oil. The crude oil is heated on tank cars and transferred to the spreader and taken to the street
to be oiled before it gets cooled. Heretofore the road oiling has been done by private contractors, and it
is said there was no way of checking the amount of oil actually used.
would flounder through a bumpy
stretch of sloshy swale, the bottom or
shape of. which we could not gauge
except by guess, at a speed of three or
four miles an hour. Suddenly emerg
ing on a fairly . level and dry road.
"Wild Bob" would shove in the throt
tle, letting loose the artillery con
tained in the powerful in'ards of No. IT,
and away we would shoot at 50, 60,
70 sometimes 90 miles an hour over
ordinary country roads, while the
startled folk along the country-side
would suspend all operations and view
with mingled awe and fear, plainly de
picted on their faces, two grimy, grim
looking begoggled "devils" shooting
by in a blue-streak-of -lightning.
The first real burst- of speed "Wild
Bob" essayed was on the 30 miles of
cement pavement , between Ypsilanti
and Detroit. "I'm going to cut the
old girl loose," he said to me, as he
took a fresh grip on the frayed butt
of a cigar and his face assumed a
Brim-warrior aspect. With a whirr
and rattle and a bang, like the fury
of a thunderstorm, the "old girl" shot
ahead at almost lightning speed. She
touched 30 at the jump. In less time
almost than it takes to tell it we had
reached 60 miles an hour, and from
that the speedometer rapidly Indicated
70, 80, 90 and 100. We weren't on
wheels we were flying. The birds
looked as if they were stationary in
the air and rod-apart posts looked like
a picket fence. We were shooting
down the pike as straight and true
as an arrow In flight.
Speedometer at 110.
I looked ft t the speedometer again,
and the indicator was glued to the
110 notch. The world was crashing
about my ears. I felt a strange sense
of oppression about the head. As mild
as was the air, it stung my face and
whipped around my head seemingly at
the rate of 10,000 vibrations a min
ute. I could hear music and thunder,
and as I gritted my teeth in a deter
mination to die game if the one direful
chance eventuated, I could feel the
grating of Band and small gravel. I
had made the mistake of opening my
mouth jU6t once. My lips were as dry
as tinder and my ears prickled. A.
small piece of gravel crashed into one
of the lenses of my goggles and shat
tered it, but fortunately did not in
jure my eye.
Was I frightened? Did I get cold
feet? I can't remember. All I can re
call Is that I felt a feeling of ecstati
cal exhilaration such as I never before
in my life had experienced. It was
like the first thrilling tingle that
comes to the blood after sipping a
glass of rare old wine. I knew full
well that we were flirting with Death
and that one little something breaking
or going wrong might hurl us both
into eternity in less than the twinkling
of an eye, but in the danger lay the
fascination.
There flashed through my mind the
thought that if my time lad come it
naa come mat s an. mat tr i got
mine then and there I wouldn't die of
old age in the poorhouse. perhaps -or
wind up at the finsh, sans teeth,
bewrinkled and "only in the way." I
took a sort of ghoulish delight In the
thought that "Wild Bob" would prob
ably join the angelic hosts at about the
tame time I did that is, providing,
if. etc. and in that the reflected glory
of a dramatio finish with him the pa
pers would print our pictures, call us
daredevils, and they'd have to hold tne
obsequies in the town hall on account
of tne size of the audience.
Speed of 115 Mil Made.
It seemed an age that we were rid
ing on the tall of that meteor in the
rarified ozone of the upper sphere, but
in reality tt was only two or three
minutes. An approaching team spoiled
our little race against Old Father Time,
and we slowed down to the disgust
ingly tame speed of 30 miles an hour
as we loped past the startled ruralite.
We had snapped our fingers at and
defied Fate and won.
We hit top speed going into Flint
on the Grand Blanc road, where the
little indicator registered a flat 115,
nnd the "baby" never turned a hair!
The third burst of epeed was at the
end of the trip, within half a dozen
miles of Battle .Creek, where- we
ners, but not up at the top. The re
sult of the contest, therefore, seems to
show that the question "How much
should a car weigh?" while a nice
one, does not bear the same relation
always to maintenance and upkeep. as
is popularly supposed.
Six thousand miles is generally con
sidered a pretty good record for a tire,
but yet the Cadillac, third prize win
ner, made considerably more than twice
that number of miles in a rough coun
try. All of which indicates that econ
omy of operation is not as closely de
pendent on lightness of 'construction as
is frequently asserted.
NERVE' GAOSES WONDER
CAR OWNER'S COVFIDENCE IN HIS
DEVICE SURPRISES.
Absolute Reliaaee on Electric Motor Is
New One to Rural Garase Maa
ager la Middle West.
The story of the man who Inspected
his new automobile, compared it with
the catalogue specifications and wrote
the factory that it had come complete
with the exception of. the wheelbaae is
almost tied by an incident which came
to light at a Middle Western garage
the other day.
Well along in the afternoon a party
of fiva tourists in a Studebaker "Four"
pulled up and decided to store the car
for the night. The car was driven in
side and backed into a stall, the owner
and family leaving for the hotel across
the street, leaving the conventional
order for a wash and polish.
An attendant went promptly to work,
whistling merrily as he progressed in
his task of excavating the real estate
and exposing the lustrous finish.
Eventually he worked around to the
front end of the car, where a peculiar
attachment caught his eye. The at
tachment was a wooden plug, tightly
driven into a hole near the base of the
radiator. From the plug was suspended
a Virginia license number. .
"Hey! Look here!" he called to the
proprietor, who was up at the front of
the place. "Blessed if this fellow
hasn't sealed up the hole they left for
hand-cranking this Studebaker!
The proprietor gazed and marveled.
He was thoroughly familiar with elec
tric self-starting devices, but had never
yet seen such an Instance of calm con
fidence on the part of an owner.
Seattle Parcel Poet Delivery.
Uncle Sam. through the Seattle post
office, has added another touch to mo
torcycle ascendancy by establishing
what" is said to be the iirst motorcycle
parcel post delivery system operated in
connection with the United States mail.
- Announcement is made by Postmas
ter Edgar Battle that a contract has
been entered into between the United
States and the Merchants' Parcel De
livery Company whereby all special
delivery parcel post packages consigned
to residents of Seattle will be delivered
to any point within the city limits by
specially commissioned motorcycle car
riers. The Merchants Parcel Delivery
Company has a flying squardon of mes
sengers mounted on Tale motorcycles.
Commerce Kaetory's Escape Narrow
The Commerce Motor Car Company,
of Detroit, on Friday had a narrow
escape from the explosion which made
a total wreck of the adjoining plant of
the Mexican Crude Rubber Company.
While the explosion was terrilic, de
molishing the heavy machinery and
killing 10 men, with scores of wound
ed. the only damage suffered by the
Commerce factory was . the loss of
thousands of small vtndow panes. Sev
eral of the men at work assembling
the delivery cars were blown over 1
a shower of glass. George B. Wilcox.
the sales manager, reports production
as unhampered.
Tacoma; W. J. Patterson, Aberdeen:
Joseph Blethen, Seattle; referee,- F.
Garrett Fisher, Tacoma; starter, M. A.
Howe, Tacoma; assistant starter. F. E.
Jefferies, Tacoma; timer, R. H. Pendle
ton, Venice, Cal; assistant timer. M. I
Davis, Tacoma; chairman technical
committee, A. F. Lausen, Jr., Tacoma.
Engineer Tells Advantages.
"We calculated the curvature to a
nicety," said I A. Nicholson, engineer
in charge of building the track. "We
took special care with the easements
from the straightway into the .curves,
which is distinct from the easement
of the straight track. This detail
alone makes U the : easiest running
course in the United States. This
graduation of the curves tends to
eliminate shocks and consequently
means less work at the wheel, and the
less work the more speed, so we be
lieve that we have built a really time
wrecking plant here.
Of course we were fortunate, for
we had the basic gravel, plenty of
water and other products to work
with. These things removed much labor
and expense, yet we have the most ex
pensive speedway on the continent."
The track is two miles long and
does not vary a hair's breath in any
spectncation. It is because of this
that the builders believe that records
will be broken this year.
George D. Dunn, secretary of the
Speedway Association, is now in
Indianapolis to . see the Memorial
day races and pick any new
stars who may shine there. Under
contract he has such pilots as Old
field, Burman, -Verbeck,- Pullen,- Teddy
Tetzlaff, Hemery, Carlson, Taylor and
Cooper, so that the outlook is bright
tor the Tacoma meet.
Large purses and trophies have
been hung up for all the scheduled
races to be pulled oft on July 3 and 4.
RATE INCREASE UPHELD
HEAD OK OXE AUTO COMPANY IN
DORSES FREIGHT RISE.
Willys-Overland President Takes Ac
tion Deaplte Fact Firm Pays More
- Than $200,000 Each Year.
Since this is the open season for ob
jections from automobile manufactur
ers to the proposed increase in freight
rates authorized by the Interstate Com
merce Commission, its indorsement by
a business man is more or less of a
novelty.
However, there is at least one man
prominent in the motorcar industry
who not only upholds the increased
rate but makes public acknowledgment
to that effect. This man is John N.
Willys, president of the Willys-Overland
Company, of Toledo, Ohio, head of
a half dozen other big companies and
the second largest manufacturer of
automobiles in the world.
Mr. Willys recently wrote to the Fed
eral Commission, in effect, as follows:
"After considering from every angle
the matter now before your honorable
body, pertaining to the general increase
in rates, I am constrained to write and
express to you my belief in the advis
ability of such action. I am convinced
that conditions warrant it and that
carriers are entitled to a larger revenue
for the service they perform. -
"So I would respectfully ask to be
placed on record as not only not ob
jecting to the increase but as strictly
advocating it, notwithstanding the fact
that it will mean a large incrse In
the expenses of my company.
"I might add that the Willys-pver-land
Company and the several compa
nies owned by it and myself, making
parts for Overland cars, are, as you
are doubtless aware, heavy shippers.
The Willys-Overland - Company alone
ships and receives approximately 16.000
carloads per annum and pays freight
charges on Inbound carload shipments,
exclusive of coal, oil and lumber, con
siderably more than fTfJfJ.OOO per an
num." '
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PTittK ... TWnto.
$1200 worth for $950
And a better car in the bargain
ALL values are judged by comparison-
You size up the worth and
quality of any one article, by compar
ing it with several other similar articles.
Then, and only then, you are in a posi
tion to make the most practical, intelli
gent and economical choice.
Therefore, before you choose your
automobile, carefully compare the speci
fications, quality and equipment of the
$950 Overland with the description of
any of the $1200 cars. You'll find no
material difference.
For instance:
Tha $950 Oft land baa
wheel Was of 114 inch. A
food man? S1200enr bar avaa
a shorter whusl baaa tfaaa thia. :
The $95 Ovarlann Ins a
rtdrty-ave horsepower motor. ;
Do too k"w ol any $1200 car
that earn giv yon saora power?
THa 5950 Overland baa 33
fateh x 4 iaefc tares. Again the
sain ii in both size and qsalftr
that yon find M saoe Sl20v ears.:-.
The $950 Overt end baa eJectrw
Kfhts taronjgiot eaaetry the
ataa aa ' any at the highest
Tb $950 Oreriaad is aa
reaany, oaxfortaMe and as lox
ariaosly tainted aa aay $1200
aar.
Tba Orartaad equipment is
jo as aomplete, and ot Jus as
hifti quality as tba aqoxpeaant
f ay $1200 ear.
Tba steals naed ia tba Over
land ara af tba very highest
grada; ia fact tba metals and
materials naad ia tba Ovnrlaad
ara of tba suae QanHry aa tboaa
fond im tba caaat costly oars la
tba warid.
Tba Overland is )m aaaa
aarataty and ataoisaly prodooad
. aa aay aar on tba Market ra
gafdlaas of arias.
. Tba mar yon aoaapara thia
$950 ear with aar eoctin 30$
and aava 40 ssara tba sasra
yoa ara broafbt to rsaliaa that
to pay sara than 5950 far this
typa of aar is auusliiUty aaoas
asaary. Tba OvexJaad reals yon Was,
beeaaaa of aar greater pra
dnatioa.
Other iwiHifaotMiare laast
eharfe yoa snara, baosaaa of
their smaller prodootian.
Aa-J that is wby Aa Ovar
ian d is outselling every other
similar oar made. We era da
liv.ring 5000 Over Wads a month
right now.
Telephone aar dealer far year
appointment. .
J. W. Leavitt & Company, Distributors
529 Washington Street, Portland, Oregon
The Wffly-Overlaxd Company, Toledo, Ohio
eras ! maaW A
Ormrl.mi DmBmmy Wf. GmMmmd WtSy, VnTmm.
Tr v., "
Motorcycle Notes
THE first Spring run of the Hum
boldt Motorcycle Club, of Chicago,
was made on May 3 to Milwaukee and
return. ' Twelve of the 20 entrants fin
ished the run with perfect scores.
About S5 motorcyclises of Minneap
olis took part in the first run of the
season, which was to Anoka, Minn. A
number of similar events are being
planned for the Summer by the Min
neapolis club.
A series of the finest speed contests
ever held in that section of the country
is planned by the Mindak Motorcycle
Club, of Kargo, N. D.,.for May 30.
A 600-mile motorcycle endurance
run is being staged by the Los Angeles
Motorcycle Club May 30, 31 and June 1.
Twenty-one riders are participating.
Again American - motorcycles have
won in competition with those of the
foreign make. The recent Victorian
Motorcycle Club century run in Aus
tralia was won by an American ma
chine. At the recent observance .of good
roads day in Illinois, 10 riders from
the Quincy Motorcycle Club aided in
the work of repairing the roads by
acting as motorcycle messengers.
j As Sl. H.. Cmt-Mj smt Shtm- ) J
the new Coupelet, with folding top
sl Combined Coupe and Roadster
a Chalmers master "Light Six"
Specially Adapted for Portland Climate
As Though 'Twere Specially Made to Order
lias all the advantages .of both the closed
and open car without the disadvantages
of either.
Designed to meet the demand for a con
venient closed gas car at a comparatively
low price $2050 f. o. b. Detroit.
It is a car, too, that has luxury and style
as well as utility ; distinctive in appear
ance and elegant in appointments and
despite all this it is just as practical for
bad-weather driving as for Summer. It
will spring into instant popularity among
women, as it embodies the non-stallable
features and is as easily handled as an
electric. It is also well adapted for pro
fessional men.
Investigate. . Call and see it, or phone for
demonstration. You'll find that it hrings
"closed-car luxury" down to the conven
ience and price of open cars.
H. L. Keats Auto Co. f
Broadway and Burnside
ORTLAND, OREGON