8
THE SUNDAY
OREGONIATf,
PORTLAND, MAY 30, 19t5.
J.
12-CYLIHDER GAB IS
LATESTINPAGKARDS
Willys-Overland Company An
nounces Use of Famous
Silent Knight Motor.
ADVANCE IN ENGINE NOTED
Portland Representatives Unaware
of Change Until Message from
Factory Is Received High
er Goal Expected.
BT CHESTER A. MOORES.
Two significant, almost revolution
ary, announcements last week stirred
up a continual buzs of sosstp and com
ment in Portland automobile circles,
the official statement by the Packard
Company that It is About to market a
12-cyllnder car and the announcement
In Eastern trade journals that the
"Willys-Overland Company will soon
bring out a car equipped with the fam
ous Silent Knight motor.
Yesterday still another interesting;
development cams in the bare an
nouncement that the National Motor
Company of Indianapolis would soon
market a 12-cyllnder car in addition
to a new six-cylinder National, both to
be cabled the "Highway" models.
Jbii National Highway Twelve, which
.Is, in fact, a double Six. has 12 cylinders
each 2x4 inches in dimension. The
price of the 12-cylinder car is to be
lis&o.
The Packard engine Is declared by
Its makers to mark the greatest ad
vance in motor car design since the
passing- of the "one-lunger."
The Packard Company Is the first
American organization to announce the
construction of an automobile engine
having more than eight cylinders. Since
the Cadillac Company presented its
eight-cylinder car about a year ago,
only to be followed in rapid succes
sion by nearly a dozen other American
makers, reports were rife that soon a
12-cylinder car would be marketed.
Now the tumult of rumors, in so far
as they related to a prospective 12
cylinder Packard, have been crystal
lized by the announcement of the Pack
ard "Twin Six." For many weeks the
wiseacres in Portland have been telling
quietly that the Packard announcement
was about to come, but Frank; C Rigge.
the Oregon distributer, kept mum all
the while, and; as a matter of fact, he
was kept somewhat in the dark until
the factory telegraphed the announce
ment across the country for initial ap
prarance in the advertising columns ot
The Oregonian last Sunday.
Price Rumored at S3O00.
Several members of the Packard
organization knew nothing of the
great fact until they read It in The
Oregonian advertisement Even yet the
price of the Twin Six Packard Is pretty
much of a mystery. Current rumor has
it that the new car will sell for about
73000, perhaps slightly more or less.
But Mr. Kiggs says he doesn't know
what the price will be and he is an
honest man.
Now those who love to gossip are
speculating on how soon a 16-cyllnder
car will be put on the market. With
some the roof is the limit in this game
of cylinder multiplication, but the best
heads in the motor car industry are
firm in the belief that no practical car
ever will be marketed above the 12
cylinder mark.
Don't get into the notion that the
Packard is the first 12-cyllnder car
ever built. During the hibernation
jierlod between 1909 and 1913 consider
able experimentation with 12-cylinder
motors was going on and the first out
growth of this was the 12-cylinder Sun
beam, announced In the Summer of
1913. This English-made car at once
distinguished itself by traveling over
107 miles in one hour of continuous
driving. The man at the wheel was
Chassagne, who hoa entered a Sunbeam
Sor tomorrow's Indianopolis race. Chas
sagne's mad race around the track at
llrooklands was for the purpose of
breaking the one-hour record of 103.84
miles, held at that time by Percy Lam
bert and a Talbot, and he turned the
trick quite handily.
The 12-cyllnder Sunbeam is a V-type
motor with four blocks of three cylin
ders each. Two sets of three cylin
ders are placed on either side, making
jiractically two six-cylinder motors,
arranged in V-form, a single cam shaft
lying in the crank case between them.
It employs two carburetors and two
magnetos. The dimensions are 2i by
6 74 inches.
Space Betncrs Cylinders Clear.
The Twin Packard Six' motor Is ex
actly what Its name implies, two slx
vylinder blocks arranged in V form,!
with an angle of GO degrees between '
them. This small Included angle al
lows such accessories as starting
motor, generator and water pump to
be placed in the standard Packard posi
tion Just inside the frame, so that the
space between the cylinders is left
i lear and the valves are conveniently
accessible without the removal of a
single accessory. The acute angle be
tween the cylinders also permits of a
narrow frame at this point, with the
result that the turning radius is even
shorter than before.
The motor is of clean-cut design
with nickeled trimmings and enameled
cylinders. The bore Is three inches
and the stroke five inches.
In external appearnnce the new car
retains all of the well-known Packurd
characteristics. It looks much like
v previous models except that the hood
is shorter, the radiator tapered to con
form with it, and the running boards
set two inches nearer to the ground.
The reduced length of hood permits
of a shorter wheelbase.
When the hood is lifted startling
ehanges are revealed. The 12 cylin
ders are there all right, but it is said
, to be hard to realize that such a power
plant can be so compactly stored away.
I "The Twin Six has a remarkable
' range of ability, combined with almost
I complete absence of vibration at all
speeds," said Mr. Rigga yesterday.
"This result is due not only to the
c ontinuous smooth application of power
from the 12 cylinders, but also to the
fact that the small bore of the cylinders
and the use f a special ulumlnuru
alloy in making the pistons have re
duced the reciprocating weight of the
12 pistons and connecting rods to ap
proximately half the weight of the
corresponding parts in the previous
Packard model. The superior smooth
ness of operation, which Is inherent
in this 12-cylinder engine. Insures
longe-:- life to the bearings and effects
in economy In oil and gasoline.
Tivo Wheelbase Lrni(th Offered.
"The new car will be furnished in
jivo wheelbase lengths. The '1-35' is
35 inches and carries practically the
resent line of Packard bodies. The
1-25' is 125 Inches and takes a new
ine of Packard-built bodies, which are
a little less in length. There is a new-
type control board mounted on the
steering column with combination
lighting and ignition switch- This
permits the operation of a combination
of lights with a single lever movement.
"I don't know when I will get my
first demonstrator, but I expect definite
advices on that point shortly. I do not
say that the 12-cylinder motor Is
applicable for small cars, but I do
maintain that it is the ultimate prop
osition for large cars. There is and
will always be a field for four-cylinder
cars, there will always be a field for
sixes or eights, and there will always,
from this time forward, be a distinct
field for 12-cylinder cars. If there Is
to be a scrap at all, it will be between
the sixes and eights. The fact that
the Packard factory has Just added
eight acres to its gigantic plant, shows
that they mean business and that they
will bear watching on this new cam
paign." Wlllys-Kaiaht Cars to Coat $1200.
According to announcements made in
the East the new Willys-Knight will
cost $1200, being the first Knight
motored car to sell for less than 11400.
Many Portlanderes will be interested
to know that Joseph H. McDuffee, who
made this city his headquarters fre
quently while acting as Western rep
resentative of the F. B. Stearns Com
pany, will be the big chief behind the
Willys-Knight sales. When McDuffee
was last in Portland The Oregonian
announced that he had become avper
sonal representative of John Willys,
the Overland manufacturer. The time
was not then ripe for the Willys
Knight announcement, for Mr. Mc
Duffee was making a tour of all of
the large Overland agencies in the
country testing the spirit of the deal
ers on Knight motor construction.
Anyone knowing McDuffee and the
fervor of. his religion for the Knight
motor might have banked at once on
the outcome of his visit. McDuffee is
one of the real pioneers of the auto- I
mobile industry. He opened up the
NEW ENGINE IS DECLARED BY MAKERS TO MARK GREATEST ADVANCE IN MOTOR CAR DE
SIGN SINCE PASSING OF "ONE-LUNGER."
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RIGHT SIDE VIEW OP PACKARD "TWH SIX" MOTOR, TAKE! FROM ABOVK TO SHOW VALVB AI-
LKV BETWEEN TUB TWO BLOCKS OV CYLINDERS,
first automobile store In New Tork
City, the Locomotive agency in 1898. and
he won the first cup posted Dy w. r.
Vanderbilt for ' an automobile race.
McDuffee's present home is In Los An
geles. No announcement has yet been made
when the Willys-Knight will first ap
pear, but the general understanding Is
that it will be ready for distribution
soon after July 1.
The Oakland Motor Car Company,
another line that is represented in
Portland, made public last week the
details of Its four-cylinder car for 1916,
which is to be the successor to model
37. It is to sell for $1050 in either
roadster, touring car or speeder type.
This price Is $150 lower than the pre
vious touring car model and $100 less
than that of the mool 37 roadster.
Changes either mechanically or in
the body are slight, though they do
their part to add to the efficiency of
the car. The general design of th
chassis and body will remain the same
as in the 1915 models.
PIERCE TO BU1XB OXXrY SIXES
Company Announces Policy aud De
nies Intention to Change.
A great many rumors have been
afloat regarding what the Plerce-Arrow
Motor Car Company is making or going
to make. These rumors have brought
from the company a reiteration of their
previously announced policy for the
calendar year of 1915, and an additional
statement, which should have the ef
fect of stilling all rumors predicting
radical changes in Pieree-Arrow cars.
The company's complete statement is
as follows:
"'Series three" Plerce-Arrow models
will be continued, as previously an
nounced, throughout the calendar year
of 1915.
"If, by the end of that period, our
engineers have been able to perfect any
refinements, we will incorporate them
in a new series of six-cylinder models.
"When we have found and developed
something really better than our pres-
nt 'six, our frlenis shall have the
benefit of that development."
It Is plain, from the above statement.
that during the present year and at the
announcement, December next, of mod
els for the calendar year of 1316. the
Plerce-Arrow Motor Car Company has
no intention of building other than six
cylinder cars.
INTERNATIONAL MOTORCYCLE CHAMPION- IS IN PORTLAND
FOR TODAY'S RACES.
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Otto W allcer, at Left. Shaktnir Hands
Each of Them Had Smashed the
Road Race at Venice, Cal., Laat
CYCLISTS VIE TODAY
International Champion Here
to Take Part in Races.
BRANDT ENTERED ON THOR
Ray Crevlston, Who Has Won 2 3 of
C6 Events Entered, With Indian
Will Try Hard for First Hon
ors Track Made Ready.
The speediest motorcycles in this lo
cality, some score In all, are primed for
the annual Decoration day races to be
held on Rose City speedway today at
2:30 o'clock.
AM eyes will, of course, be centered
on Otto Walker, the Oakland lad who
became international champion at
Venice, Cal.. last April by winning the
Grand Prize 300-mile road race in rec
ord time. He averaged 88 1-2 miles an
hour with his Harley-Davldson, break-
Ing all former records by nearly eight
miles an hour. Mr. Walker arrived in
Portland Thursday and has been rest
ing up for the competition in the hope
of maintaining his laurels.
One entrant in the races who will be
right at his heels during all the going
is Ray Crevisten, who shipped his In
dian all the way from Los Angeles to
get another crack at the champion,
whom he succeeded in defeating at
Phoenix recently. He will represent
Ballou & Wright in the competition.
S3 of SO Races Are Worn.
In the 6 races Crevison has entered
SPECIAL TOURING EIMTIOJT TO
HE Pl'HLISHEn NEXT
SlIXDAY.
For the benefit of readers of
The Oregonian and those in the
East or elsewhere who may con
template touring in automobiles
up and down the Pacific Coast
this Summer, The Oregonian will
publish next' Sunday a special
touring edition containing in
formation on road conditions in
this section of the country and
data that will be of inestimable
help to all who may "motor
West," An effort will be made
to treat the entire subject as
comprehensively as possible. The
edition will be Illustrated pro
fusely with views that will give,
the readers an impression of the
roada and of the scenic attrac
tions which are adjacent to Ore
gon highways.
The double fact of the Interna
tional Exposition at San Fran
cisco and the state of affairs
which prohibits touring in Europe
Is calculated to stimulate auto
mobile touring to the Pacific
Coast this year and provides the
necessity for such an edition as
The Oregonian will publish next
Sunday.
in California he recorded 23 wins. He
holds the following records: One mile
dirt track world's record, St, Louis,
43 1-5 seconds; one hour record at
Phoenix, Ariz., 69 miles; 15 miles at St.
Louis In 11 minutes and 100 miles at
Los Angeles in 9f minutes.
Harry Brandt, of Portland. the
a ft
5- f 'V
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With I.enlle Parkhnrst, After
World's Record in the XOO-Mile
April.
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Northwest champion who pilots a Thor,
has challenged both Walker and Crevl
son for the Northwest championship
today. and those who know the spunk
tucked away In the backbones of all
three boys predict that the fur will fly
when they send their machines over
the track.
Ato la te Race Motorcycle,'
In addition to the eight main events
a special attraction will be added in
the form of a dual contest between one
of the motorcycles and an Overland
special automobile built and operated
by C. Tranchell, the foreman of the
shop maintained in connection with R.
G. Hunter & Co. Tranchell. who rode
Billy Smith's Harmon in the recent
auto races on the Portland track, says
ha has turned his Overland up to be
tween 65 and 70 miles an hour in prac
tice. Either Otto Walker or Roy
Thompson, the Walla Walla champion,
will oppose the Overland.
The track has been scraped and
banked for today's races and the offi
cials declare that It will be in good
shape for all of the events. G. C
Marks has been chosen to referee and
W. H. Royal to act as starter.
The Piatt & Washburn Refining
Company, of New York, refiners of
Veedol lubricating' oils and greases
sent word to the Portland distributers,
Ballou & Wright, yesterday that they
had donated a beautiful silver trophy
to be contested for In today's races.
Huerta Becomes Motorist.
Victriano Huerta, ex-Provlslonal
President of Mexico, who has come to
America to live, leasing a great coun-
try house at Forest Hills, L. I., where
he has located his family and menage,
has purchased two Chalmers cars, both
of which have been equipped with AJax
tires. He has a large family and many
dependents to tote around and the cars
and tires will both be tested to their
limits no doubt.
OVERLAND FOLIC TO SEE GAME
Company President Brings "Giants
and "Tigers" to Entertain.
Overland day, June 21, when the New
York Giants and the Detroit Tigers
Journey to Toledo to give 11,000 em
ployes of the Willys-Overland Company
their annual Daseball festival, will
have considerably more than a little In
terest for the sporting world.
At his personal expense John N.
Willys, president of the Overland Com
pany, will bring the two big league
teams together for the first time in
baseball history. Managers McGraw
and Jennings have both promised that
their teams will take the neld with
their full playing strength and that the
Overland fans will see the two famous
teams at their best.
Although the Overland employes are
the most important guests on this oc
casion, there will be present, also. Ban
Johnson and John Tener, presidents of
the American and National League,
Vice-President Daly, of the New York
Central lines, and a number of other
men whose names are prominent in
business and financial affairs. It Is the
intention of Mr. Willys to run a private
train from New York to Toledo fer
the accommodation of his guests. . In
addition to receiving an afternoon of
fun. the Overland employes will re
ceive regular wages for the afternoon.
SriT TO TEST LICENSE FEE
Issuance of Tags at Old $2 Rate Is
Refused In Washington.
OLYMPIA. Wash.. May 29.-(8pecial.)
Formal demand has been made upon
Secretary of State I. M. Howell by a
firm of Tacoma attorneys for the issu
ance of automobile licenses at the old
rate of $3 a year. Assistant Secretary
of State Frank Hlnkle, in eharge of
the office during the absence in the
East of his chief, has written a letter
declining to issue the licenses, and as a
result a test suit seems likely that will
determine whether the increased license
fees can be charged on this year's busi
ness. All current motor vehicle licenses ex
pire at midnight May 31. The new
motor code, which does not go into
effect until June 10, provides that no
licenses need be issued for the Inter
vening nine-day period, but the Tacoma
lawyers contend that since the new law
is in Itself not in effect Its provisions
are not binding. They therefore insist
that Secretary Howell issue annual li
censes June 1 at the old $3 rate.
The new license rates for pleasure
vehicles are $3. $5 or $7.50, depending
upon horsepower. Automobiles for hire
pay a flat 50 cents per horsepower,
while auto trucks pay fees based upon
capacity.
AUTO CLUB NOTES
RECENTLY cards were sent out to the
members of the Automobile Club
Inviting them to be present at the an
nual banquet on Saturday, June S. This
year's banquet will be held at the club
house, and for this reason It was re
quested that members should send their
reservations at onee as the seating ca
pacity is limited. Seats will be allotted
in the order that requests for reserva
tions are received.
A joint meeting of the house and en
tertainment committee was held yester
day to discuss plans for the entertain
ment. The one feature that all Insisted
on having was a good orchestra, for as
soon ,aa dinner is over the tables will
be taken away and the balance of the
evening; given over to dancing.
On account of recent rains most of
the highways outside of Multnomah
County are in bad condition for pleas
ure driving. Especially Is this particu
larly true In regard to the road to
Seattle.
If one must take an auto to the
Sound country he should by all means
ship, at least to Kelso. This will elimi
nate the worst parts, but even then the
road between Kelso and Chehalla is not
MBBBBBBaMI
7 -
BUICK TRUCK IN EUGENE, OR., FIRE DEPT.
Built for business purposes. Inexpensive to' operate. Equipped with the
Buick Valve-in-Head Motor, which insures fuel economy, more power and
greater flexibility. This Buick truck is electrically lighted and correct in
principle, embodying all the time-tried and proven Buick engineering successes.
PRICE Including Express Body with Wing
Boards, Portland $1375
Chassis (Complete Car, Less Body,
Seat and Cushions), Portland $1275
Buick trucks are exactly suited for merchants and manufacturers, also for
municipal, state and public uses. Solve your transportation problems with a
Buick Truck it costs less to maintain than a team and will do four times as much work.
.war
Fourteenth and Davis
good, particularly from Castle Rock to
several miles past Toledo.
As for the drive to Portland from
California the Auto Club advises delay
ing this trip for a while. It is possible
to drive down the highway at present
to California, but conditions are not
fayorable for a pleasant Journey.
From the town of Dunsmuir, Cal., the
road has been washed out moat of the
way to Redding. Charles Wilson, of
New York, who was a visitor at the
club's office this week and is waiting
for his wrecked machine to arrive from
Dunsmuir, states that the men in
eharge of road repairs at that point not
only make no effort to help automobil
ists, but make fun of those who either
become mired or, as often happens, have
their cars wrecked. To avoid this bad
stretch of road it is necessary to drive
into Calofirnia via Klamath Falls or
Lakeview.
TRIP IN YOSEMITE IS MADE
Studebakcr, First Car Entering This
Spring, Meets Heavy Snows.
There Is always a certain distinc
tion attached to the first machine
which gets through to the Yosemite
National Park in the early Spring. This
year the first trip was accomplished
by a atudebaker. In the car were
Chester N. weaver, president of the
San Francisco company of the same
name, the distributor of Studebaker
automobiles In that territory, and B.
O. Willebrands. a traveling representa
tive of the Studebaker Corporation,
who was in Portland recently.
Being the first car of the season
into the park, naturally a great deal
of snow was encountered. Ordinarily,
It is Impossible to reach the park until
about the middle of May, whereas this
year the car reached the floor of the
valley April 10. Anticipating a large
tourist travel, however, the Wawona
Hotel Company has spent about $3000
in shoveling the snow from the road.
As some of this work already had been
done when the Studebaker car made
the trip, it was somewhat easier to
accomplish than otherwise would have
been the case. However, the machine
often had to force its way through
drifts of snow which were higher than
the fenders on the car. At one place
a drift six feet deep was encountered.
By staying all night at a hotel before
attacking it, the next morning showed
that the freezing temperature during
the niirht had so hardened tne snow
that instead of forcing a way through
the drift the Studebaker was able to
ride over it. On the return, the
weather was delightfully mild and
much of the Bnow had melted.
CAR RCNS TIRES 62 00 MIL KM
Manufacturers Cite Case of Longer
Wear AY hen Jerk Is Lacking.
Tire manufacturers' theory that.
among other things, continuous pulling
power from the motor, and ability to
start a car without a Jerk, contribute
to longer tire wear, seems to have been
proved by a Cadillac eight demonstrator
In Los Angeles, Cal.
The fact that this car has been run
300 miles on the same set of tires.
without a single change, puncture or
blowout is regarded by the Los Ange
les tire men as one -of the greatest dem
onstrations of many seasons.
The tires show but little evidence ot
their long Bervice; and if their appear,
ance is to be relied upon they are good
for several thousand miles over and
above the 6200 miles of service they al
ready have contributed.
This showing is remarkable consider
ing that this Cadillac is a seven-passenger
model, and has been used almost
exclusively for demonstrating. Almost
without exception, it has carried seven
passengers on the demonstrating trips.
Make a Sleeping
Car of Your Auto
i- -to, rl
For Camping, Touring or Fish
ing. Price, complete, from
S15.00 Ud
Willamette Carriage & Auto Works
24A ILurtiiozu Av. Fhaa Eut 16
UICIC TRUCK
CAPACITY 34 TON
d Aotomob
G. II. McCutcheon, Mgr.
and It has been driven Into the hills to
show its action on heavy grades. Heavi
ly loaded. It has also been driven at
high speed, and the runs it has made
have been far from easy, so far as the
tires are concerned, it has also made
one fast round trip between Los Ange
les and San Diego.
Road Contract Let at Dayton.
PAYTON. Wash.. May 29. (Special.)
Eight-Cylinder
Complete
The-world's first popular
priced Eight'and the one
big outstanding feature
of the 1916 motor season
King: Model D Is the Highest and Most Unique
Motor Car Value of the Year
Car Owners, Attention!
For a few weeks we will take your used car at
a reasonable price, applying same on a New King
Eight.
Bring your used car to us and we will appraise
it for you, giving you a most liberal allowance.
The House of Square Deal and Service
Gerlioger Motor
Car Company
WASHINGTON ST., CORNER KING ST.
Country Agents
Phone, Wire or Write Us at Our Expense for Our
Startling Agency Proposition
.WE WILL START YOU IN BUSINESS
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3k mi. , l . 11
Co,
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Main 4555, A 2550
The Commissioners of Columbia
County held a special meeting Thurs
day to consider the bids submitted for
the macadamising of the Johnson Hol
low road, for which an appropriation
has been made this year. The Com
missioners awarded the contract to the
Cascade Company, of North Yakima,
whih will macadam three miles for
$13,940 during the next three months.
F.O.B. Detroit
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