THE SUNDAY OREGONIAX, PORTLAND, JANUARY 5, 1919.
11
WOOD FOB WHEELS
BECOMING SCARCE
Hickory Rapidly Being Used
Up, Wire Coming In.
or the rtm may become distorted and
the name trouble will follow. When thia
happens, place a Jack against the hub
and rim, which very quickly forces the
rim Into place.
Sometimes the rims creep a little, so
that the valve stem is bent or even
broken oft. This may be due to loose
lugs or by a distorted rim on a rim
with worn shoulders. It is well to
keeD an eye on the valve stems, for by
thia it may be known whether the rim
is creeping:.
Ut'DSOX OWNER ENTHUSIASTIC
l A. Tauscher Pleased With 13,000
Mile Record of Ills Car.
BOTH- HAVE GOOD POINTS LAV6
wo yeats or service during
bad traveled over 13.000 miles.
a Hudson super-six automobile, owned
by P. 'A. Tauscher. of the Doernbecher
Manufacturing; Company, has made its
possessor a thorough Hudson fan. Mr,
tVooden Wheel at Preset.. Ctoper iU..
Than Wire Ones, but Cost of
Wood Is Soaring.
that he has owned the car he has not
I been obliged to spend a single cent on
tht car for repairs other than I7.S0 on
his batteries, a new set of tires and a
I spark plug wrench. Mr. Tauscher is
so enthusiastic over his car that he
I an v k. wit! nit It afirainst anv other
iwuii ioi mrait raorar r Ur on the market for power, speed
r does not realize It, we are probably land durability and that he would not
entering on a new era as far as the trade it with its 13,000 m:ie record lot
Wheels ot his favorite vehicle are con
cerned. Most owners would probably
assume that the present predominating
type of hickory wheels have demon
strated their value and are here to
tay.
For that matter, they are satisfac
tory enough, and if that were the only
factor Involved the present wooden
wheels might never be superseded,
tut there are other considerations
that make It likely that before
many years have passsed cars will be
equipped with a radically diMerent
type of wheel.
In the very early days of the motor
car there was a tendency to follow bi
cycle practice and use wheels of wire.
These parts were not properly de
signed to perform the work required
of them in automobile service and then
the Industry swung toward carriage
practice and adopted hickory as its
standard wheel material.
There is little serious complaint to
be made against wooden wheels when
they are made of the proper grade ot
litckory. In rare cases wooden wheels
do disintegrate aud literally fall to
pieces under some excessive strain or
heavy Impact. The common failing ot
wooden wheels is to develop an ex
ceedingly annoying squeak and this
may be cured by driving in wedges
where the spokes have loosened near
the hub.
any new car.
VELfE FACTORY MM HERE
MANY SATISFIED OWNERS
FOUND IN PORTLAND.
ARE
Driver Well Informed About Con-1
etruetion and Operation of
Cars, Says Visitor.
Hiekary Leaser Fleatlfal.
Most owners neglect to give any at
tention to the hub bolts of their wooden
wheels. These bolts pass through the
wheel and retain the hub plate in posi
tion. In the case of the rear wheels
the hub bolts hold the brake drum also.
If these bolts are permitted to become
loose, the condition will very probably
throw the wheel out of alignment and
cause difficulty In driving, not to men
tion excessive tire wear.
The real reason why the wooden
wheel Is likely to be superseded is sim
ply the increasing difficulty of securing
an adequate amount of second-growth
hickory, the particular grade of wood
that gives the best results. At the
present rate it vit not be many years
before this grade, of hickory will be
more expensive than other wheel-building
materials, when no real reason for
' retaining the wooden wheels will re
main. At the present time the closest rival
of the hickory wheel in passenger car
design is the wire wheel. This part is
a radical advance over the original
wire wheel, which was adopted almost
without change from bicycle practice.
Scientific design has produced a wheel
with wire spokes, having all the
strength and then some, of the best
hickory. In addition other character
istics of superiority are claimed for the
wire wheel by its adherents, which at
any rate entitle It to a careful hearing
in the final court of motordom.
In the first place it Is claimed that by
reason of the many points at which
the rim of the wire wheel is supported,
as against the 10 or IS such points in
the hickory wheel, that the former Is
more tenacious In keeping its shape.
The argument is that the' wooden wheel
gradually assumes more or less of a
polygon shape, which accentuates tire
wear. Further it is claimed that the
metal better radiates the heat inevita
bly generated by the tire in running
than does wood, which is a poor heat
conductor, acting in fact rather as an
insulator. In the wire wheel there is
never any annoyance from squeaking
induced by loosened spokes.
Carefal Ia.peetlsa Necessary.
However, it is necessary to keep wire
wheels In proper order, not to permit
the enamel to crack oft at the nipples.
as rust is likely to form In such a case
and trouble will probably ensue. There
is little question that wire wheels en
hance the appearance of a car. but they
must be kept clean, caked mud must
be removed from between the spokes
after a run in the rain or instead of
an improvement they will be an eye
sore. It may be noted that with the
special brushes that are now available
for cleaning wire wheels the task Is
not onerous. In the final analysis, the
real reason why wire wheels have not
ousted the wooden type from its posi
tion of supremacy is simply the ques
tion of cost.
Hickory wheels are still cheaper
than the wire and the difference in ser
vice rendered by the two is not great
enough to permit the latter to force Its
general employment.
Owners of care fitted with wire
wheels should give them a careful in
spection every three weeks, if not of
tener, to see that no spokes are loose
or bent and that no rust has forced
around the nipples. One type of wire
wheel has a serrated drive and the ser
rations must be kept perfectly clean.
If one of these should be badly nicked,
there will be trouble in mounting the
wheel. If rust starts to form on the
driving surface, kerosene er oil should
be applied at once to stop it. Within
the past year or two there has been a
noticeable tendency to cover the out
sides of wire wheels with metal discs.
This gives an additional attractive ap
pearance and prevents the formation
of mud deposits between the spokes.
In European countries the problem of
securing satisfactory grades of wood
for use in wooden wheels has been more
difficult than our own. As a conse
quence engineers over there have long
experimented with other types of
wheels. Today wire wheels .are the
rule in England and France and they
have branched off into experiments
with other metal types. .
Cast Steel Wheels Tried.
Pressed and cast steel wheels have
achieved a real vogue In England, not
only for trucks, but for passenger cars
as well. In appearance these wheels
are Just the same as our wooden artil
lery wheels. In the designs of today
these steel wheels are Just as light as
our wooden ones, they are stronger,
their heat-radiating qualities are supe
rior and many competent authorities
hold that they are to be the ulti
mate type of wheel. There is certainly
every reason to give this opinion a re
spectful hearing.
In the matter of the care common to
all types of wheels it must be remem
ing. wnicn must be kept well packed
with grease all the time. At Intervals
each wheel should be jacked up and
turned to see whether it is turning
freely. White the wheel Is Jacked up.
take it firmly by spoke and rim and
pull and push to see If there Is exces
sive play. Wear in bearing or hub may
cause this latter condition.
In the case of wooden wheels some
times the wheel gets out of shape, so
that It la difficult to mount the rim.
K. IL Specht, mechanical department
factory representative for the Velie
Motors Corporation, Molipe. III., manu
facturers of Velie cars and trucks, and
who makes his headquarters in San
Francisco, has been in Portland the
last few days, operating from the D. C.
Warren Motor Car Company's place of
business, 58 North Twenty-third street.
Mr. Fpecht's territory includes Oregon,
California, Washington and part of
Nevada and Arizona.
"My Job Is to keep In touch with
Velie dealers and owners and to see
that drivers of the car receive proper
Instructions and proper service out of
their cars, said Mr. Specht. Every
where I go I find an increasing num
ber of satisfied Velie drivers. I find
that among the best friends of the car
are the mechanics who work on them.
No other class of men is better fitted to
pass on the worth of an automobile and
when they say a car is all right you may I
be sure that know what they are talk
ing about.
'The 1). C Warren Motor Car Com
pany has sold a good many Velies in
this territory during the three years
that they have been in business here.
We are finding thaw every owner Is
proving to be a salesman.
The Velie truck also Is finding a
ready sale. Two thousand were sold
to the French government for war sejp- I
vice. The United States ordered first
1000, then 500 more, and not long ago
1500 three-quarter ton trucks, which it
is understood will be used In the postal
service, were ordered. The factory Is
now at work on the fleet of 2500.
"In my dealings with car owners I
find that they are much better Informed
about the mechanical enstruction and
operation than formerly and are learn
ing all the time."
LIEUTENANT IMPRESSED WITH
RIVER ROUTE.
Texas Man Enthuses Over Multno
mah Fa I la Dressed in Its
Winter Garb of Ice.
Lieutenant George E. Moore, of Waco,
Tex, who has been stationed at Cor
vallis for some time past, spent a few
days in Portland during tile past week
as a guest of Clement and Douglas
Powell. Lieutenant Moore had often
heard of the beauties of nature In this
section of the country and it was his
privilege to make a trip over the Co
lumbia River Highway, which revealed
to him some of the most wonderful
scenic places to be found in all of his
travels.
Ons of the most wonderful scenes
which greeted the vision of Lieutenant
Moore was Multnomah Falls garbed in
Us Winter coat of ice. The spray
which Is continually cast from the sum
mlt of the Cascade Mountains Into the
gorge below, has been transformed
into myriads of icycles, and their glit
terlng beauty reminds one of a diamond
palace.
The ride over this beautiful highway
In a Maxwell car, and the wonderful
beauties of nature manifest on every
hand Impressed Lieutenant Moore so
wonderfully with this portion of Ore
gon that he said it would be his
pleasure to continue singing its praises
upon returning to his southern home.
BRITON PLANTS CHANCE BACK
Airplane Motor Factories Will Make
Automobile Engines.
The problem of turning over British
munition factories to manufacture of
peace products Is not nearly so serious
as that which confronted them in con
verting from a peace to a war basis.
according to a statement of F. O. Kel
laway, parliamentary secretary to the
Ministry of Munitions. Several plants
manufacturing airplane motors will
make engines for motor cars and a
Birmingham firm is changing from
production of fuses and airplane parts
to automobile accessories. A Sheffield
shell plant employing 1000 workmen
will turn to the manufacture of
springs and files. Other conversions
are from munitions to hosiery needles
and hose suspender fittings, from
shells to shoe machinery, airplanes to
house furniture and iron valves, guns
to locomotives and electric fittings and
copper bands for shells to dairy
utensils.
WAR BOARD TO, BE DISSOLVED
Baruch Makes Recommendation
With His Resignation.
In a letter to the President, In which
he tenders his resignation as chairman,
Bernard M. Baruch recommended that
the War Industries Board be discon
tinued after January 1, 191?. and in ac
knowledging receipt of the letter and
accepting the resignation the President
concurred in the suggestion for discon
tinuing the board. The activities of the
board which have a lasting value are
being transferred to permanent de
partments of the Government. The De
partment of the Interior, through the
bureau of mines, has assumed control
of the activities of the board relating
to war minerals; the department of
Commerce probably will undertake the
conservation programme, and the bu
reau of planning and statistics will-become
a bureau to serve all departments
of the Government.
Women should not be permitted to
drive alone until they have become ex
perienced operators.
AUT0M0
We are pleased to announce the
appointment of PACIFIC STATES
RUBBER CO. as distributors of
our entire line, which includes:
Republic Pneumatic Fabric Tires
Republic Pneumatic Cord Tires
Republic Pneumatic Truck Tires
Republic Solid Truck Tires
Republic Inner Tubes (Red and
Gray)
New location,
229 PINE STREET
(Across From Pine-Street Coffee House)
' also
Republic Belting Rubber and
Balata
Republic Hose-All kinds in rubber,
and cotton
Republic Packing for all purposes
Republic Molded Goods of every
description
At 51 FIRST STREET
With our NEW representation we
can safely assure our customers
the fair and courteous treatment
which has always been extended
by us. SERVICE and a SQUARE
DEAL will be the policy of our new
distributors.
REPUBLIC RUBBER COMPANY
of California
PACIFIC STATES RUBBER CO.
229 Pine Street 51 First Street
Phone Broadway 1088
, ,
IMPORTANT MESSAGE
ENSILE O'N.ilS I
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f 1 J ' - 3 -s T t 4t - I
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- With. SjAqGjJIj) Studs
- -I E
HIGHWAY PHOERflMME BIG
MANY STATES TO BUILD KOADS
OX BIG SCALE
Bond Issues Provide Funds, 'Texas
Having $25,000,000 Available
for 1919 Buildiug.
From the reports constantly being;
received from the various states, it
seems evident that there is going to
be a resumption of road buildlnir on a
scale even greater than those in closest
touch with the situation had dared to
hope, reads an editorial in Good Roads.
This is as it should be, of course, for
the great need of the country today is
transportation, and that can bo bad
only if the highway systems of the
states and the rtatfon are developed to
their maximum capacity.
In two states, Illinois and Pennsyl
vanla, large bond Issues have been au
thorised by the voters. In other states.
notably South Dakota and Iowa, the is
suance of bonds Is being agitated, and
apparently has the backing of Influen
tial Interests. There is also consider
able sentiment in favor of a bond issue
in Minnesota and In Michigan. In many
counties; too. the Issuing of bonds for
extensive road buildins operations
seems liKely.
The 1919 road programmes of a num
ber of states have been tentatively
drawn up, and In most Instances the
proposed expenditures are at least as
large as those of previous years when
war did not Interfere with internal im
provements, in some cases they are
considerably larger. The projected ex
penditures in Texas will amount to
about a5, 000,000, while the proposed
expendtlure in Minnesota is about
$6,000,000. In Louisiana, according to
recent report, more than 14.600.000
will be spent, and in Ohio plans have
been made for what is described as the
biggest good roads year" in that
state's history. Work under the super
vision of the state in Colorado will
cost about 1 1,000,000, it is predicted, '
nna ufiinno pians nave Deen an
nounced for many other states. Road
work has been held up everywhere for
a long lime and there is a very general
disposition to make up next year for
me iime lost this year and last. While
the conclusion of the armistice on the
other side has not removed all of the
obstacles in the way of renewed activ
ity in American road work, the way of
ine roaa Dunaer has Been made much
easier, and there is every reason to be
optimistic in looking forward to next
year operations.
AGEXCY HIGHWAY NEEDED
Improvement of Klamath Reserva
tion Iloads la Sight.
KLAMATH FALLS, Or.. Jan. 4.
(Special.) That a great improvement
may be made in the roads on the Klam
ath Indian reservation north of here
is assured as a result of a visit from
H. M. Snipe, of the Indian Department
at Washington, who has been in con
ference with W. G. West, is indicated
by those who are In close touch with
the situation.
It was pointed out to J. H. Norris
during his brief residence here by J.
W. Siemens; who represents the North
west Tourist Association, that the
main road north and south, past the
Klamath agency, was in such deplor
able shape during most of the tourist
WANTED
SALESMAN WITH
CAR TO HANDLE A
WESTERN ELECTRIC
LINE. NEED NOT
HAVE THOROUGH
ELECTRICAL
KNOWLEDGE.
Call Onr Office,
WESTERN ELECTRIC
COMPANY,
E. Amh St. and Union Ave,
Telephone 8250.
season that it was nearly impossible
to get through; that the district lost
large numbers of visitors who would
otherwise come this way, and that
there was little use of the county
building Improved highways now be
ing planned when one of the main
links was allowed to remain as in the
past. Mr. Norris apparently got busy
because Mr. Snipe appeared shortly
afterward and found the new superln
tendent anxious to co-operate. It i
Intimated that an appropriation of
$25,000 will be asked of the department
for this work.
set so tightly in their sockets that it is
difficult to remove them. A pair of
tongs which will make this task easy,
however, may be made readily from an
old pair of wide-faced pliers. After the
faces have been hammered flat, if not
already so, a slot is cut in one of them
so that it can be placed astride the ca
ble side of the terminal while the H;it
face exerts pressure atrainHt the other.
Keep your eyes open, your head ua
and your mind on what you are dolus.
Uso both brakes; the lining will last
much longer. -.
Tongs for Battery Terminals.
Battery terminals sometimes become
NATIONAL AUTHORIZED
SERVICE for
HYATT Bearings
ALSO FOR
TIMKENand
NEW DEPARTURE
Bearings r
Service
CompanyL
Portland Branch
24 N. Broadway
Phone Broadway 1799, A-2444
4.
foe-Hp"'. 'V
E. M. TUCKER AUTO AND WAGON WORKS, 429 BELMONT ST.
Thirty years ago E. M. Tucker, then a young man of 22, came to Port
land from Toronto, Canada, securing employment with the old firm
of Anderson & Gray, later O. H. Anderson, located at Sixth and Burn
side, at his trade of coach and wagon building, remaining with them
for over 12 years. For a year and a half Mr. Tucker was in charge of
the bentstock and wheel department of the Waterhouse & Lester Com
pany. In 1906 Mr. Tucker bought the business of A. M. Westram on
Union avenue and Yamhill street, where he continued in the coach and
wagon trade for 11 years. In September, 1917, Mr. Tucker moved
to his present location, 429 Belmont, where he has enlarged his plant
to meet the steady increase in his business until he waa in a position
to handle the order represented in this picture for the United States
Government -in the manufacture of seven bodies on Ford trucks for
the postal service. These seven bodies were completed, ready for
. service, six weeks from the time the order was placed.
Mr. Tucker makes a specialty of auto body building and is equipped
to manufacture any style of auto body.