THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAN. PORTLAND. JUNE I, 1910.
R1GGS SPEEDS
WHEN HE WANTS TO. HURRY, HE DRIVES A WILLYS-KMGHT.
TO
REACH BEDSIDE
D A
Son-in-Law III in Portland, He
Overtakes Missed. Train.
RACE WITH ENGINE IS WON
41i Miles From Los .Angeles to Sac
ramento He Drives in 14 Hours
in AYHIys-Knlglit Car.
FRANK
R
Mi
. . ' - . - :
:.f - r- - -
- , '::, i.-i:a &:u-'U , - - . i p w
V .'X , . :
The laurels of Harry Hays are safe
enough as road kins f hi" own Oregon
territory,' but herewith is presented in
nomination the name of Frank. C.
Riggs, western district manager for
the villys-Overland company, as road
emperor of California.
Two weeks ago Mr. Hifrgs In a
Willys-Knight car drove from Los
Angeles to Sacramento, 414 miles by
highway, in exactly 14 hours. This Is
an average of just a fraction less than
30 miles an hour for, the entire distance.
There was no thought of setting a
road record for the nere sake oi me
record in the mind of Mr. Riggs when
lie shot, out of L.os Anseles at S:S0
o'clock that morning at the wheel of
the Willvs-Knierht. Far otherwise.
At his hotel a few minutes before
he had received a telegram from Port
land that his son-in-law, 13 T. Sturgeon,
manager of the Lougla3 Fir company
here, was lying desperately ill of
pneumonia. In ' fact, the doctors had
given him up before the telegram was
Bent..and Mr. Uiggs was urged to hurry
to Portland bv the first train if he
hoped to see him alive.
Takes The Fighting Chance.
He got this telegram a short time
nr. late to eret the train. To wait
meant a whole day lost. Mr. Rig
instantly decided to take the one fight
ing chance of getting that train, which
wbs to drive from Los Angeles to
Davis, Cal., which is. 14 miles from
Sacramento, beating the train to that
tioint and boarding it there.
The train had too much of a start for
him nossiblv to overtake it at ban
Francisco. To reach Davis ahead of
It was his only chance. It meant a
schedule of 30 miles an hour to Sac
ramento, but Mr. Riggs. a driver of
lone experience, knowing the Willys-
Knight and the power and endurance
r.f its sleeve-valve motor, was con
fident he could do it.
He stopped only to take on gasoline,
and at 9:30 o'clock was on his way.
He figured that to win he must reach
Sacrarnetito, 14 miles from Davis, by
11:30 that night.
At exactly 11:30 o'clock he was there.
For the first time in the 14 hours, he
stopped long enough to get a bite to
eat before he sped on for the remain
ing 14-mile lap to Davis. He was there
ahead of the train with time to spare.
Two Stops In 414 Miles.
The next night Mr. Riggs was in
Portland and at the bedside of Mr
Sturgeon, who was so ill he did not
recognize his father-in-law. Mr. Riggs
remained there for three days. Then
the crisis was passed and Mr. Sturgeon
began to improve. Mr. Riggs then re
turned to California, completed his
business there, and last week came
north to Portland again to take a few
days of needed rest in his old home
town. He told last week for the first
time how he managed to catch that
train.
On the whole 414-mile run from Los
Angeles to Sacramento, he made just
two stops. One was to take on oil and
gasoline. The other was for gasoline.
Just the few moments required for
this, and he was on his way again.
He didn't have so much as a sandwich
to munch on the long journey.
Making the perforniance more re
markable was the fact that the high
way between Los Angeles and Sac
ramento climbs to a 4500 foot elevation
in crossing the mountains a Tehachapi
" pass. But the Willys-Knight took the
grades at the same steady, unworried
gait as the levels, and never paused
for an instant. There was not so much
as a puncture to mar the run.
It's the Steady Gait that Counts.
Another remarkable fact about this
run was that Mr. Riggs, while main
taining a consistent 30-mile per hour
average, did not drive faster than 33
miles an hour at any time.
If ever there was an occasion that
wold warrant breaking speed laws,
with the fine paved highway along the
whole distance inviting it, this would
seem to be the one. But Mr. Riggs is
too old and experienced a driver for
that.
"If I had yielded to the temptation
to speed up to 45 or 50 miles per hour,"
he said. "I would not have caught that
train. One of the first lessons a driver
must learn is that the way to make
time is not by driving at excessive
speeds.
"Kntirely aside from the more than
doubled liability of accident is the fact
that driving at 45 or 50 miles an hour
w-ill tire a man more in 15 minutes than
driving at 35 miles an hour will do in
four hours. And I believe the ratio
is even greater than that.
"Fast driving never pays. The time
made on 'a short stretch is always lost
later. I don't know any exceptions.
The way to make time is by maintain
ing absolutely a steady gait of about
35 miles an hour, not for half an hour
onanism of the car at that speed. The
or an hour, but hour in and hour out.
There is no serioustrain on the mech-
'Ibis is Frank C. Risrff, western district manager for the Willys-Overland company, nho la here on m visit, snapped
beside a Will JH-Knight car. A couple of weeks ago Mr. Riggs drove In a Willys-Knight from Los Angeles to Sacra'
metto, 414 miles, In 14 hours flat, to catch a train for Portland.
anism of the car at that speed. The
tires are not subjected to dangerous
stresses. The driver himself is not
at a tension.
"On this run I set for myself an
average of 30 miles per hour, which
meant driving 35 miles per hour, and
I never varied from it. My time to
Sacramento was one hour faster than
the schedule of the Owl from Los
Angeles to San Francisco, which is the
same distance.
REPUBLIC DEALERS EXPAND
Roberts Motor Car Company Opens
a Branch in Vancouver, AVash.
The demand for Republic "yellow
chassis" trucks and Republic tractors
has become so great that the Roberts
Motor Car company, distributors for
Oregon and part of Washington, last
week found it necessary in order to
care for their growing business to open
a branch in Vancouver, Wash.
This field formerly has been han
dled from Portland. There are now so
many Republics in that district that
the Roberts Motor. Car Company de
sired, as added reason for the branch,
to give direct service to their Clark
counby owners.
AUTOS NECESSITY IX ITALY
Motor Lines Link Up Country Not
Reached- by Kail.
Italy has 8700 mile" of broad track
railroad and 8070 miles of roads over
which a regular service is run to time
tables. The big development of motor
passenger carrying and good service
is largely explained by the fact that
Italy is a mountainous country in which
railroads can only be built with diffi
culty. Most of the main railroad .lines
follow the coast, leaving the center of
the country undeveloped. This defect
has been remedied by the creation of
motor lines which link up the railroads
and penetrate in mountainous districts
where railroad construction is costly.
SECONDS LOWER PRICED
JUST WHAT TERM MEANS EX
PLAINED BY G. A. MALCOM.
Car Owner Enabled to Make Saving
by Buying Auto TJres That Are
Slightly Out of Style.
There is a good deal of misapprehen
sion among car owners as to Just what
Is meant by the term "seconds" as ap
plied to automobile tires. There is all
the difference in the world in this term
according to the dealer who uses it.
Factory "seconds' when sold by re
liable dealers, carry a full guarantee,
and are in many cases tires that ordi
narily would have sold as firsts, ex
cept for the fact that there has been
some change in tire styles that has
enabled the dealer to obtain -.thera at
a low figure in wholesale lots, and to
give the car owner the benefit of this
low price.
G. A. Malcom of the Mai com Tire
company, 82 North Broadway, is one
such dealer in Portland. Mr. Malcom
has had many years' experience in the
tire business. Before coming to Port
land he was with one of the leading
tire factories for a good many years,
and he knows all sides of the business.
Mr. Malcom makes- a " specialty in
Portland of selected factory "seconds,"
that is to say, slightly blemished tires
or tires that might be considered old
style for reason that they have been
taken from the factory at the time
some change has been made in style
of regular selling patterns.
All the seconds carried by Mr. Mal
com, who is a thoroughly reliable dealer,
carry the full guarantee. But owing
to some slight mark in the rubber, or
to the fact that they are not in the
latest fashion, they can be sold to the
owner direct at a greatly reduced price.
Mr. Malcom has direct relations with
the Automobile Tire company of New
if. TRnllT I AKF IN A HUPPoldest dealer in seconds in the world.
.tseing tne pioneers in mis iraae, nav-i
but that will, through their greater
resiliency and mileage life, now built
into them, permit substantial reduction
In cost.
SOLID TIRES NOT GUARANTEED
British Makers Don't Warrant Their
Solid Output.
The abandonment of a guarantee on
solid rubber tires by the British tire
makers has naturally aroused a good
deal of criticism, and many business
organizations do not know just why
this step was taken. The guarantee
of 10,000 miles on these tires had its
origin in the early days of the motor
truck, when tiro costs were about as
fluctuating as the mileage was varied
At that period, too, the initial cost 01
a set of truck tires was a much more
serious Item than latterly, being often
sufficient, in the event of a premature
collapse of two or more of a set, to
preclude the vehicle concerned from
showing a profit on a year's turnover.
It is now frequently the experienco o
users that a set of tires goes far be
yond the mileage guaranteed.
STALLED 3 DAYS IN DESERT
BEXD MAX OUT OF LUCK WHEX
-Pli-VTIXUM POIXT DROPS OUT.
From Across the Sea
That dreary monotony of line
and color created by blind imit
ation inspired Jordan to seek a
new design from across the sea.
And the new Silhouette fresh
with the inspiration of France
full of the suggestion of coming
styles, heralds the new and marks
the passing of the old.
Like the charming woman of
today it is a little more slender
more chic more gay.
The hood with twenty-nine
louvers is just a trifle higher,
with slanting sport type windshield.
The body is just a trifle lower,
with deep, soft-cushioned seats
resting almost on the floor.
Doors are wide-opening.
Mouldings are rectangular.
There is a new French angle at
the dash. The top edge is re
freshingly flat without the
slightest trace of bevel.
Top is as carefully tailored as a
woman's hat. Artistic hard
ware. Patented noiseless spring
shackles. Cord tires. Furnished
in Brewster Green or Burgundy
Old Wine for either four or
five passengers.
SoRnwSv Mitchell, Lewis & Staver Co.
Oo Broadway at Oak St.
JORDAN MOTOR CAR COMPANY, CLEVELAND, OHIO
fContinut-d I"rom First PafrO
White Salmon ferry was quickly made
to the Hood River side. This terry,
operated by Johnson & Van Allen, can
take as many as five cars across the
river at one time, . and the rate
charged, J1.03 per car and four pas--scngers.
including war tax, is mighty
reasonable, indeed, a.s ferry tolls go.
HlKhvray Not Open Vet.
As the North Bank highway along
the Washington shore from Stevenson
around Wind mountain to Lnderwood
and White Salmon is not yet open, mo
torists bound for White Salmon. Trout
L.ake. Yakima, Spokane via. Yakima or
Kllensburg and way points should take
this ferry. A good many car owners
bound for this section have taken the
ferry at Cascade Locks under a mis
apprehension as to the opening of the
North Bank highway. While the cut
ting of this road around Wind moun
tain has been completed, it is not yet
open to travel and probably will not
be until about July 1.
Crews are now laying crushed rock
along this road, so even when the
road is declared open for travel the
wise motorist will wait until this
crushed rock has been surfaced.
BLEWETI PASS .NOW IS OPEN
But Snoqualmie Puss, Also on Sun
set Highway, Still Closed.
ELLKXSBL'RG, May 31. Automobiles
are making daily trips over tho Blewett
Pass section of the Sunset highway be
tween Cle Blum and Wenatchee, and
drivers report the road in good con
dition. It was not expected the high
way at this point would be cleared of
snow until June 1, as it crosses the
mountains at a higher altitude than
Snoqualmie Pass, but warm weather
during the past two weeks melted the
snow rapidly.
ing been in the business more than 1
years, they are known by the factories
and are thus able to get first call on
such tires at a greatly reduced price
by taking them in quantity lots. Mr.
Malcom. in turn, gets his tires from
them and also has the benefit of a low
price.
Handling these tires comprises about
half of Mr. Malcom's line. Jn addition
he handles factory "firsts" on a direct
special selling basis from factory to
car owner. These "firsts" are' both
popular-priced and htghrlced goods.
Some carry the standard guarantee at
3500, and from that up to 6000 miles.
G0CDR1GH PRICES DOWN
LOWERING OF TIRE PRICE XOT
DUE TO LESS DEMAND.
Reduction Made Possible by Indus'
trial Efficiency and Removal
of Restrictions.
NO, THIS MASH QUAD IS NOT GOING DOWN THE STEPS; IT IS
BACKING UP THEM.
5
1 w
"- . .-j ...
l'bls photo vas tnken nff tie Quail, a two-on vehicle, was scuttling? backward
up these stairs at the old faireruuDds, with a :i Va-ton load of cement aboard.
John Krog, manager for the I'ortland ilotor Car company, put one of his
Nash Uuads throush its paces last week and, just to show what climbiiisr uual
lties its four-wheel drive possesses, undertook to drive it, loaded with 3 1 a tons
if cement, up the old fairground steps. lint when the truck started up the
Miaru incline the load started to slip off. This didn t daunt Mr. Kro or th
Xush Ouad. Without more ado, ho about-faced the truck and backed up the
f teps. Several soldiers who have had experience with. Nash. Quads on the west
tru front were Interested onlookers.
A general decrease in the cost of
automobiles and - motor truck tires,
tu'oes and tire accessories to the public
has been announcedJy the local branch
of the B. K. Goodricn Rubber company.
This liberal reduction is the first to
take effect since the country entered
the war.
The lowering of the cost of rubber
tires is not due to any apathy in tire
buying.- according to prominent offi
cials, because they find the demand for
their products well in excess of the
supply. Three factors entered into th6
tire price revision.
First, :he remarkable Industrial ef
ficiency in the rubber industry permit
ted them to change over quickly from
a war footing to a peace basis, and tire
production today is nearing a mark
greater than at any time previous to
the war.
Second, all war restrictions on the
importation of crude rubber have been
removed, enabling manufacturers to
keep ample supplies on hand.
Third, considerable progress was
made in factory efficiency because of
the strenuous pace demanded by the
army and navy programmes in the
rosecution of the war when solid and
pneumatic tires, tubes, gas masks, diri
gible and observation balloons and
fcurgrical and mechanical rubber goods
-.cre turned out in tremendous quanti
ties. Time-saving devices and methods
inaugurated during the war were main
tained and applied to the peace-time
production of tires.
The rubber industry is pledged to
supplying the needs of this country
and the world with indispensable rub
ber products. Tn spite of the war. the
2rmy and peotle at home continued to
call for rubber products in large quan
tities that were already being made
prior to the war. In addition, the rub
ber inJustry was fortunate in being
able to measure up to still larger and
more strictly war-time requirements.
Right quickly it was appreciated that
this industry Included great institutions
filled with trained men and women and
equipped not only to build dirigibles
end balloons, the eyes of our great
armies, but. in addition, trdck, car and
airplano tires, which were so urgently
needed.
li the manufacture and distribution
of tires the rubber industry has found
a field of great usefulness as an ally
to the motor car and truck manufac
turers. Incessantly, the industry Is
seeking to provide the automobiles and
trucks of the country with tires that
vill- render not only a better service,
Fifty Miles From Burns und 100
Miles From Bend, He Makes Camp
and Awaits Service Car.
L. K. Shepherd, a local music dealer,
spent three dreary days and nights on
the high desert 50 miles from Burn
ana too miles from Bend, on accoun
of the platinum point dropping off th
magneto of his machine while on a re
turn trip from Burns.
He left Bend Monday morning with
a load of Senora phonographs, say
the Bend Press, to be delivered in
Burns, and everything went well on
the trip over. He delivered the ma
chines and was 50 miles on his road
back when tho engine of his car re
fused to work.
He exerted every known means to
inject a ipark of life in the gaa brute,
but of no avail. As far as to Shep
herd's ability to start the car, it was
dead. L,uckily he had bedding and
provisions along, so he set camp and
awaited the arrival of a Good Samari
tan to send word to Bend or Burns for
a service car.
On Monday the Deschutes garage re
ceived -word of Shepherd"s predicament
and startad after him. Of course P. J
Blue, who went to Shepherd's rescue,
did not know what was the matter
with the car and so was unable to take
the needed supplies along with him.
When he arrived on the scene of dis
aster he found that the platinum point
was missing from the magneto, but
there was no platinum available. It
is often said that necessity is the
mother of invention, and in this case
the saying was true. An electric horn
In the service car was wrecked and the
platinum point extracted and driven
into the magneto.
Luck favored the transfer and the
adjustment which could not have been
changed even though ft was wrong
was right. The engine groaned and
started and the two cars pulled into
Bend in due time.
side rule kept them in a state border
ing on mental collapse.
Aviators also are agitating for an in
ternational conference to formulate air
rules as well as highway rules.
RESEARCH WORK REAL NEED
Experts Discuss Plans for Develop
ing tho Rubber Industry.
At a recent meeting of the develop
ment department of the Goodyear Tire
& Rubber company, Akron, Ohio, Willis
R. Whitney, director of research for
the General Electric company of Sche
nectady, N. Y., and C. P. Kettering of
the Dayton, O., engineering labora
tories, two of the foremost industrial
engineers of the country, were the chief
speakers. These gentlemen, both of
whom have many inventions to their
credit, emphasized the need of intensive
research work in the future develop
mentof the rubber Industry, and com
plimented the Goodyear engineers on
the many improvements which they
had pioneered in the tire development.
CANADA OX LEFT-HAND DRIVE
Internationalizing of Rules Advocat
ed by Motorists.
Canadian automobillsts have obtained
co-operation of associations in America
and other countries in the campaign to
internationalize road rules. They be
lieve peace and good road projects will
result in many transcontinental tours
and that a standard code of rules will
be needed.
British motorists who brought their
machines to Canada have had greatest
difficulty in keeping on the right-hand
side of the street and Canadian army
officers who attempted to pilot ma
chines In London declare that the left
llffS
A Complete Service
Stock of All Sizes
TIMKEN
BEARINGS
also HYATT and
NEW DEPARTURE
National Authorized Service
Portland Branch
24 N. BROADWAY
Phone Broadway 1799, A-2441
AUo a Rim Srvioa
Bearings
Service
company
TIKES
FIRST GRADE NEW GOODS
4000-Mile Guarantee
Our Prices Include War Tax
Oar
Prlee.
$12.50
lo.To
18.50
24.25
24.85
30x3
30x3 Vi
32x34
31x4
32x4
33x4
34x4
Non-Skid
Non-Skid
Non-Skid
Non-Skid
Non-Skid
Non-Skid
Non-Skid
2G.:i5
List
Price.
$14.90
19.40
22.85
29.75
30.30
31.65
32.50
AUTO ACCESSORIES AND PARTS
ARC
1
9
WIGGINS
Distributors of
AUTOMOTIVE ACCESSORIES
Sixth street at Onlc
We carry a full line of 6000-mile
Tires at Special Prices.
Also a large assortment of Fac
tory Seconds Guaranteed.
Standard Makes
28x3 N. S. Fabric ?11.45
30x3 N. S. Fabric 11.90
30x3 N. S. Fabric 14.95
32x3 N. S. Fabric 17.95
31x4 N. S. Fabric 21.50
32x4 N. S. Fabric 22.00
32x4 Rib Cord 37.50
'33x4 N. S. Fabric 28.85
33x4 'Rib Cord 39.60
33x4 N. S. Cord 42.50
34x4 N. S. Fabric 23.25
34x4 N. S. Cord 44.50
35x4 N. S. Fabric 31.50
36x4 N. S. Fabric 29.50
32x4' N. S. Fabric 27.80
32x4 ,i N. S. Cord 46.50
33x43 N. S. Fabric 28.00
34x4 li N. S. Fabric 31.00
34x4 J,i Rib Cord 46.50
35x4 Vi N. S. Fabric 40.00
35x4 ',3 N. S. Cord 49.50
36x4 N. S. Fabric 38.00
37x4 i N. S. Fabric 44.50
355 N. S. Cord 67.50
36x5 N. S. Fabric 42.50
37x5 N. S. Fabric 46.50
37x5 N. S. Cord 62.00
The above goods we can thor-
Fresh Tires direct from the Fac
tories, merely blemished Seconds,
not defective. If they were de
fective we would not Guarantee
them ourselves. It is on account of
the large number of branches we
operate and the large buying ca
pacity that enables us to offer
goods at above prices.
Write or Call
We ship C. O. D Parcel Post or
Express. Money refunded on goods
returned intact within 10 days.
Malcom Tire Co.
82 N. Broadway Portland, Or.
30 Branches
There's an Exide Battery
For Every Car
THE STORAGE BATTERY CO.
348-350 COUCH STREET
(CoFuJnbia)
STORAGE
BATTERY CO.
Broadway and Glisan Phone Bdwy. 546
The only battery with a definite guarantee.
All makes of batteries charged and repaired.
David Hodes Co.
N. Broadway and Flanders.
AUTOMOBILE GEARS.
PARTS AND ACCESSORIES
. REDUCED PRICES
ENGINES A SPECIALTY
AT
e Stock Parts for All Delco
Equipped Cars
HIS AUTO CO,
171 Hf REPAIR
Lii-iV STATION o i sixth and
IV. V V .Jililt BURN SIDE
We Stand Back of Every Job At Auto Electric Equip. Co.
10,000 Springs Carried in Stock
Let Us Repair Your Springs
Where You Get Service
15TH AND COUCH STREETS
r:i n..:. r
tT Noil uiusuii ii'cuut ias
"lk..JirAV!.& Storaire Batterv Co.
STORAdfcBATTERl "th Alder Sts. Broadway 55T
mi
SUNSET ELECTRIC CO.
AUTOMOBILE ELECT1UO UflUIPMEXT
AGENTS
n.TTf:RV HEPHKSKVTAHVES
bTAlimU AU I.It.HTl.M.
R ATTPWlPQ WORTH Ell.lllll AND UA IS STREETS
1 X A li XV X J i KJ phovk uroaoavay 1
AUTO DIRECTORY
Att f WITHOUT A SUPERIOR
ArternllTV 2- 3V nd 5"Ton Capacities
J ATTERBURY TRUCK SALES CO.
T -a fr "Truck Specialist"
V-a . 343.345 Qak St. Portland Phone Broadway 354
A Highly Efficient Truck
1 to 5-Ton Capacities
Worm Drive
A. W. Andersen
355 Wheeler Street
Thone East 445
ervice
Motor Trucks
iiiiiaiiiinniiiii
Franklin
offers more of "what you actually need and want in
an automobile."
BRALY AUTO CO.
Main 4880, A 3881. 19th and Washington Sts.
New Light Six, $1250 Factory
MitrhelL Seven-Passenger, $1525. Factory
MITCHELL, LEWIS & STAVER CO.
Broadway at Oak
SiXES