THE SUNDAY OREGON IAN, PORTLAND, DECEMBER 28, 1919.
UPHOLSTERY NEEDS
CAREFUL ATTENTION
AMONG THE THINGS THAT CAUSE AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS
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Seat Covers Are Real Econ
omy to Car Owner.
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REAL LEATHER IS SCARCE
But Many ot Substitutes Used Look
Just the Same and Are
Really Better Stuff.
The ignorance of the average mo
torcar owner in regard to the up
holstery of his vehicle would be
laughable if it were not serious and
in the aggregate costing American
motorists some millions of dollars
every year simply because this neces
sary part of the car's equipment does
not receive the care and attention
that will keep it serviceable. Not long
ago a new car owner was descanting
on the subject of the handsome Span
ish leather upholstery which graced
his car. A mere glance told that the
Spanish leather was really an ex
cellent leather substitute which
would give quite as good service as
the car owner thought he had.
As a matter of fact, almost all the
cars that have been turned out within
the past several months have been
upholstered in leather substitutes,
which is so well done now that it can
scarcely be detected from the gen
uine. Cars selling below $2000 have
not used the real leather in some
time, simply because the supply was
inadequate and prices enormously ad
vanced. The military demands for
leather are tremendous and little
has been available for private enter
prise. Suppose we examine briefly
i he methods of manufacture that go
into the making of real leather and
substitute upholstery.
All Kinds of Leather.
Leather upholstery comes, of course,
from the hide of a steer. The tan
neries receive the hides in what is
known as a "green state" that is,
with the hair and the skin untanned.
After going through the various pre
liminary processes of cleaning, hair
removal, etc., the hide goes into a
a vat of weak tanning fluid. From this
it goes into a stronger solution and
then into a still stronger one and
so on until the operation is com
pleted, which requires about eight
days.
The hide has now. become leather,
but its interesting career has only
begun.' The next t;tep in the odyssey
is a cutting machine. This ingenious
tool is so accurately set and guided
that the single hide, only a fraction
of an inch in thickness, may be cut
into almost any number of sheets of
leather, even down to a thickness of
tissue paper Obviously, then, the
term leather Is merely a relative one.
The leather may be a quarter of an
Inch thick or it may be as thin as a
cigarette paper. All else being equal,
the thicker the cut the more service
able and long-lasting will be the
leather.
Leather manufacturers have differ
ent names for the different cuts of
leather. The top cut is known as the
"buffing," and is generally employed
In the manufacture of bookbinding,
pocketbooks and similar light articles.
The best grade of leather is the. cut
which comes under the buffing. From
this second cut of leather we get the
finest type of automobile upholstery
that can be made. But below this
there are several more cuts that vary
in value according to thickness and
other considerations.
Substitute Often Is Better.
From all this it will appear. Just
why the term "leather upholstery"
does not necessarily mean what it is
usually taken to mean. While the best
grade of leather is unequaled a good
substitute is infinitely better than a
poor cut from the hide.
After the cutting operation the
leather goes through a number of
other processes. It receives a further
tanning and is treated with oils to
make it pliable. Finally, it is given
various treatments to produce the
gloss and finish desired and is col
ored with pigments applied mixed
with oil.
In the cheaper grades of leather
the thinner and lower cuts the sur
face is generally covered with a
chemical compound which forms a
sort of flexible film. Practically the
same thing is done in making leather
substitutes, so that the two products
are almost identical, except that one
has a leather base while the other
has a cotton cloth as a foundation.
Leather substitutes consist in the
final analysis of a base of cotton
cloth, on which is laid a deposit of
celulose compound. These Ingredi
ents in somewhat different form are
also the basis of many modern high
explosives, so that the motorists of
today may be said to be sitting on
the first cousin to a charge of nitro
glycerin. Stripped of detail, the pro
cess of manufacturing leather sub
stitutes simmers down to treating
cotton cloth with nitric and sulphuric
acids to give it a gelatinous consis
tency, after which oils are added to
make the product pliable.
Thickness Good Sign.
As with leather, the value of the
substitute is governed principally by
the thickness, not only of the cotton
cloth, but also of the compound which
is deposited upon It. This is not an
invariable rule, but it is near enough
to being so that the car buyer Is
justified in rejecting substitute leath
er upholstery that is thin and lacks
substance.
So perfect is the likeness to real
leather that has now been produced
In the substitute that "sharp" sales
men frequently pass the latter as
the former on unsuspecting- customers.
But, as a matter of fact, the manu
facturer with a good grade of sub
stitute has nothing to apologize for.
It will give excellent wear and will
look exactly like real leather during
Its period of service, if a few simple
attentions are given it at stated in
tervals. To begin with, the sooner the Amer
ican motor car public learns the value
of slip covers the sooner it will begin
to save needless expense for reuphol
stering vehicles. These covers pro
tect the upholstery, whether it Is real
leather or substitute, and they will
repay their cost in any car.
Secondly, gasoline should never be
used to clean the upholstery, no mat
ter which kind it is. The first step in
cleaning is .to clean off any dust pr
dirt that may be present by a brisk
brushing with a stiff whisk broom.
Next wash the upholstery with Cas
tile soapsuds and water and then dry
the surface carefully. Finally go over
the surface with a cloth dampened'in
sweet oil or some standard upholstery
dressing-.
DANGEROUS GRADE CHUSSING9 OVER RAILROAD TRACKS. LIKE THIS ONE, SOONER OR LATER RESULT
IN A FATAL WRECK.
This grade crossing over the Hlllsboro-Forest Grove branch of the Oregon Electric, near Garden Home, Is a
perfect trap As the photo shows, the road descends to the railroad track, which Is In a deep cut. The high banks
hide any approaching train from the motorist or driver of a horse vehicle, and the view of the vehicle is equally
obscured from the motorman. There Is an electrio signal, to be sure, but even electric signals don't always signal.
If Washington county permits this crossing to remain as it is, sooner or later there will be some funerals that
should have been averted.
MAINE FULLS INTO LINE
SI 000,000 FOR HIGHWAY AP
PROPRIATIONS XEXT YEAR.
This Is In Contrast to Fact That
Only 20.5 Allies or Road Work
Was Done This Year.
Four million dollars for the con
struction of roads will be available
next year in Maine. Half of this
money will come from the state and
the other half from the federal gov
ernment, and It is expected that 150
miles of new state highway will be
constructed. These new pieces of
road will be so located that they
will largely make connection between
sections of state highways already
completed.
Labor will bo the factor which will
govern the amount of road work
that will be done next year, and Paul
D. Sargent, the chief engineer of the
state highway commission, does not
expect that wages of workmen will
be any lower than during the pres
ent .season. Where men received from
S3 to S4 a day. according to the local
ity. The experience of the highway
department in hiring labor is that
men who live near the cities, or rath,
er where the work Is nearer the
cltieB. demand more pay than they do
in the country districts.
All of the work o be done next
year will be federal aid Jobs because
of the fact that the federal govean
ment participates in the co3t of con
struction. Projects are being put
into shape and presented to the fed
eral government for approval as fast
as possible, and the highway commis
sion plans to let contracts at as early
a date as the work is in a condition
to let. With this thought In mind,
the highway commission early In Sep
tember let a contract for 9.35 miles of
bituminous macadam road in the
town of Vassalboro, Kennebec county.
The contractor has been able to lay
practically all of his culverts this
fall and do part of. the heavy grading.
Letting work early or in anticipa
tion of next season's construction al
lows the contractors plenty of time to
make all the arrangements for get
ting equipment on the Job, for secur
ing all necessary material and other
details before the actual building be
gins. It is thought that this may
tend to lower prices, as in many cases
contractors can deliver and stack
alongside the roads gravel, stone and
sand during the winter months when
their teams otherwise would not be
busy and when large loads can be
hauled on wheels.
Because of lack ot funds only 20
miles of road were constructed dur
ing the present year. This work con
sisted entirely of finishing up con
tracts outstanding at the end of the
year 1918.
WINTER DRIVING EQUIPMENT
Even In Coldest Climate, Car Can
Be Kept In Use.
'Careful use of an automobile, and
careful driving will make it service
able In the coldest winter weather,"
says Stewart McDonald, president and
general manager of the Moon Motor
Car company, of St. Louis. "Even open
touring cars can be made comfortable.
We equip our Victory Six model with
curtains that are alrproof and our
touring car is almost as comfortable
as a closed car.
"This comfort can be greatly added
to by use of one of the several heat
ers that are to be bought, with some
kind of a hood cover to retain the
heat of the motor. With a good anti
freeze solution in the radiator, which
can be one-third alcohol and two
thirds water, and the use of a light
oil in the crank case, winter driving
can be made certain. An Important
point for wlntef is a good battery
which must be kept full of distilled
water, and recharged the moment It
goes low. As soon as there Is snow
and sleet on the streets, chains should
be put on the tires, because If a
skid does no worse it can badly
damage the wheel from contact with
curbing. A piece of pasteboard cov
ering the lower half of the radiator
will cut down the air circulation and
keep the motor warm. A patented
squeegee can be bought which will
wipe the snow and rain off the wind
shield. "With this equipment and careful
driving In slippery weather, the use
of an automobile in any but the cold
est climate. Is possible throughout
the winter season.
BIG AXLE CONCERN F03MED
$5,000,000 COMPANY LOCATES
IN CLEVELAND.
That City Declared to Be Crowding
Detroit for Leadership or
Auto Industry.
Cleveland literally becomes the axle
of the automobile Industry by the es
tablishment there of an enormous
manufacturing plant for the produc
tion of axles for both trucks and pas
senger cars.
The new company, organised by a
group of strong financial Interests
and incorporated under Ohio laws,
with approximate capital of $5,000.
000 as the Baton Axle company, will
have Its first factory unit completed
soon and will be marketing Its prod
uct by June, 1920. All the stock has
been sold.
V. V. Torbensen, inventor of the
Torbensen axle and one of the found
ers of the Torbensen Axle company.
Is chief engineer of the Eaton Axle
company and J. C. Eaton, formerly
president of the Torbensen Axle com
pany. Is president and general man
ager. Following inventions of Mr.
Torbensen of a decade ago, the two
founded the Torbensen Axle company,
which started production in a small
shop in New Jersey.
Subsequently the industry was
moved to Cleveland, where It grew
rapidly and is today conducted on a
gigantic scale. With the Eaton Axle
company Cleveland will be supplying
the bulk of axles to the automobile
industry. The products of the new
company will be based on new Inven
tions by Mr. Torbensen.
The Eaton company will manufac
ture two distinct types of axle a
conventionel passenger car axle of
beveled gear drive type and a truck
axle of Internal gear type, with all
gears operating in oil. These soon
will be featured in a national adver
tising campaign.
During the first year of operation
the new company will produce 200
sets of passenger car axles and 100
sets of truck axles per day. Contracts
for the first year's product have al
ready been made. As rapidly as pos
sible the plant will be enlarged.
The new company in locating In
Cleveland becomes one of more than
a score of concerns there manufac
turing well-known cars and trucks
and accessories. Automobile men see
its establishment as an important
link in Cleveland's manufacture from
Detroit. This is also the view of
Mayor Harry L. Davis of Cleveland.
NEW SERIES STUDEBAKER
SPORT MODEL REFLECTED IN
LATEST BIG SIX.
ti
No Great Changes in '20 Series, but
Special Six Is More Peppy
Than Its Predecessor.
In these days of Increasing auto
mobiles prices, advances naturally are
expected along with, the announce
ment of new models. But for once
this rule is being broken, the Stude
baker having set the precedent In the
20 series. The cars show no radical :
changes In appearance or design, but '
there are many Improvements which !
increase efficiency, ease of handling j
and travel comfort. The Influence !
of the recent sport model Is reflected
U) the aim six, In that the lines have
been made etraighter and snappier.
"The Studebaker has Increased
quality, not the price," said F. M.
VVcston-ftmlth of the Oregon Motor
Car company, "in the '20 series. Bet
ter equipment Is being furnished.
For Instance, the special six, which
formerly was known as the light six,
is coming now with cord equipment
all around.
"When I was at the factory re
cently, I saw how gigantic the Stude
baker plans are. The officials be
lieve It is the best policy to build
for the business of tomorrow rather
than squeeze every nickel out of the
business of today.
"The new Studebaker plant will
have a capacity of 600 cars dally at
South Bend alone. The most mod
ern manufacturing methods enable
Studebaker to build In quality and
quantity production.
"There was very little for the en
gineers to do In the '20 series. The
'19s were the most popular cars that
ever bore the Studebaker name. But
not satisfied to rest there the re
search department and engineers
kept working, seeking refinements
here and greater efficiency there.
"The special six. It will be found,
is more powerful than the previous
model. It Is about the 'peppiest'
motor that ever found Its way Into a
chassis. We have made some tests
here that are simply astounding.
"The solidity which marked the '19
series has been retained In the com
plete degree. This means ease qX
riding and long service.
"It might Interest anyone to In
quire about the second-hand values
of the '19 series. They are selling to
day for practically as much as when
new. I have been amazed at the de
mand for the used cars.
"One car that came across the con
tinent and then saw thousands of
miles of hard service here sold with
in 250 of its original purchase price
this week."
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WE approach the close of
the most successful year of
our business career and near
another year we extend to
our patrons and friends our
best wishes for a
Happy New Year
fruitful with the results of
well doing and conscientious
endeavor. May the New
Year bring you naught but
joy and prosperity.
GEORGE K. CASSIDY
American Tire & Rubber Company
Broadway at Oak Street
on the "General Corner"
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TRUCK MAN IS VISITOR
J. A. KLNDSON, OI M:illCE
COMPANY, IN PORTLAND.
Represents' ve or Big Factory Has
Message That Demand ror Trucks
Will Be Enormous.
J. A. Knudson, western factory rep
resentative for the 8ervtce Motor
Truck company of Wabash. Ind., ar
rived In Portland a week ago to make
this nls temporary headquarters In
the northwest. He has under his
charge the whole northwestern terri
tory, comprising the states of Ore
gon, Washington, Montana, Idaho,
Wyoming and British Columbia.
While In Portland he is working
with the Service Sales agency, dis
tributors for the Service Truck In tha
Oregon territory.
Mr. Knudson brings word that the
factory is getting back to a normal
production of motor trucks, after
having been engaged In war work
Normal production Is 40 trucks a day.
and this has been nearly attained.
The Service Motor Truck company
builds seven truck models, ranging
from one to five-ton jobs, but Its main
production Is In the 2-ton model.
It also builds a 3 -ton special for
road building work, which is very
popular at present in the Oregon ter
ritory. "This ought to be by long odds the
biggest year the motor truck Indus
try has ever enjoyed, said Mr. Knud-
Nevcr back or swing from the curb
Into the street without looklr. g back
to see If the way Is clear.
MAKING MORE CLOSED CARS
One Firm to Build 60 Per Cent or
Output in Closed Models.
Manufacturers are at last begin
ning to nerue the public demand for
closed cars sufficiently to alter their
Ideals on the percentages of closed
cars that should be produced. One
prominent concern plans to make Its
output for 1920 SO per cent closed
cars. Others have Jumped from IS
to 20 per cent to 53 and 40 per cent.
The closed car Is gaining popularity.
and the manufacturers who wish to
make their production line up with
I the demands of the public should re
vise their ideas on the closed-car pro
duction schedule. Present business
conditions in the automobile Industry
are abnormal, and the manufacturer
can sell anything that he produces.
FIVE TONS OF SHINGLES IN THIS WHOPPING LOAD.
A successful method of preventing
a cylinder head gasket from sticking
to the cylinder or the cylinder head
is to smear it on both sides with flake
graphite mixed in oil. With this pre
caution the head may be removed
several times without replacing the
gasket.
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Another instance of the dependability of the motor truck Some three years ago the Brown-Petzel Lumber com
pany ot Slayton, Or., purchased this 3 -ton Republic truck to haul lumber and shingles. They replaced It the other
day after three years of constant work with another Republic of the same size. There are 242 bunches and 60,500
separate shingles In this load, which at 180 pounds per thousand weigh 10.890 pounds, just a little over five full
tons. This truck and its successor were both purchased from the Roberts Motor Cur company.
son. "Not In Oregon alone, but all
over the United States, road work is
In full progress. In fact, the total
amounts now being spent for road
construction throughout the country
total close to $200,000,000 In the west
alone. This has resulted in a very
heavy call for trucks in highway con
struction. "However, this is not the whole
story, for as soon as roads are com
pleted they automatically Increase the
working radius of motor truck lines,
which results In continued demand for
trucks In freight hauling work, and
on the farms, which are made accessi
ble to the main shipping centers by
the good roads."
DRILLING HOLES IN GLASS
Thrcc-Coruered File Useful Instru
ment for the Purpose.
The car owner who finds it neces
sary to drill holes In glass will suc
ceed if he uses the following method:
Grind the points from one corner of
a small three-cornered file on the
blar from the other. Place this In a
bit such as Is used in wood work.
Place the glass to be bored on a
smooth surface covered with a blan
ket or similar material. Begin to
bias from the other. Place this In a
Btance were wood. When a slight
hole has been made surround this
with putty and fill the dam thus cre
ated with turpentine to prevent heat
ing. Do not press too hard on the
drill in boring;
Sticking Nuts.
If a nut resists-all ordinary bland
ishments, try the following: Heat
slightly an ordinary single spanner
that fits the nut and let it rest on the
nut for a few minutes. The heat
transmitted from spanner to nut ex -panda
the latter, so that It can usual
ly be run off without further trouble.
Do not make the mistake of heatlns
the nut with a blow lamp, as this
expands the bolt also, so that the con
dition Is unaltered.
1 to 5 Tons
The prosperity and happiness
that our friends wish for us during-
the new year cannot come to
us through their wishes. We must
want them, must be desirous, must be
progressive. To those whose business
involves transportation, the Federal
Motor Truck will not be the least of the
agencies to make prosperity and happi
ness a realization.
William L. Hughson
Co.
60 N. Broadway at Davis
Broadway 321
Branches at
San Francisco, Oakland,
Los Angeles, San Diego,
Seattle, Portland
A NEW SEDAN
Exceptionally easy to enter and leave, the new Oakland
four door Sedan is sensibly designed and most attractively
furnished. The windows in all four doors are regulated
by a convenient automatic controller; the side rear and
back panel windows are fitted with roller curtains of grey
silk ; every essential convenience is included in its standard
appointment. Like all Oakland models it is a thrifty and
able car, suited alike to country and city driving.
Immediate Delivery, $2050 Portland.
Wire Wheel Equipment $75 Extra
Willamette Oakland Company
344 Burnside Street, Just Off Broadway. Phone Broadway 82.
DIAMOND
-the
nation s
freight
car
Ask
F. A. Johnson
469 East Stark
what he thinks of
Diamond T Trucks
and Service.
Diamond T Truck Sales Agency
S9-91 North Ninth Street. Phone Broadway 476