THE SUNDAY OREGOMAX. POKXLASD. JULY 4, 1920
CONDITIONS BETTER
NEW LEXINGTON THOROUGHBRED MODEL ARRIVES IN TOWN.
Manufacturers Fighting High
er Prices for Materials.
OVERLAND IS DOING WELL
tJotin A. Wllljs Buys Out Interests
ot President Kugglcs and Xow
llcail Republic Truck.
4
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DETROIT, Mich., July -3. While
nt.ee) of caution . is still apparent in
the automotive industry there is a
noticeable trend toward improvement
and business ia Retting back to- a
mere normal basis. The transporta
tion situation is clearing, .Jabor - de
mands are not as insistest as they
wire and production is gaining.
"We have been over the busine'ss
situation carefully," said R. H. Scott,
general manager of the Reo Motor
Car company. "Of course, thera are
local conditions -which affect business
in some parts of the country. In the
southwest particularly there has been
a disturbance of credit on account of
difclurbed transportation conditions
und the necessity of handling the
rain and stock movements of that
part of the country.
"It was at first reported- that the
.'ideral reserve bank of that district
van discriminating against the pas
."vnger automobile business, but it
(Uveloped that the tightening of
credit has been rather general and
caused by purely local conditions.
Truck Buslaess Good.
"Dealers in the principal cities re-
rt a fine business ana excene-ui
tact mat
tM
b - hpccts. Of course, the
s : th a substantial part of the pro
di ;tion of the Reo .Motor Car com
pi iv is devoted to commercial vehicle.-
may have something to do with
th'- way we find, business, but we see
nc hing in present conditions' to war
rai t any belief that the Reo company
wiil reduce its output or the number
of men employed in the factory."
One prominent motor truck 'manu
facturer who does not wish to have
his name published said: "Business
is ood with us. It has never been
rtier and it could be better still if
we were able to produce the volume
required. ,
"We think business conditions are
Improving. While it may be that
there is a slight tendency in some
quarters to slow up, we think- that a
gradual settling down is bound to
Improve conditions any way.
"As far as the truck business is
concerned, it is bigger and .better
than eveTand our dealers report no
diminution of sales in sight.
"We believe the future is bright.
Bo far as we can see, there is no
possibility of our having a serious
financial depression. If conditions
can adjust themselves away from the
highly speculative situations in which
they have been, it is going to make
thu future even brighter. We do not
think anybody should be pessimistic."
Higher Price Fought.
Firmly opposed to anything that
will tend to increase prices for auto
mobiles, more than 100 purchasing
managers of the National Autorao
bile Chamber of Commerce voted to
discourage any tendency on the part
of suppliers of materials to advance
pricets, as being out of accord with
the times, at a meeting in Cleveland.
Low prices of motor cars and
trucks and the broad market for them
here and abroad, are the result of
the big production. Any increases in
processes' tend to decrease demand,
which the automobile manufacturer
is seeking to avoid. There were dis
cussions regarding the best methods
for followlnB up material, responsi
bilities in connection with accepted
oiders at stipulated prices. Stand
ardization of purchase forms, with
reviews of the market situation as
it affects steel, leather, lumber and
other commodities. ' '
Round robin letters have been sent
to. Michigan workshops in large num
bers and have been received with
varied emulations and sentiments.
The letters vary In tone. Some of
them simply counsel careful inven
torying of business and reduction In
overhead wherever possible, so that
future increases in market prices may
be avoided. The letters express be
lief that the peak of high cost has
been relieved, that the consumer will
accept no further advances and that
tho contraction of credit Is sufficient
warning of impending trouble unless
care "is exercised.
I.VrRODlClX? THE VERY LATEST. THING OX WHEELS IV THE LEXIXGTO9T MI.LTK-M AN SIX LINE, ITS
"THOROUGHBRED" 1920 SPORT MODEL. i - - - '
In addition. to regular. Lexington features, such as rattle-proof frame. Moore multiple, exhaust and caWe
brakes, the latest Lexington, Just . re ceived here by the Brunn Motor Car company, its distributor for Oregon,
is built. along rakish-lines. It is a car of the speedster or "sport" type. It comes with either wire or steel disc
wheels and Is equipped with four cord tires Another feature Is the new Lex-gassif ier, which enables the mo
tor to handle with efficiency present-day low-grade. gasoline. .
tion of the future policy of the com
pany has been given out.
Distributors representing the Nash
Motors company in various sections
of the country gathered at Kenosha
last week for a three-day conference.
The meeting was in charge of Charles
K. voorhis, vice-president and general
sales manager. It was brought out
that, contracts signed with distribut
ors call for $79,000,000 worth of busi
ness for the next twelve months. The
convention ended with- an inspection
of the Milwaukee Plant of the Nash
Motors company,, now-in proeeus of
construction, and where the Nash four
is to be produced.
Harroun Builds New Car.
Ray Harroun,. vice-president In
charge of engineering, has been der
veloping a new member of the motor
car family of the Harroun .Motor cor
poration of Wayne. The new model
known as AA-2 retains all the fea
tures of the previous car with a num
ber of refinements in the engine.
chassis and body, with -one . notable
improvement. ' The dead weight of
the rear of the body, the gas tanks
and spare tires, have always , had a
tendency, to cause the rear of a car
with cantilever suspension to drop in
stead of maintaining an" "even keel."
Harroun overcomes this by the use
ot a subframe anchored to the center
of the main frame, which supports the
rear of the body, the tanks and the
spare tires, thus preventing the ten
dency to sag at the rear.
not in any way reduce the ease of
operation or the comfort which re
sults from cantilever suspension.
There are also a number of other re
finements.
TJMMIU EXPECTS 75,
XEW , STAN D " READY- WITH
CREASED CAPACITY.
IX-
MUCH RUBBER PLANTED
INCREASED SUPPLY NEEDED
TO MEET DEMANDS.
Plantation Product Is Grown
Enormous Quantities for Vsc
of Manufacturers.
Round Robin Circulate.
Round robin opinions in other let
ters advise immediate reduction in!
prices of automobiles, even to the I
point of curtailing profit for a time.
A partial survey of the automobile
and allied industries In Detroit and
Michigan indicates a marked division
ot opinion as to the merits of the
round robin.
It had been roundly scored in some
cases as a useless scheme not worth
consideration. In other places it has
been characterized as a dangerous
proposition, which will lead to un
necessary fear and disorganization of
business. Against them are arraigned
the men who cannot find a healthy
prosperity where, regardless of the
volume of business done, the final
profits continue to shrink as costs
steadily increase. -
There are those In the automobile
industry who argue that motor cars
SJ-e selling today at the top price, that
any further increase will ' stem the
tide of buying and that the existing
railroad situation limits production,
no matter what the demand.
After deducting maintenance of
properties, repairs and all other ex
penses. including Interest, but before
making allowance for income and ex
cess profit tax. net earnings, of the
"W mis-Overland company for the
Tirst lour months of 1920 are said to
have been approximately $5,609,000.
Substantial reduction in interest pay
ments will be made as a result of the
new financing recently consummated,
together with liquidation of large In
ventories accumulated in 1919.
Overland Now Owns' Republic
Net income for the first four
Jnonths, after allowing for income and
excess profit , tax, was more than
$3. 000,000, or at a rate of approxi
mately 112.000,000 per year, after
taxes, more than 100 per cent greater
than any previous earnings for a
corresponding period. Current earn
ings after providing for preferred
stock are 20 per cent upon the total
outstanding and -newly issued com
mon stock.
Through t-he purchase the past
week of the holdings of President F.
"W. Ruggles in the Republic Motor
Truck Company, the Willys interests-
came into the possession of the
largest exclusive motor truck plant
In th -. world. John N. Willys was
ramed president, to succeed Mr. Rug
gles. Some , months ago Mr. Willys
secured a substantial block of Repub
lic stock. Other than to state that
manufacturing will continue, no nien-
The demand for greater speed and
comfort In vehicular travel in an age
marked for its ease-loving and labor
saving propensities was what brought
out the rubber, pneumatic automobile
tire. The enormous increase in auto
mobiles In this country in recent
years has led to greater activity in
rubber planting. Rubber thus grown
is known as "plantation" rubber,
enormous quantities of which are
used every day in the manufacture of
tires.
And by the way, rubber tires for
automobiles form nearly 50 per cent
of the rubber production In the United
States every year. New plantations
are constantly developed to maintain
a sufficient supply of the raw rubber.
Just a short time ago. a large rub
ber company acquired 90.000 acres in
Sumatra for the development of rub
ber plantations and of this total
about 45.000 acres are fully planted
with o. 000. 000 trees of which 85'per
cent are - now bearing. The rubber
trees are usually planted 19 feet apart
each way, 121 trees to the acre with
the view of bringing 1Q0 trees per
acre . into bearing. Thousands of
coolies are employed - as labor ' on
these plantations.
Wild rubber obtained from trees
30 to 50 years old. -however, is con
sidered superior to plantation rub
ber because It possesses greater ten
sile strength. The finest "wild" rub
ber obtainable is known as Para rub
ber, so named from the Para province
of Brazil, South America, and the best
quality of Para comes from the up-
river ristricta T-here the trees flour
ish best on rich alluvial clay slopes
along the water.
"It is interesting to note," says
Robert E. Allen of the Allen & He
bard company, Thermold tire di
trtbutors, "that the makers of the
Thermold tire will use only this
'wild' rubber from old trees, the best
grade of up-river Para, for which
they have to pay premium prices be
cause they believe that they can't
make a superior tire without it."
Indications Are Now That Most
.Seat Will Be Sold Before
- - ' Start of Race. .
TACOMA. July 3. Anticipating
crowd of 75,000 people at the ninth
annual race at the Tacoma speedway
Monday, July 5., officials of the big
western track have planned to handle
the crowds in better shape then ever
before. '
The seating capacity of the grand
stand has been increased from 15,000
to 16.000. The stand takes the place
of the old stand destroyed by fire
some months ago. It extends for
176a feet and 960 feet is under cover
and devoted- to boxes and reserved
sections.
Indications are that the big stand1
will be sold out before the race, since
hundreds of reservations are coming
in by may and telephone. There will
be three automobMe entrances to the
This doesltand and cars will ente,r two abreast.
mere are is outside ticket windows
all plainly marked. Patrons, buying
general admission tickets and enter
ing the field in cars may pass to the
grandstand through a .tunnel under
the track. Ticket windows will take
care of the crowds entering the stand
in this manner. ,
There is ample room in the field
inside the two-mile track for 10,000
cars where parking privileges are
free. The speedway has only re
served 190 parking spaces. All high
ways from Tacoma leading to the
speedway will be r-lainly marked and
Policed. Race payons are urged to
be at the track not later than noon
if possible to avoid the rush of the
last hour. Races will begin promptly
at 2 P. M. and automobile entrances
with the exception of the main gates
will be. closed at 1:30 P. M,
Special steamers from Seattle will
leave at 9, 10. 11 and 11:30 direct
for Tacoma where connections will be
made with steam trains, busses and
street cars for the main entrance
to the big track. '
Since the field is the greatest in
the history of racing in the north
west this year the crowds are ex
pected to be the largest ever seen
at a race. During the last three years
the crowds at the Tacoma races have
been on the increase and the 1920
event, being the ninth annual
ing- commercial trucks and automo
biles, it is said that the state of New
York may lose $1,000,000 in automo
bile taxes. The amendment in ques
tion was designed to exempt from
this special taxation - light delivery
automobiles used by ome corpora
tions, institutions and estates in car
rying their employes back and forth
between various points. To exempt
them the law was amended by the in
sertion of the words "used for hire"
in the section defining the class of
commercial vehicle to be taxed under
the law, thereby freeing all others. It
is said $1,500,000 in taxes . was col
lected from those exempted last- year.
SET 1921 AUTO SHOW DATES
New Y'ork DiTlay Will Open Sea
sou in January.
Members of the National Automo
bile Chamber of Commerce at their
annual meeting set the dates for next
year's national automobile shows.
These will be exclusively' for pas
senger cars, as In earlier years. ' The
New York show, to be held in the
Grand Central Palace, is' to run from
January 8 to 15. That in Chicago
will follow two weeks later, as usual,
opening in the Coliseum on Janu
ary 29.' .
MACK TRUCKS DELAYED
TRALXLOAD ON WAY HERE IS
". BROKEN" IP.
in
is expected to be the banner
the track s history.
The field- will include
Chevrolet, Eddie O'Donnel.
Mulford. Eddie Hearne. Cliff
Ralph De Palma, Joe Boyer,
Milton, Joe Thomas, Jimmy
and Roscoe Sarles.
..The American Legion will
military- and civic pageant
coma tne morning of July . 5,. so there
will not be a lack of entertainment
tor tne early arrivals. In- the even
ins- in ine staaium win e a pro
gramme of big features including
iirewgms, grana opera stars and
visiting Dands.
year of
Gaston
- Ralph
Durant,
Tommy
Murphy
stage a
in Ta-
NEW YORK PILLS A BONER
Trucks Accidentally Exempted
From Taxes, in .New .Law.,
llirough the carelessness of the
legislature in amending the law tax
Rail Congestion in Middle West
Makes Necessary to Send Them,
in Carload Lois.
Frank C. Atwell. manager of the
Mack-International Motor Truck cor
poration, has been notified, that a
trainload shipment of Mack trucks
destined for this point will not come
through to Portland as had been ex
pected, becAuse of rallrbad conditions
in the middle west, which made It
necessary for the train to be broken
up. Now the trucks are coming in
carload lots instead of in a complete
train.
"It seems necessary that we submit
to taking a sugar-coated pill," said
Mr. Atwell. "We are glad there is
some sweetness about the antidote,
however. Getting motor vehicles into
the hands of distributors and, dealers
on the Pacific coast at present is
about as difficult as. searching for
the needle in the haystack. - We had
expected this-trainload shipment to
arrive intact and to be able to take
care of some of our local deliveries
and meet the demands of dealers
throughout the territory. They will
not be disappointed, because we know
positively that the trucks are nearing
their destination but the manner in
which the railroads have handled the
shipment will necessitate -a little
longer delay." -
CALIFORNIA PLANTS TREES
Nearly 2000 of Them in Sacra
mento County-Alone.
SACRAMENTO, Cal.. July 3. Nearly
2000 trees, have " been planted' along
the- highways of Sacramento county
by the county forestry board, accord
ing to a report Just made. The trees
planted were: Black Walnut, 555
x ft. w A i
Cost Per Mile
Mark How It is Dropping
Consider how tire cost cost per mile
i his dropped in the past few years.
On Fabric Tires the expected service,
years ago, was 3,500 miles. Now in
our factory test, Miller Fabrics aver
age 7,000 to 8,000 miles. And they are
radical tests, . .
' Miller Cords, in our factory tests;
average 15,000 miles. ' And those are
rear-wheel tests, under extreme con
ditions, .
' .
Often 25,000 miles
Miller users everywhere tell of re
markable mileage records. They often
run from 20,000 to 28,000 miles.
A . Miller Cord Tire has just come
in - with the report that it ran 22,000
miles on a truck.
A Boston dealer reports that Miller
Cords, with many owners of big cars,
have increased the
former mileage 50
to 75 per cent.
Consider what
a. 'saving such
added mileage
means.
Tread Patented '
Center tread smooth -with
auction cup, for
..firm hold on wet as
phalt. Gearad-to-thm.
road side tread mesh
like cog in dirt.
Think how uniform
Think how uniform these new-day
tires are running.
Not one tire in a hundred, in the
Miller records, proves in any way de
fective. '-
A Matchless Tire
Samuel L. Barrabee, of Boston,
says: "In my 14 years of hand
ling all make of tires I have yet
to find a. tire which gives the
universal satisfaction of Millers.
Every user is a booster.'
Not all users get the maximum mile
age. That depends largely on -size and
care, on load and road.
But users, under all conditions, get
longer mileage than before. And they
find that Miller Tires are uniform. Th
tires of the old days were not.
How it happened
One reason lies in the fabric and the
cords. New standards have been fixTfed.
In the Miller factory we spend $300
daily just to test the cords and fabrics.
Another lies in selecting rubber to
fit each requirement.
Each Miller Tire is signed by two
men the maker and the inspector.
And these men are penalized if a tire
comes back.
We wear out a thousand tires yearly
in proving tire endurance. And every
tire's record teaches us some lesson.
Far better treads
In the past few years, Miller treads
have doubled in endurance.
We have attained a tread which, on
the average, excels rival treads by 25
per cent.
Every day we vulcanize in our labo
ratory samples of this tread stock.
Then we test it. So the Miller treads
don't vary.
Not a single tire built with this new
tread has ever come back with the.
tread gone.
Save still more
All good tires are better than they
used to be. But learn which tire is
best.
Compare the service of a Miller with
any tire you know. Watch the mile
age. Miller Tire records have become
the sensation. Try one, and see what
mileage a new-day tire can give.
When you buy a new car insist on
Miller Tires. Twenty car makers now
supply them and there is no extra
charge.
The MILLER RUBBER CO, Akron, Ohio
Now the Topic of Tiredom
Cords or .Fabrics
Geared-to-the-Road
Northwest Auto Co.
Distributors
Alder st Eighteenth Street
plane. 286; silver maple, 2S0: Norway
maple, 58; tulip tree, 35: biuropean
linden. 20; black birch. 12; Tasma
nian blue cum. 526; live oak. 300.
Those of which more than 100 were
planted have shown good results, and
after the first year's care ftrow well.
Few trees planted by the board were
lost.
Main Sliaft Play.
Excessive play in the main shaft
of the gearset may cause the gear
shaft lever to be forced out of posi
tion. .Usually the front bearing on
the main shaft Is shimmied off so that
the condition is easily remedied. End
play in this shaft also may be the
cause of chattering in the clutch and
a bucking when the car Is on a grade
or' otherwise pulling hard under load.
If this is not corrected in time the
shaft play causes permanent injury
to the gears.
i.
80,000,000 Tires a Year.
The chamber of commerce has com
plied statistics showing that peak de
mand for tires in tne United States for
1920 will be Sn.00n.nn0 for passenger
cars and motor trucks,
output of the country Is
The present
approximate-
4.-.. 000. 000 and It
the end of the
is estimated that
present .year the
annual requirements will be 57,000,
000. Motor Life.
X7se. Emergency- Brakes.
In order to become familiar with
the location and "feel" of the lever It
Is advisable for motorists to use the.
emergency brake occasionally in ordi
nary work. This is suggested so that
In the event of an emergency there
will be no fumbling in using it. Also
this. occasional use will reveal it when
the brake is out of order.
Don't bump the traffic cop.
Now Is the Time to
Paint
Your Automobile
PHONE OR CAUL FOR ESTIMATE
Robinson-Smith Go.
Sixth
Mi
Madison.
1100.
Republic Trucks
Tightening credit makes it more necessary to get the
greatest value for your truck investment.
We Know: .We Give It.
Roberts Motor Car Co.
- Vancouver, Wash, Portland, Or. Boise,. Idaho.
Largest Exclusive Truck Dealer in the Northwest.
The Sedan With
Nimble Stamina
Triplex Springs and Alloy Steels of Finest
Grade Insure Extraordinary performance
SWUNG NIMBLY over every kind of road in every
part of America, ninety-seven Overland Sedans, with an
average of 25.2 miles per gallon, recently gave another
demonstration of exceptional performance. Triplex
Springs give this car all the riding comfort of a large
luxurious car; and contribute to its economy by saving
wear and tear. The ventilation and adjustable windows
insure comfort in warm and cold weather.
Touring, $985; Roadster, $985 ; Coupe, $1525; Sedan. $1575
Prices o. b. Toledo, subject to chue without notios
Willys-Overland Pacific Co.
Broadway at Davis' St. Phone Broadway 3535