The Faster You Can Get There, The Later You Are?

1910, editorial observations

Is the speedy motor car an obstacle to punctuality? It would seem so.

Certainly the habit of arriving late at the theater and other places of entertainment is growing with the multiplication of the means of rapid transportation. It is seldom that a play or program is not marred or interrupted by these late arrivals. And the disturbance is greater where motor cars carry the larger number of the attendants.

Does this mean that those who have to depend on the street cars are more apt to give themselves reasonable time than are those who have gotten into the habit of thinking that neither time nor distance counts when the automobile is available? At any rate the habit is a bad one.

Beware of Empty Gasoline Container

Beware of Empty Gasoline Container

1920

Is More Dangerous Than Full One, Say Scientists

Empty gasoline tanks are always more dangerous than full ones, says the Popular Science Monthly. In most cases some residue remains in the tank or can. The remaining gasoline vaporizes and is explosive. As the tank is being filled this mixture is forced out and will explode if ignited by a spark held near the opening.

To guard against accidents all openings should be blown out with compressed air. If this method cannot be used the cover should be removed and the vapors fanned out. Unless a current of air is circulating gasoline should never be used for cleaning engines or other machinery; and if the air is passing lights should be kept at a safe distance on the intake side of the engine.

Chicago Chief's Automobile Ran Amuck

1910

CHICAGO. — An exhibition that appeared to be a cross between an imitation of a bucking broncho and a runaway train was given by Assistant Chief of Police Schuettler's red touring car in front of the temporary city hall on Randolph street one morning a few days ago.

While John Upton, chauffeur, was cranking the machine he was surprised to see it start backward. He made a wild dash for the brake, but the auto got away from him. It swept backward at increasing speed, crashed into a Milwaukee avenue car, swung completely around, and, heading west, went over the curbstone and knocked down several signs. It was heading for the basement door of a building at 211 Randolph street, but suddenly changed its mind and plunged off down the street.

"Upton chased the runaway to Franklin street, where he succeeded in getting control of the brakes. His victory was applauded loudly by a crowd of pedestrians who had fled to places of safety in near-by stores when the auto headed down the street.

Chauffeur Upton doesn't think the auto itself is to be blamed for "running amuck." In a written report to the assistant chief, Upton gives it as his professional opinion that while he was cranking the machine, somebody released the brakes and gave her full speed backward, just to see what would happen.

Upton had driven the assistant chief from his home, 3453 Bosworth avenue, to the temporary city hall. The auto was stopped on the south side of the street, heading east. The engine had "gone dead," and after Mr. Schuettler had stepped out the chauffeur started the cranking process. Then the excitement began.

In the early part of its surprising career the auto was chased by Chauffeur Upton, Sergt. Denman, Patrolman Quirk and a dozen pedestrians. When the machine buckled the curb and described an arc back into the street, the pedestrians concluded that they had had enough and fled for shelter. Upton and the bluecoats ran around in circles for a few moments, and then the bluecoats, too, turned the responsibility over to Upton and left the scene with much enthusiasm.

Could Not See Into Future

1919

Men of Genius Had Little Idea What Their Inventions Might Mean to the World

It appears that it is not infrequently the case that great inventors do not comprehend the significance of the things they have produced. Here are two examples:

When Hertz first began to obtain satisfactory results from his now famous researches into the possibility of transmitting electric waves certain men of science suggested that some day similar vibrations might serve to transmit messages through space. Hertz laughed at the hypothesis and assured all comers that his experiments were for laboratories only. Now, after a few short years, it is hard to find a single issue of a daily newspaper that does not record some noteworthy example of the use of wireless telegraphy.

Levassor was the great engineer who sketched the automobile with such skill that his design has not been materially changed to this day. After Levassor accomplished his historic trip from Paris to Bordeaux and return at the dizzy speed of about 15 miles an hour his admirers gave him a banquet. During the toasts one of them, stirred by the spirit of the occasion, rose and enthusiastically called on the assembly to drink to the approaching day when carriages should travel at the speed of 60 miles an hour. Levassor turned to his nearest neighbor and asked in a quick undertone:

"Why is it that after every banquet some people feel called on to make fools of themselves?"


Only One Foundation

Men best prove their right to rights by making good in little things. Rights are those things that grow out of universal justice. In the last analysis they are beyond price. Some folks say they have bought the right to certain things. That is only because custom has commercialized them. Such rights savor of monopoly and are as unstable as the dollars with which they are purchased. Right that rests upon divine law may seem very tame, but after all it's the only right that abides amidst the rise and fall of empires and the changing customs of men. To such rights every man is heir. — Exchange.

2 Plus 2 Plus 3 Plus 6 is 13

1915

They Give Barney Oldfield Badge 2,236, and He Broke Rod

The number thirteen is not popular with drivers of racing cars, and it was noticed that no car at the Astor cup race bore that number. And thirteen did not appear on the official score board.

Barney Oldfield had badge number 2,236 given to him quite by chance. An hour or so before the race W. Bob Holland of the speedway publicity department was talking to Oldfield, and he noticed the badge number.

"You have a hoodoo number, Barney," he laughingly remarked.

"What's the matter with it?" asked

"Add the figures together," said Holland.

Barney turned the badge up. "Two and two are four and three is seven and six is thirteen," he said slowly. He eyed the badge suspiciously for a moment, shrugged his shoulders, and remarked: "Oh, I'm not superstitious; I guess the badge is all right."

An hour or so later Oldfield completed six laps, twelve miles, in the race for $50,000 in prizes. While negotiating the thirteenth mile the connecting rod of his car broke, and he was out of the race.

—Saturday Blade, Chicago, Dec. 18, 1915, p. 8.

Should Mothers of War-Dead Be Sent To France?

1920

A Suggestion

Why shouldn't the Government give the next of kin — or mothers, at least — of American boys buried in France, asks the Stars and Stripes, a soldier's newspaper, the alternative of having the bodies returned or of visiting the graves?

The Government has pledged itself to bring back all bodies asked for by the next of kin. It will cost no more — probably less — to take a mother to France than to return the body of her son.

Many mothers are not so anxious to have the bodies returned as they are to have some visual evidence that their sons are buried in proper surroundings. In recognition of this desire the Red Cross has taken pictures of graves, to be sent to the mothers.

Wouldn't it be a graceful and grateful act on the part of the Government, for whom these mothers have made the supreme sacrifice of womanhood, to take them to the spot where their boys are sleeping beneath the little white crosses?


None Too Much

Down in Connecticut, says the Boston Post, the courts seem determined to do what they can to end the pernicious activities of the automobile thieves who flourish there as everywhere else. As earnest of this intent, one Walters, the recognized leader of a gang of accomplished snatchers of motor cars who have stolen $30,000 worth of the machines within a short time, was given a sentence of twenty-three years and nine months in prison. An accomplice drew fourteen years. The first mentioned is said to be a record sentence in Connecticut for this particular offense.

It is a record that should be emulated by other courts.

—Saturday Blade, Chicago, Feb. 28, 1920, p. 6.

What's Wrong, Lassie? Rover's In The Well?

1910

Dog's Remarkable Intelligence

Thomas Jones, who owns a big ranch on San Juan island, lost a collie dog last fall for nearly a month, and for several days searched the woods about his place zealously for the animal, without success. One day he tossed a bone to another collie. Instead of gnawing it, he picked it up and started for the woods. He kept turning his head, apparently to see if he was followed, and Jones concluded to follow him.

The dog trotted along for about a mile and stopped at the edge of an abandoned well. He dropped the bone over the edge of the well. Jones got a ladder, climbed down and found the dog that had been lost. There was only about two inches of water in the well, but the animal would have starved to death had it not been for the other. The lost dog was in good condition, and as it had been missing 24 days the other animal must have kept it supplied with food for nearly a month.


The Rule of the Road

There appears to be no definite record explaining the prevailing custom of turning our vehicles to the right in this country. One authority says that it grew out of the fact that in our early colonial days, before the arrival of rigs for pleasure driving, the drivers of heavy vehicles used in transportation fell into the way of turning to the right.

The English custom of turning to the left is an ancient one. It obtains in practically all of the British provinces.

A grizzled driver in Bermuda, asked once why all drivers turned to the left, explained that it was done so they could see just how much room they had.


Strength of Locomotive

A railway engine may roughly be said to equal in strength 900 horses.

Tips for Green Automobilists

1905

Directions and Suggestions Which May or May Not Be Useful

One of the first things required of the genuine automobilist is that he mustn't know anything about it. And the second is like unto the first, which is that a man should disregard his neighbors as much as he loves himself, says Life.

These things being understood in the beginning, your standing among the fraternity is assured. Here are, in addition, a few minor matters that need attention:

When you start out, be sure that your mixture is correct. Put about five gallons of 76 gasoline into your tank, and add to this a couple of highballs for yourself. You will be surprised how much better the machine will run.

Upon the extreme care and minuteness with which you examine your auto before starting out will depend the almost absolute certainty of breaking down. Don't miss anything, therefore, from the steering apparatus to the spark plug.

One of the greatest things about automobiling is the way it trains the senses. By practice you will get so that you can pass through the most beautiful scenery without being aware of it, thus acquiring that superb concentration necessary. And you will soon be able to detect any unusual smell and locate it at once.

Be sure to buy the most complete set of tools known, and then, before starting out, take from them the one tool you will most certainly need and leave it carefully behind you. After awhile this will become second nature, so that you won't even have to think about it.

Remember that to keep your auto in the best condition you must lubricate it constantly. To do this successfully use, say, one-half as much cylinder oil on the machinery as you use on yourself. By and by you can tell by the way you feel whether everything is in good running shape or not.

Do not be discouraged if your carburetor gives out, your batteries lay down on you, your connecting rod refuses to connect, or you are confronted by a missing link in your chain. You are, of course, able to support yourself in luxury and discomfort, or you wouldn't have a motor car anyway; so remember that many a man who has more money than you has had the same things happen to him.

And finally, when you have anything happen to you, keep it secret from the presence of your enemies. But when you lie, lie openly — just as if you believed it yourself.

Car Embarks on Driverless Jaunt

Nebraska, 1934

A runaway created a few thrilling moments for folks on main street Tuesday, but it wasn't the familiar spectacle of olden days when frightened horses often embarked on a mad jaunt minus a driver; the runaway in this case was a "horseless carriage" belong to Rudolph Gustafson.

Gustafson stopped his car, a Model "A" Ford, in the alley at the side of his house on Second street, behind Jacobs' studio, and apparently forgot to set the brakes properly. He stepped into the house and when he returned, the car had started its ride to freedom. Gustafson attempted to run after the car and stop it but he stumbled and fell, and the auto continued a winding path westward and downhill, toward the bright light section.

At the bottom of the hill the car jumped the curbing by the Jacobs studio and kept rolling across main street until its journey was terminated abruptly by a collision with a cement block in front of Nelson Bros. garage. Had it not turned a bit too much to the right, the author would have gone straight through the door into the garage.

It missed, however, and now it reposes in the garage through necessity. The crash into the cement block bent the front axle and the front end of the frame, and also broke the flywheel and clutch housing.

—Oakland Independent and Republican, Oakland, Nebraska, June 29, 1934, p. 4.

"Auto Poker" New Form of Gambling

1906

"Automobile poker," a new form of gambling in public, has struck this city and is spreading from the sea to the Yonkers line. Along the avenues approaching the Sheepshead Bay race track men and boys in groups are playing "automobile poker." On Fifth avenue, Broadway, Madison avenue, and all auto favored thoroughfares, automobile poker is indulged in, evidencing that the new "bug" has taken hold, for the time being, at least,

The game is played thus: Stationing themselves on an auto haunted thoroughfare, the "bookmaker" and the players lay bets on the highest possible hand to be found in the next devil wagon which may come honking along. The auto comes and passes in a cloud of dust. The number, say, is 11,651. One equals an ace, so the hand showed is three aces. Those who guessed nearest to the value of that hand win. If the auto number is 27,244, the hand is two pair, four high. In the same way the number may reveal three or four deuces, trays, or fours.

The bookmaker takes all bets on any old number, but pays off only to the holder of the highest hand.

But the game is destined to put the bookmakers out of business, for the chauffeurs and their friends are "next," and the game is being already plugged by them. Knowing the number of their own automobile, they send their friends along the line to get down a bet, and then comes the automobile, the number prominently displayed, the wiley chauffeur sitting with apparent unconcern at the tiller.

A Dozen Carloads of Callers Give Newlyweds A "Belling"

Ohio, 1918

WERE TENDERED AN OLD-TIME BELLING

A dozen machine loads of Elks called at the home of Attorney and Mrs. F. S. Scott, in the Mt. Vernon road, last evening, and gave them an old-fashioned "belling."

Judge Scott had retired when his wife aroused him by informing him that several machines must have missed the road as they were coming up their driveway. The din made by the visitors was terrific, and later they were invited into the home by Mr. Scott, who introduced his wife and refreshments were served.

Congratulations were extended the newlyweds, and a speech of felicitation was made by Dr. H. H. Baker. Attorney Scott responding, stating that he was sorry they had not called earlier as he would like to have shown them all his war garden, consisting of everything in the vegetable line; his poultry and his livestock, consisting of two cows, five Belgian hares, and an English bulldog.

The visitors left after spending a pleasant evening and were all given a cordial invitation to return.

—The Newark Advocate, Newark, Ohio, June 12, 1918, p. 4.

Automobile Hypnosis Is Latest Disease

1917

Another disease has been discovered which is said to account for so many automobile accidents. It is motor auto hypnosis. Men and women are alike affected by it, and unconsciously lose control of the steering wheel.

Psychologists offer various reasons for the trouble. The term has come into general use only recently, but has been more widely observed since the variety of the phenomenon has been more closely studied.

It might be clearer to use the more readily comprehensive term of "automobile sleepiness."

There is, as most everyone knows, a certain lull about touring in a car. The air, the buzz of the motor, all have a tendency to quiet the nerves and produce a desire for sleep.

Frequently automobile accidents occur on country roads, with nothing to distract the attention of the driver of the car, no traffic to avoid, no bad places in the pavement. When such an inexplicable accident occurs the excuse that something went wrong with the steering gear is usually offered. In nine cases out of ten the steering gear was all right, but something went wrong with the man at the wheel.

A man was recently heard to remark to a friend about a remarkable experience he had enjoyed the night before when, he declared, he drove his car, after midnight, for nearly a mile and was asleep the entire time. Fortunately for the man, the street was wide and there were few cars out.

But this is merely an incident that is bringing before our psychologists this momentous question.

When an accident does happen it is but natural that the man dislikes to acknowledge his negligence. He has to blame somebody, so he blames the car.

Now come certain responsible scientists who prove conclusively that the man at the wheel is not always to blame. He is a victim of auto hypnosis. He becomes unconsciously drowsy. The feeling creeps on him unawares and before he knows it he loses control of the wheel and accidents follow.

There seems to be reason in this theory, and if there is, the victim should permit someone else who is immune from the affection to handle his car in future. Public and his personal safety demands this.

—New Castle News, New Castle, PA, April 13, 1917, p. 8.

Escapes from Auto at River's Bottom

1920

Says He Owes His Life to Training on U.S. Submarine

DETROIT, Mich., March 25. -- Travis Field Beal of Detroit is now thanking the gods of the Navy for assigning him to navigation duty on a submarine during the war.

His experience as the pilot of the United States submarine K-8 saved Beal's life a night or two ago when the closed sedan in which he was driving along Woodward avenue crashed through a railing and into the Detroit River.

Though the sedan doors were closed tight and the river is thirty feet deep, Beals managed to free himself and rose to the surface.

"It wasn't hard for a sub pilot," he said, "though I did spend some precious seconds fumbling for the lifting lever."

--The Saturday Blade, Chicago, March 27, 1920, page 1.

Automobilists or Horsemen - Who Has Most Cussedness?

South Dakota, 1909--

FAULT ON BOTH SIDES

Automobilists Say that Horsemen are Often in the Wrong

Much has been said and written locally of late referring to the carelessness and all around cussedness of automobile owners as a class, but no one has come forward to assert that there was another side to the matter, until this morning when one of the most enthusiastic motorists of the city ventured into the Huronite office and remarked that the chauffeur had his troubles as well as anyone else.

At a recent city council meeting the matter of fast and careless driving was brought to the attention of the city fathers. The complaint was that some of the autoists of the city were in the habit of speeding on First street, and thus endangering the lives of all who dared to put foot on that highway. The chief of police was instructed to obtain the numbers of all who thus violated the city ordinance and to bring them to time, and this was a wise and timely act.

All motorists, however, are not bent on the shedding of human blood along the public thoroughfares, and they in their turn meet with difficulties presented by others on the roads. It is a known fact that a prejudice exists among certain people against automobiles, and that they refuse to give them even the half the road that is their's. They will turn to the left and do other things to inconvenience the drivers of machines. If they acted thus upon meeting another team they would expect sooner or later to have an accident, and there is the same possibility in the case of trying to tease the automobilists. There should be fairness on both sides, and the police should be instructed to look after the irresponsible among horse drivers as well as among auto drivers.

--Weekly State Spirit and Dakota Huronite, Huron, South Dakota, August 26, 1909, page 7.

Mule on Car's Radiator

1920--

BARBOURVILLE, Kentucky, May 20. -- An automobile driven by Ellsworth Henson ran into a mule ridden by Jack Lewis. Lewis landed in the rear seat of the car and the mule was carried 200 feet on the radiator. Nobody was hurt.


Rats Spoil a Pumpkin Record

CYNTHIA, Kentucky, May 20. -- J. L. Garnett has just had cut and made into pies a pumpkin which he kept for two years. It was in a prime state of preservation and he says it would have lasted much longer if rats had not gnawed it.


Defamed Beauty Wins Suit

French Cartoonist Must Pay the Woman 1 Franc

PARIS, France, May 20. -- Jan Catulle Mendes, the writer, who gave lectures in America during the war, was cartooned in a Paris magazine in 1914 by Roubeyre. The cartoon displeased her, and she indignantly sued the artist for damages, alleging defamation of beauty. The suit has just ended with an awared to Mlle. Mendes of 1 franc.

--The Saturday Blade, Chicago, May 22, 1920, page 4.

A Tire on the Road, Stop To Get It, Robbers in the Ditch!

Sheboygan, Wisconsin, 1921--

HOLDUP IS FOILED BY SPOTLIGHT

A spare automobile tire in the road, an old game resorted to by a certain class of bandits lured three young men from this city to stop to investigate last night, about three miles north of Sheboygan on the Lake Shore road and nearly cost them all the money they had. They were saved from the trap set for them, however, by the use of a spotlight on their car.

The young men who figured in the incident were Max and Gus Holman, members of the H. J. Holman & Sons overall company in this city, and Simon Leviton, a friend who was with them.

Saw Tire In Road

It was shortly after nine o'clock when the three, in the Nash sport car owned by Max Holman, were driving north on the Lake Shore road. As they arrived at a point three miles north of the city their attention was attracted to a tire lying alongside the road.

After passing the spot where the tire was seen they decided to stop and get it. They had passed it some several feet and backed the car up toward that point. Mr. Leviton, who was in the back seat, got out of the car and ran back to look for it. When he arrived at the place where he had seen the tire he did not see it, so he waited until the car got back to him. After it got there, they turned the spotlight on and discovered the tire had been moved farther away from the road and that it was attached to a rope.

Discovered It Was Bait

When they saw this they decided that It was only the bait of a holdup man and Mr. Leviton, the only one out of the car, ran and Jumped in and the driver, Max Holman, started the car off.

Led to Clump of Bushes

Mr. Holman stated this morning that the rope tied to the tire led to a clump of bushes a few feet from the road and that they knew someone was behind pulling it away from the road to draw whoever was attracted by it away far enough so that whoever was there would have had him in their power.

The spotlight was thrown on the spot where the tire lay only in an attempt to learn where it was, but Mr. Holman declared he believed it was the only thing that saved them from being robbed. As it happened, Mr. Leviton had a large amount of currency in his pockets.

It Is believed that when the spotlight was turned on it blinded the men who had planned the holdup so they could not see behind it and that it foiled their scheme.

Telephone For Sheriff

After arriving at Jack Johnson's roadhouse they stopped for a few minutes to telephone the sheriff's office. They said two men and a woman drove up in an automobile shortly after that and asked for a supply of gasoline. Max Holman declared one of the men was covered with mud and that he believed he was one of those who staged the tire episode and that the lady in the car was a blind to sidetrack any suspicion that may have been held toward them.

Sheriff Koehn received the call and immediately dispatched two of his deputies to that point to investigate. Mr. Holman said the three who were subject to the tire game waited at Johnson's for about 25 minutes, but that when representatives of the sheriff's office did not appear, they continued their journey.

--The Sheboygan Press, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, August 2, 1921, page 1.

Maxwell Cars - Nice 1922 Car Dealer Advertisement

Distributor New Series Maxwell Cars.

Who will be NEXT? That is, to get a car. Then come in for repairs, accessories, tire tubes, to Twin City Garage, H.J. Mohr, proprietor. Authorized Ford service station, with day and night livery service. Phone Dolton 5, think you can remember a one digit phone number?

--from The Pointer, Riverdale, Illinois, August 4, 1922, page 4.