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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 9, 1919)
THE OMAHA SUNDAY EES: MARCH 9, 1919. 4 B L1ANUFACTURER OF MOTORCYCLE GAINS FR0L1VAR Extraordinary Work Perform ed During Great Struggle; fUluch Done Toward "Im- proving Breed." The motorcycle has, beyond ques tion, performed extraordinarily val uable work In all theaters of war, and especially on the western front, but it is rather to be doubted wheth er, apart from the fact that war con ditions have imposed upon them a test of strength and durability such as they never underwent before, First Yank Into Hunland After Armistice Signed 1 - r o - verv much has been done directly toward "improving the breed" of these machines. Y This state of affairs was only to be expected, as with the exception of their use in the earlier days as mounts for machine euns. they have been employed to the number of about 50,000 almost exclusively in an auxiliary capacity for dispatch work and upon the lines of communica tion: in this function reliability and the facility of furnishing repairs and V. replacements have been more mi nortant than anv other considera tions. In conseouence a high degree of standardization has been sought and achieved, with the result that the military and air force motor cycles today are almost exactly sim ilar to those sent out at the begin ning of the war. This does not mean that valuable lessons have not beeft learned, for atrocious road condi tions have disclosed numerous weak nesses which have called for imme diate remedy, but the full extent cf ij the knowledge gamed will not snow itself until the new designs appear and invite the custom of the private user. On Western Front Out of the numerous makes be fore the public in 1914 very few sue ceeded in coming up to the standard of war requirements. On the western front practically only two types have been continuously in the service under the R. A. S. C. administration, and one only under that of the R. A. F. The last is a single cylinder mod el with all-chain transmission, and the others, single and twin-cylinder machines, driving through chain and belt. Other makes have been used to a leBS extent on other fronts. As might have been supposed, the prin cipal troubles have been the result of sever wear and tear due to mud and dust, and breakages caused by a combination of high speed and abominable road surfaces. Of the two R. A. S. C. motor-cycles one was much heavier than the other, and for this reason showed a rather better performance on the highway. But the lighter type was not without its advantages when ploughed fields and bypaths had to be explored for a course. ' Spills Frequent ' Spills and other misadventures were naturally frequent and the more exposed parts of the machine such as handlebars, mudgards, car riers, and footrests, suffered exten sively, but it would be impossible to cavil at the general reliability of the power and transmission units. Certain minor ailments, of course, manifested themselves clutch-slipping for example but replacements of stouter design wrought a cure. ! If the pre-war standard of engine and gear fitness was equal to the demands made upon it, the same cannot be said of frames and forks. Seeing, however, that British motor cycles were mads for British roads, one can hardly be surprised at a per centage of failures over shell-holes, pot-holes and worn-out pave. One thing has at least been definitely shown, and that is that a well-designed machine will go almost any where, roads or no roads, and with such mechanical progress as one knows has been quietly taking place, its range of utility will be very greatly extended. Motorcycle constructors will not be slow to take advantage of the val uable experience which has been gained in aircraft, and more espe cially aeroplane engine design. Bet ter material and technique will lead to a notable reduction in weight, and it is obvious that adequate spring, ingr, fore and aft, wil remove the only excuse which exists for mak ing the machine heavy, namely, en couraging it to "hold the road," with a light rider. One is confident of finding the post-war model very much more weather-proof than for merly, and it is to be hoped that efforts will be made to render it rideable in the wet without special clothing. Solo Engine. The single cylinder models adopt ed by both the R. A. S. C and the R. A. F. have been extensively used for sidecar work, and, strangely enough have, in this form, shown themselves even more reliable and roadworthy than as solo machines, as well as notably superior to cer tain twin cylinder combinations, which were employed for passenger carrying to a limited extent. This is to be ascribed to the fact that the passenger attachment considerably reduced speed and kept the road shocks within the capacity of frames and spring forks. One would not on this account prophesy that the "big-single" is the side car mount of the future, but it must at least be conceded that in war con ditions its virtues have been prom inent, and that it has enhanced its reputation as a "get-there" outfit, almost ideal in point of simplicity and reliability. These points assume an even greater importance when it is remembered that in a very large number of cases the management of side car combinations has been q-.iickly taught to men and women previously unskilled in this art. It is clear that an immense future for the motor cycle is assured, and it has emerged from its war ordeal triumphantly as an indispensable in strument of transport. . Sandpaper Block. - For the car owner who does his own tire repairing a mighty handy tool is a block of wood about a toot long and three inches wide on which is firmly tacked a sheet of sandpaper. This is used for cleaning around cuts in the casing. Similar ly smaller sticks with sandpaper wrapped around them are useful in cleaning around punctures ' in the tube. " v - i! I I a J x - . ; -j. -- The first Yank to enter Germany after the armistice was signed was Sergt. James Reese Brewer, Motor cycle company No. 30S, motor dis patch service, expeditionary forces, according to dispatches received from France. Incident to Brewer's entry into German territory, the young ser geant rode a Harley-Davidson mo torcycle of which kind innumerable quantities are performing unsur passed service in the motor disptach service. ; The dispatch read: "This picture was taken In Ger many November 12, 1918, by a Ger The Mitchell Touring - Cadillac FUEL ECONOMY IS DISCUSSED BY AUTO ENOINEERS Problem Taken Up in Detail at New York Auto Show; Prime Factors Are Considered. able the than The problem of fuel economy in automotive engines was discussed extensively at the annual meeting of the Society of Automobile Engin eers, held during the automobile the show in New York. Such items as first cost, reliability, ease and com fort of operation were the prime fac torsreceiving the attention of the owners of passenger cars and com mercial vehicles at one time. How ever, the enormously increasing de mand for engine fuel is compelling all thinking users to study conserva tion, the engineers concluded. An important contribution to the study of the problem was made in a paper,presented by Dr. H. C. Dick inson of the National Bureau of Standard before the annual meeting of the society. Dr. Dickinson, who is in active charge of reasearch work pertaining to automotive engines, in cluding the Liberty and other air the plane engines, at the Bureau of Stan dards, declared it important for au tomotive engineers to investigate at once the fuels available for their In dustry and to determine the number of car miles or ton miles that can be obtained from the totol supply re maining. Of fuels In sieht for motor ve hicles we have only petroleum prod ucts, alcohol, benzol and possibly shale oil distillates," he said. "Be fore all of these can be used success fully it is necessary to adapt our en. gines to handle them properly. It re mains to be seen whether it will be and r exact best hereafter to sell two or three different kinds of liquid fuels, one less voltaile than the other, or whether it would be more advan tageous commercially to concen are trate on a combination fuel and adapt all engines to use it. Ihe present trend of development fa"vors gasoline and kerosene, and ef forts are being made to construct er. appliances or gasoline engines, en abling them to utilize kerosene as well Goes to Waste. "The brrakethermal efficiency of automobile engines running under average load conditions is 10 per cent or less. In other words, 90 per cent of the heat of the fuel now goes to waste. Some of this loss is due to operating with a 25 to 50 per cent richer mixture than is necessary. This causes carbonization and lubri cation difficulties with no resulting advantages. With better 'carbure tion it would probably be possible to run an additional million cars with out the present total gasoline con sumption." After enumerating the "various causes for the present lack of effi ciency in the use of fuel, Dr. Dick inson pointed out that if automotive engineers can succeed in reducing all these losses by one-half the effect will be equivalent to doubling our present fuel supply. "Jo bring about this highly desir road ness new ; ft. man photographer in a small town across the border and shows the German retreat across the Rhine. driver of this Harley-Davidson did not know at the time the picture was made that he figured so plainly, but a month later an M. D. S. man riding .through this town found this picture in a German photographic shop, so of course he bought all they had. He was absolutely the first American soldier to enter Germany." It was learned that Sergeant Brewer led a platoon of motor dis patch drivers on mrley-Daviason motorcycles into Germany the day after the armistice was signed. i V Eight result it will be necessary to put best minds to work on the pro blems involved, he said. Re searches and tests will have to be more extensive and more thorough in the past. No one company ana no one laboratory will be able to find the whole solution. It is necessary for all concerned to share in this work if we are to carry out uur ouject oi conserving tne avail able supply of engine fuel." Hebb Motor Co. Has Contracts Closed for 2,000 Trucks With contracts for delivery of irucKs amounting to ,m already closed, the Hebb Motor company, of Lincoln, betran a hanner f with Patriot truck. Distributing agen cies nave been established in the states of Nebraska, Kansas, Arkan sas and Colorado, in whirh taf. the 2,000 trucks contracted for will be sold. The durability and service of the Patriot truck has appealed extensively, not only to the city trade but also to farmers, who find it more economical than the team. With the steady influx of orders the comnanv will Jiavi taxing the capacity of their large new piant to the limit this year. Though hampered somewhat by war regulations in the nut-nut nf irrl, company quickly established a large business toundation for the manufacture and sale of the Patriot truck. The simnlicitv nf th in struction of the motor and econom ical upkeep of the truck has won for the Patriot a distinction in the auto mobile world. Life of Tire Prolonged by Tire Filler Company A new rrpatinn in K- building of automobile tires is evinced in a rnmnnaififtii rf ...Kt.. durable fahrin that ia nUrA tn measurement inside the new casing or partly worn tire to strenethen the life of thu tir xnA in. Crease the milcapi" Omaha aiitniete introduced to the hovel develop ment, tnat already has gamed ex tensive popularity, by the Universal Tire Filler company, 2005 Cuming street. The troubled mntnrisf tipfA wnrrr no more about tire guarantees and blow-outs in the use of the tir fill. The lasting qualities which make a guarantee ot 100,000 miles possible are contained in the rmnnncitinn tr gether with the resilience of the "air" tire, ihe tiller is not a liquid. The substance is unaffected by heat or cold, hence the temperature, of the casintr is kent lower when rininor ivcvk than when air is used, giving more mileage than air, ac cording to William Anderson, man ager of the Universal Tire Filler company. I hough the company has been established in Omaha but seven months, more than 100 loeal hnsi. houses have begun using the creation. ! The limitinc factor in a trreat many roads extensively used has been 'antique bridges built in the days when light buggy traffic was the rule. Gradutlly the state de partments ate overcoming this handicap to travel by replacing these structures bv solid concrete spans. In 1917 $47,290,796 was expended in this way in the United States. Touring Car $925, Your territory may be open. See us for dealer proposi tion, v DORT MOTOR-, Quality t The soundest reasons for your owning a Dort are furnished by the actual experiences of Dort owners. What they say as to the competent performance and marked economy of this car is, we believe, the truest index to the real value of the Dort. 5 They will tell you that it stays "tuned up" a long time. That it does not require frequent adjustment. They will speak in the same satisfied terms of the mileage it gives in gas and oil, and on tires longer mileage per gal Ion you will find than what is commonly regarded as good mileage. . They will tell you also that it is a very easy riding car, that it does not bump you and jar you on bad roads as many light cars do. Now these are qualities of the Dort that you can easily veri fy for yourself in a single ride. They are the fine results of the high standard of Dort manufacture. They contribute, together with the well known Dort sim plicity and accessibility in construction, toward making the Dort the desirable car to own that it is. We speak specifically of Dort accessibility and simplicity because it is important that you should know just how sim ple and accessible the Dort is. Perhaps the best way we can make this clear is to say that when you should feel it desirable to "tune up" or "dope up" or adjust this or that part you can do it yourself easily, quickly and inexpensively. Ask yourself how many cars could show you such simplicity. And of course it is almost needless to point out that the sim pler a car is, the freer it is from possibility of trouble. At a Dort exhibit at the Motor Show' you will find a full line of the Dort models. We urge you to make sure to see these cars for they are truly fine examples of able engineer ing practice and sound, careful construction. Toozer-Gerspacher Motor Co. Distributors for Nebraska and Iowa. 2211-13 Farnam St ' OMAHA "5 llritMicki Goes Gear Through CAR COMPAW Open Cars Feuriaoa Cars Touring $9.25 Sedan $1,355 Roadster .... 825 Cenpa .... 1,355 Sedanat (Removable Sidei) ....$1,090 F. O. B. Factory Wire Wheels and Spare Tires Extra We are exhibiting on the stage at the show in the same space we have had for the past three years. 71 ! A: -4