The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], May 16, 1915, SPORTING SECTION, Page 16, Image 16

About The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950

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NEWS AND GOSSIP OF INTEREST TO THE A UTOMOBILISTS OF BIRMINGHAM L
___By 151,1,IS <-■ HOI,I,VMS_______
WAR GIVES AMERICAN AUTO
MANUFACTURERS BEST OF IT
—E. E. I,EVERETT
"The war will give American automo
bile manufacturers a tremendous ad van- j
tage over their foreign.competitors,” said j
Ernest E. Leverett.‘managing director of
t,he Long Acre Auto Car company. Ltd.,
of I^ondon. England, one of the biggest
men in the English motor world, who is
at present visiting this country.
"The development of the motor car
has practically come to a standstill in
England and France because the war has
stopped the manufacture of all cars ex
cept those especially built for \ynr pur
poses. Thousands of the best mechanic*
and scores of expert automobile con
struction men are at the front fighting
lor England and France. Hundreds of
them have already been slain and hun
dreds more will nevr come back. This
means that the best brains that hav**
been devoted to the English and French
automobile industries will he lost for all
•»•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
I. _
Production for Season Will
Reach 15,000—Huge New
Building
Although the Paige-Petroit M 'lor ('hi'
company- has been occupying its new fac
tory only a little more than a ear, the
growth of its business has heen so fast
and so great that increased facilities to
keep pace with the demand ^r Paige
Sixes have heroin. imperative. At a re
cent meeting of the board of directors it
was decided to start at once the erection
of a large addition to the plant, which
is already one of the largest jn the coun
try devoted to the manufacture of high
grade cars. \\ hen the new building is
finished—and it will be rushed to com
pletion as fast as men and money can
accomplish it—the Paige production will
be nearly doubled
The new building will be about 500 feet
long. fiO feet wide and three stories in
height. It will form an addition to the
present plant in the nature of a wing
• nd will fit into the general arrangement
of the factory as originally planned, as
it was expected when the plant whs first
erected that more -space would he needed,
although no one Imagined thnt the looked
for expansion would come so soon.
The present capacity of the factory is
about 80 cars a day and the plant is now
and has been for sometime running uy
to the maximum. With th*» ndditiona
building the capacity will be about 154
cars a day and the Paige output wil
reach 15,000 cars for the season. Thh
will make the Paige company the largesi
producers of medium priced sixes in tin
world
In addition to the extra floor span
the now building will provide, the Paigi
company will have n large equipmen
of new machinery. Improved method,
and systems of manufacture will be in
trod lived to speed up production to th
limit. For example, to facilitate the fina
assembly of the'car a mechanical con
veyor will be installed. This is the s.vs
tern by which the integral parts of tlu
car. beginning with the tear axle. ar«
placed on a njovlng platform of the end
less chain type and part by part addei
as the embryo ear moves along from om
group of workmen to another. What wn:
originally only a rear axle thus emerges
lime and that new men will have to be
developed after the cessation of the pres
ent conflict. And the markets that for
merly were invaded by the manufacturers
consequently Is lost to them for the tlm.*
being
"In America the automobile Industry I?
flourishing today as it never did before.
Your best workmen, your highest class
engineers are "on the job" as you say.
every day. The American automobile is
being made better all the time because
new ideas of motor construction are be
ing worked out and put into execution.
"There can only be one result of this
condition of affairs. The American auto
mobile is going to be the world's standard
and they Will have every market In the
world at their mercy."
Mr. I.everett had booked a passage on
th« Carpania and when her sailing was
cancelled at the last moment, made u
reservation on the Iaisitania for her ill
fated trip, but was prevented at the last
moment from going.
at the other end of the mechanical con
veyor a completed car ready to roll off
under its own power.
One of the principal reasons for the
extraordinary growth of the Paige is the.
success of the new Paige six. Since the
first of the year this car has created a
remarkable demand, reflected in the sale
of more than a million dollars’ worth at
the Chicago and New York shows and
In the sale of an extra allotment of 15b
in Chicago during the single month of
April. The decision of the Paige directors
to double the output of their new fac
tory was simply made necessary by the
demand for this car and by thus taking
prompt action they expect to meet this
demand in a manner that will give sat
isfaction to their dealers as well as to
the prospective Paige buyers.
The Paige company is now in its fifth
year and it has developed in that short
time from an output of cars to its
present dimensions by following out n
rigid policy of putting the utmost value
into Paige cars, a policy It has been able
to follow' with success on account of its
small capitalization and its freedom from
bonded indebtedness or other interest
drains.
$2,423,000 WORTH OF
PACKARDS SOLD
More vehicles were shipped during
the month of April by the Packard
Motor Car company than in any olhei
month of the concern's 14 years' exist
once. The shipments represented a to
tal value of $2,423,000.
Simultaneously with this announce
ment comes one to the effect that new
buildings and extensions which arc
now under construction will add 3 r. pci
cent to the present 38 acres of flooi
space. The enlargements extend fron
the forge and foundry all through tin
manufacturing division to the final as
scnihly departments.-A six-story build
ing is included among the additions.
The building activities precede a re
ported big inere*tse in Packard pruduc
non for 1016. This, no doubt, mean:
. that the Packard company is getliuf
i ready for a largely increased volum<
of business.
i — ■
Answered
> From the New York Sun.
1 Son—I say. pal
Father—Well?
Son—Is a vessel a boat?
■ Father— Yes.
Son (after some thought—1 sa.v pa
Father (impatiently)--What is it?
Son—What kind of a boat is
bloodvessel?
Father (absently)—It’s a lifeboa
Now run away to bed.
LIVE GOSSIP OF THE NEXT RACE
_FRESH FROM INDIANAPOLIS
A new angle has Injected Itself into
the Harroun-Burman feud, originated as
the result of Harroun's move to disqual
ify his Harroun special for the next In
dianapolis 500-mile race, on the ground
that It is really a Maxwell, and. there
j fore, ineligible to compete, under th«i
: Three-A rule that "no more than three
I cafs of one make shall start In any
contest.”
Burman immediately saw in the move
ment an attempt to eliminate his Burman
special, alleged to be a Peugeot, of whi-ch
make there were already three cars en
tered. To clear all doubts as to the exact
identity of his machine, he renamed It
Burman-Peugeot, stating he had rebuilt
t >.i himself until it was no longer a
Peugeot, but a hybrid.
Now It seems his move may prove a
mistake, inasmuch as the addition of the
v ord Peugeot to the name of the car
may be construed as making it a fourth
straight Peugeot, entry. Peugeot would
certainly receive full credit, it is argued,
if h" won, just as a " Harroun-Max well'1
victory would be credited to Maxwell,
and, therefore, it is not fair to let him
start under such title. He must make it
Burman special or nothing.
Exactly what Boh will do about the
proposition, or. for that matter, how the
whole thing will come out. is shrouded
In deepest mystery, inasmuch as the case
is without precedent or rule. The speed
vnv Is keeping out of the tagle, leaving
It for the A. A. A. to solve.
JOE DAWSON AGAIN
TO ENTER RACE
Desipte the fact that he came within
an ace of losing his life in last year s
Indianapolis 500-mile race, being laid up
for months as the result of Injuries when
h’; car overturned. Joe Dawson, winner
of the 1912 Hoosier cqfitest, has an
nounced Ills intention of again competing
in that event, and is now looking for a
ca r.
.T-'c’s selection. It is thought. Will be a
Maxwell. Kay Harroun, manager of that
outfit, an old racing pal of his. having
held a berth open for him for -months.
Ray says he would rather have Joe drive
fo«- him than anyone else, because he wins
hi*4 races before he starts, i. e.. has his
cm hi such good shape that failure Is
practically impossible.
fNDIANAPOLIS SPEEDWAY
“A BULLY TRACK**
"A bully track.” exclaimed Dario Resta,
after taking his first circuit of the In
dianapolis motor speedway at 500-mile
race speed. "The banking is not quite as
steep as Brooklands. of eourse." he
slated, "yet It is ample, and affords op
portunity for some most spectacular driv
ing. T think 1 shall make very good time
on it.”
CALVIN AND DASBACH
BUT SLIGHTLY HURT
Prank Galvin and R. G. Dasbach. mem
bers of the Peugeot team in the next
Indianapolis 500-mile rare. wh<^ over
turned with their car in practice. Satur
day. are but slightly injured, and will
soon recover. Galvin is laid up with i
' broken collarbone, and contusions about
| the head, while Dasbach has a broker
‘ j arm.
l iii■ ear suffered but little damage, the
J f»’,i!mp be ng bent slightly and the fron!
axle stripped off. Roth injuries will bf
j . aired and the car made ready for th«
race, a new driver, who has not yet beer
named, being negotiated for to take Gal
vin's place.
Stories as to the cause of the aceideiu
: differ widely. The commonly accepter
\-3rrion. however, is that the car skidde*
i as the result of blowing a right rear tire
and that Galvin, being inexperienced ii
bundling machines at high speed, lost con
trol. Galvin remembers nothing of th*
"
7-Passenger Phaeton
3-Passsnger Roadster
For Pride’s Sake
Drive a Hudson This Year
For pride of ownership, for this is the class car in the Light
Six type. For pride in your judgment, because 12,000 owners
have proved this car right. And for joy in motoring—that de
pends on fine engineering, on freedom from trouble, on light
ness, economy and beauty.
A New High Mark No Shortage Now
In this latest Hudson, Howard E. spring, thousands of men had
(’offin has set a new high mark in ° weeks for this Hudson. There
designing will be delays this spring for late
comers. Thev cannot be avoided.
In this car he created the Light Six But our output and trebled
vp_the dominant type of today. In capacitv enabie prompt delivery now.
this car lie has brought out the final YoPu can , the £ar want without
refinement, ^ter four years of work. waiting. come whife this condition
Here is the lightest 7-passenger lasts.
Six. Here is the oar that stands out This year there are many Light —
among all in its class for beauty, Sixes. Few are attempting to sell anv
luxury, finish and equipment. thing else above $1100. But the de
The Years at Stake n\and *or.th* Hudson is greater than
when it stood alone. For Hudson was
Remember the years at stake—the first. It has proved itself out. It is
years you will drive your new car. a Howard E. Coffin model. And our
Any extra weight means a constant rears to start have given us time to
tax. Any mistake in designing, any bring out perfection in this type,
weakness or shortcoming means eon- You will prefer it for a hundred
slant trouble and expense. reasons which you can see yourself.
You know the Hudson is right. Any AYe urge you to prove this now.
owner can tell \OU. And 12,000 own- T-Paaaraerr Phaeton or 3-Pasicnger Road.
ei s have driven this Light Six some ■*«*> •*««* *• «• b- »««*■»«•
30 million miles. This is the only HUDSON MOTOR CAR CO., Detroit, Mich.
■ J model of this Dew-day type which has Hudson service adds another Joy to motoring. It
had time to prove itself faultless. wh“*ySSncom.V *atlafact,on- We U explaln “
g|:>. ■’
Saunders Motor Car Co.
Stat* Distributer!
0 PHONE M. 6688 , ■ 2021 AVE. D, BIRMINGHAM, ALA.
If .— 1
jgsyiH lljjTBMj
Bt. i . n
accident himself, save that the car slid
<ienly got away from him.
JOHNNY AITKEN TO
DRIVE A STUTZ
Johnny' Altken. veteran driver of Na
tional cars, and for the past two years pit
mauager^of the Peugeot team in the In
dianapolis 500-mile race, has been named I
as fourth member of the Stutz team iri j
ti e next big Hoosier gasoline derby, along •
With Earl Cooper, Howdy Wilcox and Gil
Anderson, the old Stutz stand-bys.
Aitken’s nomination gives Stutz one
of the best rounded quartets of driving J
talent ever put together. The National
expert, familiar w ith evei^ trick of tho j
trade, and intimate with the latest de ,
tails of racing car construction, provide. ■
the keystone of an arch that should stanl
up under toe stronger competitive pres- j
ture.
RICKENBACHER
MAKES GOOD RECORD
E. V. Rickenbapher. sensational Max
well driver, established a new .short dis
tance record for the Indianapolis motor
speedway by reeling off eight laps in j
practice for the next Indianapolis nOO* j
mile race at the rate of 94 miles an hour.
His fastest trip around the track was
made in 1.36, or slig“htly under 95 miles
an hour.
CALEB BRAGG MAKING
L READY FOR RACE
Caleb Bragg, the real millionaire of th«i
automobile racing game, with $12,000,000 in
cold, hard cash to his credit, has signed
i to pilot Prank Galvin's Peugeot in th<«
next Indianapolis 600-mile race, Galvin be
ing laid up as the result of injuries re
ceived when" his car overturned in prac
tice recently.
Bragg is one of the most famous in the
game, having won the 1910 Grand Prize
and numerous other contests. Why he
should want to drive a racing car, in
view of his tremendous wealth, is a mys
tery. As Ralph De Palma puls it, “If
I had as much money as that chap. I'd
wrap myself up in cotton wool and never
step off the sidewalk, instead of fooling
around with a racing car.’1
The answer is that Bragg drives simply
for the love of the sport, despite all he.
has at stake, he takes chances with any
of them, as he conclusively proved when
during a dirt track race at Brighton
Beach several years ago. he first shot
through the fence and then back onto the
track again, winning the rave. with
splinters of fence rail and strands of 1
barbed wire coiled around ids radiator.!
Bragg's addition to the Peugeot team j
completes that outfit, with Resa apd j
Babcock already nominated. The threei
of them are considered the class of the;
field, as far as team driving talent is!
concerned.
BARNEY OLDFIELD
READY TO RUN
Barney Oldfield, cigar chewing cham
pion, has arrived in Indianapolis for the
ne.vt Indianapolis 500-mile race with the
German Bugatti he is to drive in that
contest.
Barney has had the car thoroughly
ovei hauled in a factory at Cleveland,
and says it is in shape to win any con
flict. That it did not do better at the
hands of Johnny Marquis on the coast, hr*
says, wh/ due to the fact that Marquis
was saving it for the Indianapolis race,
and, therefore, gave it no fair chance
The first time he drove It himself, he
says, lit: tJItl lUC » BIIU.O 1-UUI3C • V.
time.
Harney predicts a lurid record for his
machine. Made in a French part ol
Germany, Alsace-Lorraine, by an Italian
manufacturer, Ettore Rugatti, it is to be
driven by an Irish-American. Some speed
hash.
ENGLISH DRIVERS
REACH INDIANAPOLIS
With the news that they had sailed
hardly off the wire, J. Porporato and
Percy Graham, drivers of English Sun
beams in the next Indianapolis 500-mile
race, arrived, and are now preparing for
the contest.
Jean Chassagne, originally scheduled to
cross the pond with Porporato, was c -
tained at tht la^t minute 'by an emer
gency of warfare, and may not be able
to get away alter all, though there is
still some hope of his coming. If he
Joes land, it will hardly be in time Tor
the elimination trials on the 20th, 21st
and 22d. Graham will handle the car in
these.
Graham, Njncldcntally, though little
known on this side, is one of the classiest
speed products Europe has ever turned
out. He is what is known as a gentle
man driver, having confined his efforts
chiefly to private speed trials at Brook
lands.
OFFICIALS OF NEXT
RACE ANNOUNCED
Officiate for the next Indianapolis 500
mlle race have been announced as fol
lows: Dave Beecroft and F. A. Crosel
mire of New York A. A. A. representa
tives; A. R. Pardington of Detroit, ref
eree; F. D. Edwards, director of contests
Chicago motor speedway, chairman tech
nical committee, and Tom Hay of Chicago,
starter.
This staff comprises the most expert
men at their respective lines of work
to be found anywhere, Beecroft. Parding
ton and Edwards having officiated at
every speedway meet since the beginning
of the institution. Hav and Croselmire
are newcomers, with one season s experi
ence, ho\vever. Hay is an ex-bike riding
pal of Carl G. Fisher, the speedway presi
dent.
RESTA GROWS VERY
UNCOMM UNICATIVE
Dario Rosta. star driver on the Peugeot
racing team in th" next 500-mile race,
has grown remarkably uncommunicative,
as the result of what he “styles misquota
tion at the hands of American newspaper
reporters.
ft seems that after Rosta won the Van
derbilt and Grand Prize races at Sail
Francisco,, he pointed out what seemed
to him several defects in American meth
ods of race driving. These were seizor
by the press with avidity, ho alleges, anr
so distorted in their translation, that, hi
has gotten In bad with all his America?
friends. Now he is keeping Ins head shui
to keep out of trouble In the future.
Positive Proof
From the Kansas City Star.
Little 4-year-old Harry was not feelinj
well, and his father suggested that h<
might be taking the chicken pox, thei
prevalent.
1 Tarry went to bed laughing at the ides
but early next morning ho tame down
stairs looking very serious, and said:
“Yon's right, papa, it is chicken pox
'cos I'8 found a fewer in the bed,’”
■ > ~HiUi ITMB1■
Nobby
Reff. U. & Tat
Office
A
8,000 Miles
10.000 Miles
12.000 Miles
Thousands upon thousands of “Nobby Tread*
users are averaging 8,000,10,000, and 12,000 miles.
This wonderful anti-skid tire properly inflated is
constantly giving these enormous excess mileages
over and above its extraordinary adjustment basis
of 5,000 Miles.
We^would be glad to consult with any “Nobby
Tread” users who are not securing these excess
mileages.
Today through sheer merit alone, “Nobby Tread”
Tires are the largest selling high-grade anti-skid tires
in the world.
Birmingham Branch: United States Tire Company
423 South 20th Street
t,NobbyTread ” Tires-are sold by Loading Reliable Dealers. Do not accept substitutes
_l
Maxwell In Remarkable Test
,-r--,- ■- ------,
All New England Is still talking of the
remarkable feat ] ” id by a 1915 Max
well In Boston
Thirteen men weighing a total of 2075
pounds, were carried up Boston’s most
famous climb—Corey Hill—In one minute.
27 seconds. The distance covered was
1000 yards, and the grade over 20 per
rent. The sturdy Maxwell never faltered
on its trip which was witnessed by thou
...
, sands of show visitors, and officiate
? timed by newspaper men.
After tlie ascent the car with a load of
225 pounds greater than Its own weight,
was headed down the hill and a wonder
ful exhibition of braking power was
given. The test was considered so re
markable that newspaper photographers
swarmed the Hcene and motion pictures!
were made for a famous motion pictur#i
weekly.
iSTUTZ NOMINATES
DRIVERSFOR RACE
Places Galaxy of Speed
Artists in Indianapolis
Test
>
The Stutz Motor Tar company has
named the drivers who will be at the
wheel of Stutz cars in the 500-mile speed
way race to be held on May 29, 1915, and
the names have been given the speedway
management.
They are Gil Anderson, Earl Cooper,
Howard (Howdy) Wilcox and Johnny
Aitken, and a better lot of drivers could
htirdiy be gotten together to pilot any
car to victory. All of them are well
known and tried in many a gruelling con
test and they are looked to to give a
good account of themselves and their car
in the coming contest.
Gil Anderson is known the country over
, as a careful, steady driver, the winner
of the Elgin national trophy in 1913, at
f which time he drove a most phenomenal
iace, and would have won the same race
in 1911 except lor bad luck in losing bis
. extra wheels from the rear of his car,
thus losing him seven minutes. Even with
, this handicap he finished only a few sec
onds behind the winner, and can be de
pended on to give a good account of
himself.
Earl Cooper Is too well known to need
extended mention. He holds the road
racing championship for 1913 and is con*
sldered by those who know him best an
absolutely dependable, conservative and
heady driver, and a man who must b«
reckoned with in any contest in which
j he engages.
Howard (Howdy) Wilcox is & new driver
! for the Stutz organization, whioh does
not by any means indicate that he is un
! known. He is an experienced and steady
driver of racing cars, and his driving at ^
San Fransico in the grand prize and Van
derbilt races. In both of which he finished 1
in second place, is sufficient evidence that
he will be a considerable factor in the
coming contest.
And last, but by no means least, Johnny
Aitken. Aitken i,s an institution in the
racing business. Racing to him is neither
a pleasure, pastime or sport, but a busi
ness, and there are few men. If any, In
the industry today who are better quali
fied in, or who have a greater knowledge
of the fine points of racing than he. With
his extended experience he will be of
great help to the Stutz team. In addi- *
lion to his intimate knowledge of car i
construction, as applied to racing, he is
a driver of no mean ability.
It is fully expected that the Stutz team
will show speed and form this year and
will be a factor to reckon with. It is
said that in the trials already made Stutz i
cars have shown high speed and other
qualifications of winners, and H. C. Stutz.
the president of the company, and other
experienced racing enthusiasts have ex
pressed themselves as thoroughly satisfied
with their performance. TWs Is the first
year in the history of the Stutz organi
zation that they Wave built and entered
a strictly racing <\r. all the -cars here
tofore raced having been worked-ovef
slock models.