From Our U.S.A. Correspondent.
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A New York Department Store.
Messrs. Gimbel Bros. have just placed an order with the Studebaker Co, for seventy-one electrically-propelled wagons of 1,000 lb., 2,000 lb., and 7,000 kb. capacity. It is the second largest order ever placed in this country, the record at present being that of the Adams Express Co.. which, four years ago, bought at one time 150 electric aagons. This latter company, which has branches all over the States, now owns 373 motor vehicles. The -United States Express Co. comes next with 150, and the .AnhenserBusch Brewing Co. third with 84. These large numbers enable statistics of a most-reliable average nature to be obtained, and Messrs. Gimbel Bros., after accurate emuputations, and that their goods can be carried in electric volli:les fur an annual expenditure of $149,000, whereas by horse traction the cost would be $280,000—a yearly savine of 51.31,000, or' 40 per cent. I have a large amount of data on the cost of operating electric vehicles, but do not pi into these here, as they are probably not of sufficient general interest. 1 shall be pleased to furnish them to anyone who may care to apply to the Editor.
More Motor Fire-engines.
The motor fire-engine business is assuming considerable proportions, and large numbers of machines of various types have been sold. In all, 92 fire brigades have them in use or on order in various parts of the States, MasE:arillisetts heading the list with 38 vehicles. Most of these are fur chendeld engines, hose tenders, and extension ladders. Fire-engines proper, as we understand them, with a rotary pump driven by the engine which propels dm car, have not been hrought to the same perfection which they have attained in England, and are therefore looked at somewhat askance hy municipal authorities. In such a city as Buffalo, there can be no question of the utility of such a machine; the city covers a very large area, much of it is resilential, and 75 per cent. of the houses are built of wood. If a fire occurs, as one seems to do every day, the houses usually burn down before an engine can reach the scene, at least in the more outlying parts, and it is just here where a motor engine would show at its best, owing to its speed of travel; its capacity for pumping would be quite adequate. Of course, in the central portions of the busi
ness quarter, the high buildings necessitate, an engine of enormous pumping capacity, and probably a steamer is essential, but there is without doubt a great opportunity for the petrol-driven pumping engine in the not-distant lot ore.
Commercial-veh icle Output.
The preparations of the Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Co. for commercial-vehicle business are proceeding apace' the new buildings are well forward, and it is hoped. to have the first five-toil trucks on the market in January next. Although I heard of the matter some time back, I ain only now able to state that a company known as Saurer Motor Trucks has been organized in New York for the manufaetore of tiaurer vehicles in the States. The authorized capital is $1,000,000, and with this a good showing ought to be possible moreover, so manv Saurer Swiss-made trucks are now running here that sales will he iin easy liecomplishment. At the same time, the Snorer Co. has closed a lease on a new v building (50 ft. by 10) ft.) in the heart of New York City, viz., at 411-413. West 55th Street. This building will accommodate repair shops, stock rooms and a garage, from which the Swiss products will be distributed. Altogether, the factory at Arbon may be said to have evolved what. is probably the moat-successful ear now running (lit here. Pace, the writer of the article in " The Power Wagon," the success of the Saurer vehicle in repeated Continental trials has been responsible for both' its present excellence and its European-American notoriety.
Heavy Journalistic Slips.
That excellent magazine " Motor Topics," which is usually well informed, recently published the following amazing notice. I have waited for what I expected would be the inevitable eontradiction, but, as this has not been forthcoming, I cannot resist quoting it. It states that a truck built by Mack Bros. for the Hartford Rubber Works has the, following dimensions: " Length, 21 ft ; wheelbase, 14 ft. ; width, 80 ft.; weight, 9.800 lb.; lop., 60; capacity, 5 tons; load carried per week, 247,800 tonn!! average daily
load, 30,000 tons . .The reduced cost ol handling freight by its means has been highly pleasing to the officers of the Hartford Rubber Works Co., who are
'quite enthusiastic over their first trials of a gasoline truck." Any lesser enthusiasm would be simple ingratitude, I should imagine. Having regard to the nature of the goods made by this firm, one can understand the reason for the present state of the rubber market. The .same paper is also responsible for the following: " Mr. S. A. Miles, a prominent authority on motoring, is reported as saying that motoring conditions are much im
proved in Great Brittain Commercial vehicles are steadily growing in favour, and giving better satisfaction, due to the fact that these cars yaoulde Banlirdluhrdlub.." Is this Mr. Miles or the compositor P If the former, one would like to know where it is obtained, as it seems to have such a beneficial effect on the heavymotor movement.
The Chicago Commerciab-vehicle Trials.
The Chicago Automobile Club, as I have already reported, is endeavouring to carry out a trial of heavy vehicles early in September. Now, within three months of the event, it is circularizing the manufacturers asking them to suggest conditions ; under these circumstances, such a trial, if it actually takes place, is hardly likely to be very conclusive in the results. Commenting on this, "The Power Wagon "(Chicago) has a long leader in the May number denouncing all such contests as useless. Arguing, as it does, entirely from the users' point of view, it is casy to show that such an event teaches the user nothing; it is not quite the same, however, from the manufacturer's standpoint, and, except for the heavy expenditure it involves, it is much to be commended in many ways. It at any rate ensures that one vehicle of a batch will be " tuned up " to the highest possible pitch, and it is safe to say that this is seldom if ever done in everyday work— there is no time, and it is too expensive. A thorough test of this kind, however, cannot fail to be of incalculable service to those responsible for the design of any car, with one reservation : the conditions should be sufficiently hard to ensure that all cars in each class have to put their best side out throughout the trial. As things stand at the time of writing, the trial is in a fair way to collapse for lack of support, to say nothing of the proposed competition which the Automobile Club of America has in view.
H.K.T.