Figure 50. — Engine very similar to 

 that in National Museum's 1900 

 Locomobile steamer. Its exact 

 identity has not been determined. 



reason the early steam cars could generally outperform the 

 heavier, gasoline-engine-powered vehicles for short spurts. 



The wheels are of the cycle type with tangent spokes and 

 steel rims, and carry 28-by-2 1 /2-inch, single-tube, pneumatic 

 tires. 



In figure 51 is shown the engine of the first Stanley steam 

 automobile (fig. 48). It was built in 1897 for the Stanley 

 brothers by the Mason Regulator Co. of Boston, Mass., 

 and has a 2V2-inch bore and a 4-inch stroke. A later steam 

 engine that is similar, though not identical, to the engine in 

 the Museum's Locomobile is shown in figure 50. These 

 two engines (USNM 310524 and 307387) are in the Mu- 

 seum collection, and were presented, respectively, by the 

 Mason Regulator Co. in 1932, and bv Louis S. Clarke in 

 1922. 



67 



