442 



RECREATION 



An excellent preparation for the steps, 

 brake rods, and such metal parts of the car 

 as are finished in black, is asphaltum paint, 

 which costs approximately $1.00 a gallon, 

 and may be applied by anyone. This paint 

 adheres very closely to iron wears well, and 

 is thoroughly satisfactory. 



When a car begins to look dingy, even 

 though it has been well cared for, a coat 

 of varnish and free use of the asphaltum 

 paint referred to above, will work wonders. 

 The cost of varnishing a small car is from 

 $12 to $15, this price including re-enameling 

 of the mud guards and thorough cleaning 

 preparatory to applying the varnish. Similar 

 treatment of a large car costs from $30 to 

 $35, and in both cases the expense is well 

 justified. A very considerable proportion of 

 the cost of re-varnishing lies in the thorough 

 cleaning, and any owner can do this. Grease 

 spots may be removed by gasolene, and plenty 

 of soap and water on the body, and presibly 

 a little paint here and there will prepare the 

 car for the varnish very nicely, and so the 

 total cost to the owner of varnishing may be 

 very considerably reduced. It is inadvisable 

 for a novice to attempt to re-varnish a car, 

 as he will be almost certain to make a botch 

 of it. Better do the cleaning thoroughly and 

 the touching-up, if you can, and then turn 

 it over to the carriage builder or painter. 

 The rapid deterioration of an automobile in 

 appearance is in part due to the fact that 

 oil is used on it from one end to another, 

 arid mud and dirt collect on it because it is 

 used more than a horse-drawn vehicle, runs 

 farther and faster in a day, and the only wav 

 to keep it looking well is to be vigilant con- 

 stantly. 



When an owner tries to sell his car. he 

 will find '.hat every hour and every dollar 

 spent in keeping the car looking well will be 

 paid for two or three times over. 



MOTOR CYCLING. 



The popularity of the motor bicycle is 

 more real than evident, owing to the large 

 amount of talk and printed statements about 

 automobiles. There are certainly some very 

 hot enthusiasts, and one motor cyclist is 

 now on his way across the Continent — name- 

 ly Captain Chadeayne, of the Buffalo Motor 

 Cycle Club — a trip which seemingly should 

 be a loneLv and uncomfortable one, but which 

 will undoubtedly be heartily enjoyed by the 

 rider. 



A new motor cycle has been brought out 



in Germany which seems to me to be about 

 the best thing of the kind ever produced. 

 It is equipped with a little four-cylinder air- 

 cooled engine, power being communicated to 

 the rear wheel by a propeller shaft drive. 

 The current for the ignition is supplied by a 

 small magneto driven from the engine. The 

 vehicle is very light and neat in appearance, 

 and runs almost noiselessly. A Boston firm 

 has secured the American agency, and ex- 

 pects to import a large number during the 

 coming season, and it is reported that one 

 of the largest automobile manufacturers has 

 obtained the patents. 



PRICES NOT LOWER. 



Unless every sign fails, the prices of au- 

 tomobiles for 1906 products of the well- 

 known and reputable makers will not be any 

 lower. On the other hand, if anything, some- 

 what higher, owing to the fact that every- 

 thing is going to cost more in 1906. No 

 part of the automobile can be purchased as 

 cheaply as it was this season, and as the 

 American makers are proceeding on the right 

 lines, and improving their product all the 

 time, it doesn't seem reasonable and proner 

 to suppose that the coming year should dis- 

 close any remarkable bargains in the cata- 

 logues of really reliable makers. One promi- 

 nent maker of low-priced cars (Olds) has 

 formally announced that the price of their 

 well-known runabout will remain unchanged, 

 the conditions not warranting any cheapening 

 of their product, either in quality or in 

 price. 



CONTESTS. 



The New York Motor Club has proposed 

 to hold a six-day economy contest, and the 

 idea is an excellent one. Briefly, the plan 

 is to start each morning at New York and 

 make a day's run from 100 to 150 miles, the 

 cars being stored each night in New York, 

 and thus adding greatly to the interest, per- 

 mitting spectators to see more of the cars 

 and study their performances much better 

 than on one single long run — say from New 

 York to Chicago. 



This event is scheduled for the latter part 

 of October, so that by the time this issue of 

 Recreation is printed, the event will be held, 

 if it is to be held at all, but in the opinion 

 of the writer the Motor Club promoted this 

 event too late in the season to give enough 

 time to work up the proper amount of en- 

 thusiasm among the makers or owners. 



