Auto News from Many Centres.

The New York Times
April 4, 1909

White's Record Hill Climb.
A model "O" White steamer of twenty horse power made the fastest time in the hill climbing carnival held in San Francisco on last Monday.  Being barred from the stock car events, the White entered a special match with the winners of the other trials, and did the mile hill in 1:12 2-5.

Secretary of Navy Gets a Waverley.
George von L. Meyer, the new Secretary of the Navy, has bought a Waverley electric phaeton.  The car has two mechanical features which add to its attractiveness.  One of these is a lock which prevents the operator from reversing until the speed lever has been pulled into the "off" position, and the other is a device which prevents the car from starting on any but the low speed.

Locomobile Wins Match Race.
A Locomobile in the hands of Murray Page, an amateur driver, won a 150-mile contest at Ascot Park, Los Angeles, last Sunday in the good time of 2:47:01 3-5.  The race was a match event between the Loco and a Stearns, one of the conditions being that the cars should be manned by amateurs.

Chalmers Newspaper.
The Chalmers-Detroit Company recently began the publication of a single-sheet paper for its dealers, called Tell the Truth.  The initial publication contained the sentence, "We want our salesmen to tell the truth about our cars.  The truth will sell them."

Lozier's Bridge Record.
C. A. Emise of the Lozier Company, driving a Briarcliffe model runabout, crossed the new Queensboro Bridge on last Monday night, a distance of 7,500 feet, in a little less than two minutes, his car attaining a speed of sixty-three miles an hour on the middle span.

Pierce's Experienced Testers.
Automobile road testers are usually known as the nomads of the industry, changing from one firm to another at more or less frequent intervals.  Two testers with the Pierce-Arrow Company have proved exceptions to the rule, however, having tested the first motorettes made by the company in 1901.

Brokaw Lectures to Y. M. C. A. Automobilists.
The opening lecture of the new Spring course in automobile instruction conducted by the Bedford Branch, Y. M. C. A., Brooklyn, was given by Clarence B. Brokaw in the association's new building at Bedford Avenue and Monroe Street on last Friday night.

Mitchell Paris House.
More for the purpose of adding to the convenience of Mitchell owners abroad than to sell cars, the Mitchell Company has opened a Paris branch house.  It is in charge of Rene M. Petard, well known in Paris motoring circles.

Quinby Brass Finish Method.
There are two methods of putting the brass finish on the metal fittings of automobile bodies.  One is by electro plating.  The other, termed closed plating, is used at the Quinby works in Newark, N. J.  Thin brass sheets are fitted to the metal parts and then dipped in a boiling lead solution.  When taken out they are coated on both sides with lead.  They are then placed around the metal parts again and smoothed over with soldering irons, the heat from which softens the lead on the under side which, when it hardens, forms a perfect union between the brass sheets and the metal.  A few minutes on a burnishing wheel removes the outside coat of lead and polishes the brass.

Apperson Makes Thirty-two Miles on Gallon of Gas.
In the recent economy test in San Antonio an Apperson model "O" touring car won from a field of nine starters.  The test was held on a sixteen-mile loop speedway, and the Apperson covered thirty-two miles on one gallon of gasoline, defeating its nearest rival by more than twelve miles.

Goodyear Air Bottle Makes Hit.
John T. Kelly and his wife have been appearing in a vaudeville sketch based on the troubles of a chorus girl bride in cooking her first meal.  The climax of the fun in this little incident in theatrical domestic life comes when the first batch of biscuits in the new oven explodes, blowing up the stove.  The gas from the automobile gas tank was used in securing the explosion effect, and Kelly substituted at his opening matinée on Philadelphia last week a Goodyear air bottle.  When the cue came for the explosion the property man opened the cock in the air bottle with the same full turn he had always given to that in the gas tank.  The result was magical.  Not only the  food and the cooking utensils and steam, but the little oven and the two-hole gas stove itself left their moorings, and the bride and groom in the stage kitchen had to duck for their lives.  Kelly states that this performance was the hit of his life, but he declines to imperil the life of himself and Mrs. Kelly twice a day and to buy a new gas stove for each performance, so he has been very careful to warn the property man to give the cock only a one-quarter turn.