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The Old Year and the New. The year 1902 has been one of substantial growth and general prosperity for the American automobile industry, and also, we believe, for the industry in other leading automobile producing countries. The automobile movement in this country has

indication of which fact may be found in the general enactment of special legislation pertaining to automobiles throughout the country.

cars.

In the evolution of the automobile the year has been marked by the extensive introduction of heavy, high powered touring The fact that this type of car has been taken up by many manufacturers has given a strong impetus to country touring in automobiles, and many long tours have been accomplished very successfully during the past season, in spite of the generally unfavorable weather. However, although much attention has been paid to touring cars, the moderately sized and powered vehicle has not been neglected. In fact, during the year a considerable number of two passenger vehicles weighing between 1,000 and 1,500 pounds, which may be regarded as the range of weight comprising the most practical everyday vehicle for common roads, have made their appearance, and the original light runabout types have been uniformly increased in weight, so that now most of them at least closely approach the lower weight limit above mentioned. The general tendency in design has been toward greater power, longer wheel base and more refined body lines, and it now appears that the progress represented by the 1903 models will be chiefly along these same lines.

The year 1902 will probably be most prominent in the annals of automobile history as the year of organization of the American Automobile Association. Automobile clubs had been in existence for some years, but the multiplication of automobile competitions and their consequent disputes, as well as the increase of seemingly unjust legal persecution of automobile users and of tyrannical regulations, made the formation of a strong national body most desirable, and an organization was happily effected at Chicago early in March. The association has repeatedly had occasion

to

demonstrate its usefulness, and promises to greatly extend its scope and influence the coming year.

About a dozen new automobile clubs have been organized during the year in this country.

Owing to a shifting of dates there has been no show in New York during the year, but a very successful show was held in Chicago-the first automobile show in the West to which this description could be applied. The great competitive event of the year, the New York-Boston and Return Reliability Run, was an unqualified success and proved beyond a doubt that substantial progress had been made toward the production of thoroughly reliable vehicles. A number of the 100 mile contests were also conspicuously successful in spite of many attendant faults, and their general results were in line with those of the big event.

While a retrospect of the year that has passed is thus in many respects most satisfactory and encouraging, the darker side is also not wanting. Accidents have been alarmingly numerous, especially for about two months during the height of the touring season, and a hostile feeling toward the automobile, or rather toward the abuse of the automobile, has developed strongly in some localities. Both of these phenomena have a common cause, the speed craze, and it is to be hoped that the active stand against reckless speeding assumed by many of the automobile clubs, as well as the strong public opposition to it, will in future tend to curb speed excesses and reduce to a minimum personal accidents and public antagonism.

An encouraging result of the year is the growth of the export business in automobiles. During the first eleven months the value of automobile exports was nearly four times as large as during the same period of the previous year. Many manufacturers are just now waking up to the possibilities of this field, and the proba

bility is the value of exports will keep on increasing the coming year at the same rate.

In general the outlook for the year is bright. The capacity of the works which will supply the market in 1903 is large, but the demand for automobiles of all kinds will also be large. President Scarritt, of the A. A. A., estimates that 35,000 vehicles will be sold during the year, and if this estimate be correct the manufacturers who know how to get their share of the business will certainly not be idle.

Doctors' Number.

The present number, having been extensively advertised among physicians all over the country, will be read by several thousand who are not regular readers of THE HORSELESS AGE, and a few words may properly be said in introduction to the articles appearing herein, and for the guidance of readers inexperienced in automobile literature.

The object of this special number is, of course, to arouse the interests of medical men in the new method of locomotion, and particularly its application to their professional work. To this end, however, we have not adopted the salesman's methodsi. e., lauding the advantages of the machine and hiding its defects-but present the unbiased evidence of a large number of actual disinterested users, who, we believe, are best qualified to speak on the practicability of the automobile of today in a physician's work. No allowance of any kind need therefore be made, as would be the case if the information had originated with interested parties. Some of the writers may be a little enthusiastic and overlook minor troubles, but this is offset by the writings of others with pessimistic inclinations who are likely to exaggerate small annoyances. A number of articles written at the solicitation of and offered through agents or manufacturers have been returned, for the reason that they were evidently biased.

We would advise that in reading the experiences of different users the reader always keep in mind the date of manufacture of the machine, which will be found to be nearly always given. Rapid progress has been made in automobile construction, and many faults found in the early maIchines have been eradicated in the later models. A considerable amount of the experience related in this issue has been with earlier models, for the reason that last year's models, for instance, have not been in use long enough to form a reliable about their cost of upkeep and the

general satisfaction they give in the long run. Experience with models of three years ago, extending over three years, in most cases will naturally not appear quite so favorable as three or four months' experience with a last year's model, for the reason that a well built machine should run several months without needing any serious repairs of any kind. And for this very reason the more extended experience with the older models is more valuable, although it does not quite do justice to the modern machines.

It may not seem necessary, but to avoid misunderstanding we would observe that the opinions expressed by our contributors on various points, such as choice of motive power, most suitable weight and motor power, etc., are not necessarily our own, which they hardly could be since they vary so much.

We have also thought it advisable not to exclude the few cases where the use of the automobile in a medical practice was found impracticable and given up after a trial. These accounts in themselves may not be instrumental in arousing the interest of doctors in automobiles, but it has been our aim to give a complete view of the situation as it exists, and a knowledge of the causes of the failures may lead to their avoidance in the future.

We believe that the subject is dealt with in this number most completely, as the contributions hail from all parts of the United States, from city and country, and consider the advantages of all three motive powers under varied conditions; the number is, moreover, the largest single copy, so far as reading matter is concerned, ever issued by any automobile publication.

The Automobile in the Physician's Practice.

We believe that the most important practical application of the automobile at present is as a physician's carriage, for, as will be seen from the articles in this number, physician's automobiles may be found in small numbers in all parts of the country.

The advantages of the automobile in this line of work are fully brought out in the articles following, but it may be well to briefly summarize them here. Many physicians spend a large part of their time behind their horses, and where driving is ordinarily considered a recreation it is to them more or less of a burden. With an automobile they can save much of this time, as considerably higher average speeds are possible. Generally speaking, a certain

time spent in an automobile results in less fatigue, probably on account of the large pneumatic tires, more perfect spring suspension, a more commodious seat and the perfectly even motion compared to the jog of the horse. Finally, we have never yet found anybody who did not derive more pleasure from a ride in an automobile than behind a team of horses.

Owing to its greater speed, the automobile permits physicians to attend to urgent cases more promptly, and a number of cases have been recorded in our columns where it is thought a life was saved through the use of the auto. The automobile commends itself more particularly to physicians who have a scattered practice, and most of all to those in districts in which the roads are good. On ordinary dirt roads which are deeply covered with mud for about two months of the year any self propelled vehicle is during that period impracticable. This, however, does not preclude the use of the auto in such districts during the rest of the year, as, to judge from letters received from physicians, they can often have the use of horses during the mud period for the keep.

Not the least of the advantages of the automobile for a physician is that it may safely be left standing on the curb for hours without an attendant while the physician concentrates all his attention on the case in hand.

It will sometimes be necessary on the trip to get out and make some slight adjustment or repair, resulting in the doctor's getting his hands and linen greasy. making him more or less unpresentable. This drawback does not exist if the doctor is always accompanied by a man, which many who have an extensive practice have found to be the best plan, although almost everyone prefers to handle the levers himself. However, in the latest models such parts as are likely to require attention on the road are mostly placed where they can be readily gotten at and without having to touch oily parts.

On the other hand the auto is more cleanly than the horse from a sanitary standpoint, as is well brought out by one writer in the present issue, who states that it is impossible to drive a horse, not to speak of cleaning him, without getting one's clothing contaminated with decaying organic matter, which it would be positively harmful to carry into the sick room. With the automobile there is absolutely no danger from this source.