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- WINNETKA WEEKLY TALK, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1923 17 AUTOMOBILE SECTION MOTORISTS BACK SAFETY FIRST Pedestrians Often at Fault In Accidents In a statement issued by the Chi- cago Motor club, H. M. Brown, gen- eral manager, says that, a survey of it has been determined that the mem- bership of that organization indicates that the motorists are in hearty ac- cord with the program for safety being waged by the courts, the police, the coroner and the newspapers. "There is only one danger that in our zeal we are likely to overlook," says Mr. Brown, "and that is to carry the campaign on to such a point that the pedestrian blames the motorists for all these accidents. The truth of the matter is that the private car owner is not the offender he is be- lieved to be. The coroner's records show that in the five month period from January to May there were 265 deaths which were ascribed to auto- mobiles. The impression is that these were caused by the owners of private cars driving down pedestrians. Sixty- three of these deaths were caused by trucks, 40 by taxicabs, 8 by collisions between automobiles and trucks, 2 were the result of carbon monoxide poisoning, 14 drivers were killed when their cars were struck by street cars, railway trans or overturned in ditches; 10 occupants of cars were killed in a similar manner, one was killed by hitching and one motorists died when his car took fire, and the remainder, 126, were killed in accidents in which DON'T FORGET THAT MUFFLER If the exhaust gases were to be al- lowed to escape directly into the at- mosphere, says the Automobile Digest, the sharp explosions rapidly following each other would prove very annoying. The muffler, by breaking up these gases into fine streams and by allow- ing them to expand and reduce their pressure until they are nearly oi the atmospheric pressure, deadens the sound of these explosions without interposing any great amount of back pressure. It so admirably performs its duties that it is often overlooked when the rest of the car receives an overhauling. The inter- nal mechanism of mufflers varies widely, some consisting only of simple chambers connected together to form a labyrinth for the gas passage, while the more complicated forms have a number of baffle plates or walls pierced with small holes. The most effective and silent type is generally the more susceptible to de- rangement and will give trouble sooner than the less efficient. From time to timc, all mufflers should be cleaned, as a con- siderable amount of carbon depcsits ac- cumulates in them. As these deposits not only tend to increase the back pressure, but also tend to hold the heat of the exhaust, the muffler should be cleaned at least once a year. Clean out all accumula- tions of soot and oil and clean the muffler thoroughly with kerosene be- fore reassembling. If the holes in the partition walls are clogged, ream out thoroughly with a three-cornered file, making sure that all residue is removed and that none remains to lessen the di- ameter of these passages. Mufflers are often seriously damaged or broken by the ignition testing methods so common- ly used. The engine is run at a rather high rate of speed, and then the ignition switch is turned over to another ignition or off entirely. Only for a moment, however, when it is again turned on. But in the interval that has elapsed, zeveral charges of unburned gas have been forced into the muffler. The momentum of the fly-wheel has carried the pistons and valves through a cycle of operation. When the ignition switch is again thrown on this same momentum actuates the breaker mechanism and a cylinder fires. Often, a flash of flame is forced into the muffler, the unburned gases are ignited and an explosion occurs which often causes serious damage. Overheating of the muffler may be caused by carburetor trouble, valves out of time, too late ignition or clogged muf- flers. Such a condition, however, is gen- erally the result of something by which the mixture is not completely burned in the combustion chambers, but continues to burn in the exhaust pipe and muffler. A too rich mixture burns slowly and will still be burning when the exhaust valve opens. If the exhaust valve opens too soon, the burning gases will escape before completing thdir work. Very late ignition does not give the charge enough time to be completely burned before the exhaust valve opens. the owners of passenger cars were in- volved. "The coroner's records show that in the majority of cases the motorist was blameless, that children in many instances, according to witnesses, ran directly in the path of the cars, boys and men jumped from the rear of moving trucks directly in front of oncoming cars, persons passed from behind street cars directly in the face of oncoming traffic and in fact if one will take the time as I have, to as- certain the facts, he will find that there is room for another campaign if the death rate is to be lowered and that the object of this campaign should be not the motorist but the pedestrian. "In riding around the town I have noticed that the safety campaign has not served to make the pedestrian any more cautious. Several times when given the signal to go ahead by the officer on the crossing I have noticed that the pestrians resented the pro- gress of the automobiles and on sev- eral occasions I have been up-braided by pedestrians for obeying the of- the crowd standing out well toward the center of the street, and many is the motorist who has been told the error of his ways by these volunteer traffic directors when he attempted to make a turn in the proper manner, forcing the pedestrians up onto the sidewalk. "So long as pedestrians believe that motorists are drivers of juggernaut cars, so long will accidents continue. It is only when motorists and pedes- trians realizes that each has a share of responsibility that we will reduce accidents. "It is interesting to note that in seven months fifty deaths occurred on boulevards out of a total of 393, proving that the boulevard is the safe place for the motorists to drive and for the pedestrian to cross. ficer's signal. Then, too, I have noticed crowds collecting on street corners, many of the individuals in Higgins Road Marked By Detour from Elk Grove Higgins road is open from the forest preserve westwinto Dundee with a long detour. still un. fapce from Elk Grove to 'the Rohlwing#. Toad. This detour over graveled county roads runs north irom Elk Grove the Elmhurst road, turns west withy the Algonquin road, and south again 'to thé pavement via the Rohlwing road. sInto Dundee the hifhwiy is reported to be in fair con- dition, Detours indicated On "North Sheridan Road Two detours on Sheridan road arc mentioned in this week's report on the Yellowstone trail. Both are marked and are over pavement on Green Bay road. One is from Glencoe to High- land Park, around bridge construction, and the other runs from Lake Bluff to North Chicago, around concrete con- struction on the road past Great Lakes Naval station. Other detours on the trail are from Miles City, Mont., to Forsyth, reported marked over good road, and a short detour at Farmer, O. Otherwise the trail is reported open and in good con- dition. The road will be open at least until the end of September. Yellow- stcne park hotels close. September 20, but campers are admitted after that date. PAVING WORK PROGRESSES Latest reports on the paving work made by the state highway department in Springfield show that 550 miles have been constructed this year. Some of this mileage is still curing, but the gaps are closing rapidly and most of the through state routes are in service. At present the state reports 9,500 :nen and 2,100 teams at work. Husbaal (as wife shifts gears)-- That reminds me. I must stop at the boiler factory on the way home. YOU are cordially invited to attend a showing of the Brand New Oakland Six, now on exhibition in our showrooms. These New Models Incorporate: Four-wheel brakes Five steel Disc wheels New L-head engine with Ricardo type combustion chambers Entirely new chassis New roomy Fisher bodies on all models New Oakland type permanent top giving closed car protection New development in painting, increasing beauty and permanence. Special Oakland Guarantee Mileage-Basis Gauge of Value North Side Motors Co. 1019 Davis St., Evanston, Ill.