Two thousand miles on an automobile; being a desultory narrative of a trip through New England, New York, Canada, and the West . s; it is as if apprentice blacksmiths hadspent their idle moments in constructing a machine. The carriage work is hopelessly bad. The build-ing of carriages is a long-established industry, em- 6 82 On an Automobile ploying hundreds of thousands of hands and millionsof capital, and yet in the entire United States thereare scarcely a dozen builders of really fine, substantial,and durable vehicles. Yet every cross-road maker ofautomobiles thinks that if he can only get
Two thousand miles on an automobile; being a desultory narrative of a trip through New England, New York, Canada, and the West . s; it is as if apprentice blacksmiths hadspent their idle moments in constructing a machine. The carriage work is hopelessly bad. The build-ing of carriages is a long-established industry, em- 6 82 On an Automobile ploying hundreds of thousands of hands and millionsof capital, and yet in the entire United States thereare scarcely a dozen builders of really fine, substantial,and durable vehicles. Yet every cross-road maker ofautomobiles thinks that if he can only get his motorto go, the carpenter next door can do his result is cheap stock springs, clips, irons, bodies,cushions, tops, etc., are bought and put over themotor. The use of aluminum bodies and more metalwork generally is helping things somewhat; not thataluminum and metal work are necessarily better thanwood, but it prevents the unnatural union of the lightwood bodies, designed for cheap horse-vehicles, witha motor. The best French makers do not build theirbodies, but leave that part to skilled carriage r-y CHAPTER SEVEN BUFFALO TO CANANDAIGUA The five hundred and sixtv-odd miles to Buffalo had Troubles bcgtn been covered Avith no trouble that delayed us for morethan an hour, but our troubles were about to begin. The Professor had still a few days to waste frivo-lously, so he said he would ride a little farther,possibly as far as Albany. However, it was notour intention to hurry, but rather take it easily,stopping by the way, as the mood—or our friends—seized us. It rained all the afternoon of Tuesday, about allnight, and was raining steadilv when we turned off 83 give out 84 On an Automobile Main Street into Genesee with Batavia thirty-eightmiles straight away. We fuh}- expected to reach therein time for kmcheon; in fact, word had been sentahead that we would come in, like a circus, abouttwelve, and friends were on the lookout,—it was fouroclock when
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