Life, 1912-03-14 · page 42 of 44
Life — March 14, 1912 — page 42: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page advertises the Rauch & Lang Electric automobile, emphasizing safety features designed to appeal to female drivers and cautious operators. The main cartoon/advertisement shows an early electric car with its simple control lever mechanism. The pitch targets anxieties about automobile safety in the early 1900s: the lever controls acceleration, braking, and has both foot and hand brakes with a Yale lock. The copy emphasizes that "any woman or child is strong enough" to operate it—reflecting contemporary assumptions that women lacked strength for mechanical vehicles. It claims the car is "fool-proof and accident-proof," addressing public concerns about dangerous new technology. The advertisement is straightforward product promotion rather than political satire. It includes a photo of the control mechanism and company address in Cleveland. The page also lists newly received books and a railway advertisement—typical Life magazine content from this era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Why This Is the Safe Electric Note the picture to the right. In driving a Rauch & Lang Electric all that you have to do is as follows: To start, push that lever forward, The farther you push it the faster you go—up to 18 or 20 miles an hour. To stop, pull the lever back. That shuts off the power, retards the car and then applies a powerful brake, The car stops immediately. All this is done in the one operation of pulling the lever back. All the power can be shut off instantly with this lever in any position by simply dropping the hand on the metal ring directly below. A giant-strong foot- The control handle locks with a Yale key. brake may be brought into play at the same moment. The car is not only theft-proof, The car, again, stops at once. It can’t start again until but fool-proof and accident- this lever is brought to the neutral position. proof—all on account of this lever. Anyone who wants a safe car must judge the safety of others by the Rauch & Lang standard. Either way to stop is unfailing and remarkably quick, And any woman or child is strong enough to lock the wheels with these brakes. _ Both foot and hand brake may be used together, but ‘There will probably never be either alone is sufficient. accliipler way to“operate’a ‘con: ‘The natural impulse in emergencies is to *‘pull back.’’ veyance. So you stop this car almost on the impulse — almost The Rauch & Lang catalog without knowing it. It’s the safest vehicle ever devised. goes into detail. Any Rauch & And there's no other car controlled like it. Lang agent will gladly demon- strate. The Rauch & Lang Carriage Co. 2337 W. 25th Street, (leveland Exide Batteries standard equip- ment. Special Electric Pneumatic or Motz High-Etticiency Cushion Tires optional. (123) PARIS—LYON—, MEDITERRAN FRANCE’S GREATEST RAILWAY Visit the South of France. the entrancing, sun-kissed and rose-scented RIVIERA. THE LAND OF ROMANCE, SONG AND FLOWERS BEAULIEU, the fashionable Winter resort. MONTE CARLO, its magnificent Palaces and bustling crowds. Books Received The Heart of Life, by Pierre de Coule- vain. (E. P. Dutton & Co. $1.25.) A Negro Exple North Pole, by Mathew Henson, (Frederick A. Stokes Co. $1.00.) To M. L. S. or He Who Passed. (Frederick A, Stokes Co. $1.25.) Cap'n Joe's Sister, by Alice Louise Lee. (Frederick A. Stokes Co. $1.00.) The Restless Current, by M. E. Charlesworth. (G. P. Putnam's Sons. $1.25.) most tururious express ‘tratn service In Europe. ooklets aed full tafermation {rem Latersattonal Rierping Car Co ee oro Fitth Ave. 562 The New Democracy, by Walter §: Weyl. (The MacMillan Co The Woman from Wolv : bel Gordon Curtis. (The Century Co $1.25.) The Heart of Us, by T. R. Sullivan. (Houghton Mifflin Co. $1.25.) Last Cruise of the Saginaw, by Geor, H, Read. (Houghton Mifflin Co. $1.00.) The Mystery of Mary, by G. L. H. Lutz, (J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadel- $1.00.) The Fighting Doctor, by Helen R. Martin. (The Century Co. $1.00.) The Guardian, by Frederick Orin Bart- lett. (Small, Maynard Co. $1.35.) Literary Pilgrimages of a Ne by Winthrop Packard. (Small, May: Co., Boston. $2.00.) The One and the Other, by Hewes Lancester. (Small, Maynard Co, Bos- ton. $2.00.) The Great River, by Frederick Oakes Sylvester. ($3.00.) The Mountain Girl, by Payne Erskine. (Little Brown Co. Boston, $1.25.) From the Car Behind, by or M. Ingram. (J. B. Lippincott Co., Philadel- phia. $1.25.) The N. E. A, Phonetic Alphabet, by Raymond Weeks, James W. Bright and Charles H. Grandgent. (New Ezra Printing Co., Lancaster, Pa.) A Painter of Souls, by David Li (Frederick A. Stokes Co. $1.25.) There’s a thrill of Pleasure for those who know good ale, when a bottle of Evans’ Ale placed before them. Its soul warming, com= forting, invigorating and fospiring effect is always’ welcome and never lacking. Every ‘sense responds to Its call Try itat home. Apply to grocer of dealer ——9 ,059-Word Business Book Free Simply send us a rostal and ask for our free suourate oot word Business Booklet which, tells how priceless Buse Experience, squeezed from the Dees of x22 big, t forge 4 business men, may be made 3. salary, to increase your proGts, Fhe Tree bosk faa ne i How to Sending for this tree book binds you to nothing, involves ria 1 Sehool Information FREE SiscSrcianaieiinnd tytne Us. AMERICAN SCHOOLS’ ASSOCIA ta ‘2101 at 60 WALL ST, NEW YORK, 1518 to 15 MASONIC TEMPLE, rat