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but that no amount of painful puttering can make practically operative the idea that has a fallacy in it

 
      There cannot be much doubt that the hydrocarbon motor which will ignite continuously for a couple of hours at present can be made to do so for a couple of days or a couple of weeks, after well known precautions are conscientiously applied. It has been a common fact in the history of invention that the working out of the details of an idea which is sound at bottom (no matter how impractical it may look) is sure to speedily take place, but that no amount of painful puttering can make practically operative the idea that has a fallacy in it. The conception of the hydrocarbon vehicle is sound and practical and, most important of all, it is thermodynamically correct. It is just as certain to have its crudities smoothed away as was the sewing machine and the harvester. It is sure so to do despite the claim that it is “complicated.” Simplicity seems to be worshipped as a fetich [sic] in some quarters. The only virtue there is in simplicity is that it affords less opportunities for poor workmanship and bad engineering. With perfect workmanship and rational engineering, complication involves no unreliability that is not doubly paid for by the larger results obtained. The perfection of the details of the mechanism of the hydrocarbon vehicle will prove the result of a natural process of evolution taking place in the factory and repair shop and may safely be regarded as certain.
      One must needs look a little deeper than the superficial weaknesses of the motor vehicle to discern the factors which are to decide favorably or adversely as to the fitness of the automobile for universal adoption. Back of all this criticism of details will be found four questions of such an intensely vital character as to carry in their solution the fate of the whole movement:
      (1) The fuel question.
      (2) The tire problem.
      (3) The problem of traction in snow.
      (4) The problem of intelligent operators.

ex Albert L. Clough, “The Development of the Commercial Gasoline Automobile,” in The Horseless Age 11:5 (February 4, 1903) : 192-194 (193) : link

—

Albert L. Clough (1869-1940)
“Albert L. Clough, 71, an Engineer, Is Dead; He Served Electric Companies and Had Been Auto Editor.”
The New York Times (September 22, 1940) : link (paywall)
 

25 September 2025