Cleveland Automobile Blue Book, Volume 4: The Middle West

This publication is a motorist's guide, specifically an automobile travel reference known as "The Blue Book," dating to the early automotive era (circa 1915). The featured content consists entirely of instructional and promotional material rather than narrative fiction. The main text provides navigational guidance for automobile touring across the United States, organized by six regional volumes subdivided into route sections named after major cities. Detailed terminology explains road conditions and intersections—forks, cross-roads, grade crossings, and railroad overpasses—with turn-by-turn navigation instructions. The volume includes indexed city listings with population figures and map coordinates, enabling motorists to plan routes between destinations. Supplementary pages offer graphic examples demonstrating how to use the guide's indexing system and mileage columns. Advertising content promotes automotive products: Vacuum Cup Tires (highlighting an Automobile Club of America test claiming 6,760-mile average lifespan), Fry Flexible Goggles for eye protection during drives, Champion Spark Plugs (noting Ford and 70+ other manufacturers' standard equipment), and various automobile accessories. An article profiles the Cleveland Automobile Club, describing its advocacy for improved roads and streets, traffic safety initiatives, and membership benefits including touring information distribution.