Story of the automobile: Its history and development from 1760 to 1917: With an analysis of the standing and prospects of the automobile industry — John Shaqi
Story of the automobile: Its history and development from 1760 to 1917: With an analysis of the standing and prospects of the automobile industryBarber, H. L. (Herbert Lee)
History
Story of the automobile: Its history and development from 1760 to 1917: With an analysis of the standing and prospects of the automobile industry
Barber, H. L. (Herbert Lee)
Automobiles -- History
In 1906, Anderson, A. B. C., Cartercar, Brunn, Thomas-Detroit, Kearns,
Sterling, Mora, Moon, Pennsylvania, Palmer & Singer and Staver.
In 1907, Albany, Atlas, Brush, Bertolet, Byrider, Carter, Chalmers,
Coppock, De Luxe, Oakland, Regal, Selden, Speedwell, Interstate, Lozier
and Great Western.
In 1908, Sharp-Arrow, Pittsburgh 6, Crown Midland, Rider-Lewis,
Paige-Detroit, Velie, Cole, E. M. F. and Hupmobile.
In 1909, Hudson, Advance, Cunningham, Coates-Goshen, Ohio and Abbott.
Since 1909 to date new cars put on the market include:
Stutz (1911), Chevrolet (1912), Grand, Chandler, Saxon and
Scripps-Booth (1913), Dodge and Dort (1914), Owen Magnetic (1915),
Drexel and Elgin (1916). Other automobiles in the field are the
Maibohm, Allen, Ben-Hur, Crow-Elkhart, Harroun, Lexington and Madison.
A table giving a complete list of automobiles is printed elsewhere in
this volume.
The earlier manufacturers of motor cars included many who had been
engaged in manufacturing bicycles, and following them was a group that
had successfully manufactured wagons and carriages. Still another set
of manufacturers were machinery men.
In the list of names of automobile companies which have been organized
during the period of the industry’s development, there are some which
have gone out of business, but not many.
The industry, generally speaking, has had comparatively few complete
failures. Mortality has been lower with it than with many other
business enterprises.
This is chiefly due to the intelligence which the manufacturers brought
to the business, plus the demand which sprang up for the automobile
as soon as the people, instructed with great and liberal space by the
press, realized it was the vehicle that could give what they wanted.
Never was the value of a concerted campaign of education better
demonstrated.
That unusually intelligent study of the subject of suiting the popular
desire was given by manufacturers is evidenced in many ways, but in
none that is so typical as was the standardization of motor cars.
At one stage of the industry its very life was threatened by a lack of
uniformity in the mechanical construction of the various types of the
automobile.
The big idea that has made Henry Ford’s millions was a combination
one. It was the building of a motor and car combined which could be
constructed at a cost that would command large quantity production.
This conception by Ford, alone, simple though it was, proclaims him the
genius he undoubtedly is.
The purchase of cars between 1898, when sales first began to be made,
and 1903, when Ford put out his car, was practically confined to
people of wealth and leisure. It required both to own and operate
an automobile. Men bought them at a cost of $3,000 to $12,000 each.
Purchasers were exhilarated by auto-intoxication—with little thought of
the practical uses the invention could be put to. Snobbishness, social
impression and display of superior wealth were back of many purchases.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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