La Grande evening observer., March 10, 1917, Image 9

Automobile Section
Pages 1 to 12
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VOLUME XVI.
LA GRANDE, OREGON. SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 1917.
NUMBER 224.
LA GRANDE AUTOMOBILE AND M0T0RCYCLE;SH0W, MARCH 15, 16 AND 17
AUTO DEALERS'
IS
PROGRESSIVE
TWO DOZEN MAKES OF MOTOR
VEHICLES ARE REPRESENTED,
ORGANIZATION IS YOUNG
WITH VIGOR OF YOUTH
Officers Are Men of Standing in Com
munity Committees Are Energetic
"To Hold a Real Exhibition" Is
Slogan Association Organization
Is Permanent Annual Shows Are
Planned.
The La Grande Automobile and
Motorcycle Dealers' association is but
a few months old. It has, apparently,
all the virtues of youth such as vigor,
enthusiasm and progressiveness with
none of the senility of age.
Informally the dealers got together
several times in December and Janu
ary. They effected an organization
in the latter month. The primary ob
ject of the association then was the
1917 automobile show but since that
time the idea has expanded into a per
manent organization, to hold an ex
hibition each year.
Fred J. Holmes is president of the
association; J. Van Buren, vice-president;
Frank Hilton, secretory; George
Richardson, treasurer; Al Daniels, J.
Van Buren 'ana Charles McCrary,
members of the committee on hall
r 1 .. l fl)
Icamp, Al Daniels and Charles Mc
Crary, committee on advertising. Fif
teen dealers are members of the asso
ciation. They are: B. C. Hamilton,
Saxon, Mitchell; J. Von Buren-, Mud-
son; George Kuby; George b.
Richardson, Chevrolet; John E.
Anderson, Maxwell, Chandler; Al
Daniels, Reo, Dort; W. H. Bohnen
kamp company, Hai-ley-Davidson; T,
F. Coward, Ford; Island City M. and
M. company (Fred J. Holmes), Stude
Ibaker, G. M. C. truck; Galloway-Rees
company, Overland, Willys-Knight;
Frank Hilton, Kissel Kar, Briscoe; C.
"Wilson; C. A. McCrary, Velie, Hayn-
CHANDLER DEALER TELLS
"The Chandler car leads all sixes
"because of its marvelous motor" said
Mr. J. E. Anderson, local dealer in
discussing the Chandler car for which
he is the agent.
"Thousands of men and women who
would pay hundreds of dollars more
.for on automobile, if paying more
would get them more, choose the Chan
dler. They are not seekers after a low
price. They desire the best six-cylinder
motor regardless of price. They
desire a Six because time has shown
that a six-cylinder motor, correctly
designed, gives all the power and all
the flexibility of power that any motor
ran give; that such a motor has the
life and snaD and "eo" thev desire;
that such a motor is genuinely econo
mical in the cost of operation.
"So these devotees of the Six choose
the Chandler, because through four
years of intelligent, conscientious,
manufacturing effort, and without
"fadicaVor" experimental 'changes of de
sign, the Chandler motor has been de
veloped to a point approximating per
fection. "While with so many the question of
price is of secondary consideration
still Chandler leads in price today
quite as distinctly as he has always
led.
"In the face of advanced cost of all
materials and labor, the Chandler
price is but $100 higher than two
years ago. And the car is finer than
then. Not n feature has been cut out
of it. Much has been added.
"And other cars in the Chandler
field have advanced as much as three
hundred dollars the oast year, either
because of necessity or opportunity
"The Chandler Motor Company has
rot been willing to take advantage of
a situation which would have permit
ted price inflation.
"And this year the Chandler shall
probably build and sell more cars
than any other manufacturer of a car
ASSOCIATION
of even similar quality."
BRISCOE IS ONLY CAR
fO REACH CENTRAL
E
Roadster Ordered By American Con -
sul General in Budapest, Hungary,
Given "Safe Conduct" by AUieg Up
on Request of U. S. State Depart
ment. In the present international crisis,
it will undoubtedly interest all auto
mobilists to know that probably the
only American automobile shipped di
rect irom the United States into any
of the central powers since the be
ginning of the European war was the
Briscoe roadster to W. Coffin, Amer
ican consul general in Budapest, Hun
gary. The car was sold to Mr. Coffin bv
the distributor in Hungary, the Na
tional Automobile company, Ltd., of
Budapest. The department of state
at Washington sought and obtained a
special permission from the British
government for the car shipment to
Mr. Coffin by way of Holland throue-h
which country it was forwarded by
the American minister at the Hague
under safe conduct of the English and
Dutch government.
In a recent letter to the export de
partment of the 'Briscoe Motor cor
poration through the department of
state, official mail, Mr. Coffin writes
of the car:
'After having been tuned up the
Briscoe has given me gTeat satisfac
tion. It is good value for the monev."
MITCHELL MOTORS CO. .
- PAYS II BIG DIVIDEND
. C. Friend Says in Addition Factory
Expansion Will Be Rapid Trend Is
Toward 12 Month Selling Season.
The Mitchell Motors Company, Inc.,
have just declared a dividend of $1.50
per share to stockholders of record on
November 10, payable on November
24.
This is a striking example of the
progress of the Mitchell company,
whose business expansion during the
past two years has been the marvel of
the automobile industry.
"Our business has never been in
such a flourishing condition," says
Mr. Friend, "and the outlook exceeds
anything that I have ever known in
my long connection with the industry
at this time of the year.
"Our October business was the larg
est October business the Mitchell com
pany has experienced, the increase in
production and shipments being near
ly 100 per cent, yet we close the
month literally deluged with business
from territories that in former years
were entirely dormant at this time of
the year.
"Even more remarkable is the fact
that the present production is moving
direct through the dealer,
with prac-i
tically no selling pause, into the hands
of the user.
This is a sound condition that in
the automobile business, I believe, up
to this time, at this season of the
year, has never existed before and
proves conclusively the rapid trend
there is towards the twelve month
selling season in the automobile busi
ness and the demand of twelve
months' service with no lay up period
by automobile drivers and owners. ,
No doubt the car of the semi-
closed type has had a great deal to do
with this, but irrespective of modifica
tions in the body building art,, this
condition is rapidly becoming more of
a reality because the owner now does
expect to drive his car every day in
the year whether he owns an open
touring or closed car.
This insures the further strength
ening of the automobile manufactur
er's investment, for it provides a
monthly outlet for his product thot
heretofore, to a certain extent, has
been more or less of a soasDisble
moving commodity.
"The widening out of the buyirg
season, the trend towards twelve
months" service cannot help but be a
large factor in further strengthening
the financial position of every manu
facturer in the industry.
"The Mitchell company, (right now
at the highest production points in its
entire history, with a constant demand
from the richest territories in the
states and a dealer organization that
is profiting highly by an almost un
precedented volume of turn-over, due
to the ever increasing demand for
Mitchell cars, is providing now for
Facts About the La Grande Auto
mobile and Motorcycle Show
The Place Hilton's garage.
The Time March 15. 16. and 17.
( Admission 25 Cents.
'The Manacrftr .Trn T?ino- nf
agor of the Portland, Pendleton, Walla Walla and other
exhibitions.
The Secretary The man who will have to sign visitors
certificates of attendance in order that a return
fare of one-third may be granted by the railroad com
pany r-Tank Hilton.
Salient Facts Over 20 automobiles and motorcycles ex
hibited. The manager has arranged for a six-piece or
chestra. Decorations, which added so much to the at
tractiveness of other northwest shows managed by Rieg,
. will be used. Special features for St. Patrick's Satur
day night have been arranged.'
How to Get to La Grande The O.-W. R. R. & ST. eompanv
has granted a fare and one-third rate to La Grande
from all points on the O.-W. between Pendleton and
Huntington and from all
Passengers coming to the show sltould pay full fare
from home to La Grande AND OBTAIN RECEIPT from
agent for same. This receipt should be presented to
Secretary Hilton of the
by him, entitles the visitor to a one-third fare from La
Grande to his home, thus making the round trip rate a
fare and one-third. Pare and one-third will be granted;
Going" dates, March 12-17 inclusive; "returning" dates
March 15-20 inclusive. A visitor to the show may leave
home Monday morning, March 12, and may leave La
Grande Thursday, March 15 oil the return, and obtain
the benefit of the reduced rate. Or, the visitor may
come on March 12, stay in La Grande one full week, tak
ing in the show and visiting friends, and return home
Tuesday, March 20, and still obtain the benefits of the
fare and one-third rate. """ "" - - --
mitrhtv strides in the production which
auguirs well for the future welfare of
Mitchell stockholders and owners.
"We are now making enormous fac- 1 Carpentaria. His arrival in Burke
tory additions which will more than 'town is regarded by the natives of
double the Mitchell capacity for the 'that district as an historical event, in
coming year. Jt will also equip us to ' asmuch as it marked the appearance
build all our own bodies, open and en- 'of the first automobile ever seen in
closed. So more of the Mitchell will ; that locality. . ,
be built in one plant than of any other i
car in its class."
Overland Roadster
Opens Up New
Country in Australia
In Australia there is a single auto
mobile, an American made product,
which is given the credit for opening
up more territory to motoring than all
of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois combined.
It is an Overland roadster purchased
in 1913 by A. J. Cotton, one of Aus
tralia's leading pasturers.
Mr. Cotton is a large holder of land
in the northern territory, hundreds of
miles from a railway, and he 'bought
the car simply s an experiment in let him have these Bix models in Port
an effort to personally look after his land, for his prospective buyers are
holdings. His objective hoint was desirous of being in the front rank in
Boorooloola station, on the MacArthur
river. As soon as the car was de
livered to him, ho shipped it to Lon;r-
neck, the terminus of Queenland s
Central- railway. Then he drove 600
iiiuca w viuiii:uw yt uie n-rjiutiu u; ur.-puti&eitger louring or a seven-pas-the
Northern railway line. Leaving I scngcr sedan body.
Just a Wish--And You Can
Have
All you need have in Union or Wnl-
kwa counties in order to enjoy a day's
outing is the wish for it. For with
in an hour's journey in any direction
are numerous points of interest.
There are four main roads out of
La Grande, each leading into haven
for the Nature man, the fisherman,
the sightseer, the hunter, the tourist.
To the west is the Pendleton road;
to the north and east, the Wallowa
and the Baker roads; to the south
and west, the Starkcy roads. From
each of these roads branch smaller
arteries of traffic in all directions.
Each leads to a point on somt stream,
a scenic spot high on some hill or
mountain, a health resort, or a wooded
hill or mountain where the sports-
mans game lives.
To Pendleton, 56 miles, over the
hills and mountains, is a four-hoar
ride .which takes the motorist into
! a region of eyes delights. M each am
,
TVivrln.wl
points on the Joseph branch
Auto Show, and when signed
Cloncurry, he headed west for Camoo-
weal and from the latter point north-
east to uurkotown, on the gulf of
From Burketown, Mr. Cotton cou:-
I menced the final stage of bis trip
I which took him 500 miles through
I country inhahitated chiefly by wild
: blacks. Without any mechanical dif
; f iculty whatever ho eventually arrived
!at his destination, Boorooloola station,
1500 miles from the starting point.
Since this first trip in 1913, Mr
Cotton has used the same car for his
annual journey to the northern terri
Itory. Mr. Vogk-r After Rcos.
Clare in the finishing designs is
practiced by the makers of the Reo
car. These manufacturers also are
putting much time in the selection of
appropriate colors for the three four
cylinder models and three sixes. Fred
-Wl Vogler, president of the Northwest
A.uto Co., is now in the east persuad
ing the factory and railroad people to
the motor car styles.
The four-cylinder chassis can be had
with a roadster, tourng or convertible
sedan iiody; and the six can be had
with a four-passenger roadster, a sev-
a Trip of Beauty
and other towns along tie road have
good hotels nnd anywhere can be
found a suitable camping place with
a spring of mountain water always at
hand.
If a still steeper climb is desired the
eight to ten mile trip up Mount Emily,
just to the north of the city, is one
which will make the proudest car
"go into low". But at the top the
entire Grande Ronde valley is ex
posed. The city of La Grande and
the smaller towns of Union nnd Wal
lowa counties lay before on.. It is
us if one stood on the rim of o cup and
peered into the inside.
Wallowa I The musical Indian name
is nn earnest of enjoyment. Wallowa
river, Wallowa Lake and- the "lake
Icountry, Wallowa county and towns!
Each one hag its story. Along the
Wallowa road out of La Grande the
(Continved on Pag Six.)
TELLS HI TO CUT
MOTORING EXPENSES
MOTORIST WOULD DO WELL TO
STUDY THE PROBLEM.
WRITER SAYS BIGGEST COST
IN SHORT TRIP.
It Is on the Long Journey That the
Motor Car Scores Over Other
Vehicles.
(BY THE REPAIR MAN)
The average motorist, who is con
stantly complaining about tho high
cost of operating his car, probably
dees not stop to consider that ho is
largely rcaponciblj for such a condi
tion. He would do well to study the
problem and see if there are not ways
and means of effecting a saving of
gasoline, oil, tires and les-.cning the
general wear i .id tear of the oar. Aft
er 14 years of experience in the auto
mobile business I have picked out
some of the more important causes
of the ' high cost of motoring which
can be ovcrcor.ii by each individual.
The motorisi who hus his car at
hi a door practically all of tha time
and who jumps in and uses it to run
100 yards down the street or one-quarter
or half-mile trips to execute little
household errands, or deliver mes
sages, muat realize that such driv
ing can produce nothing but waste
and high average cost of deprecia
tion. With gasoline soaring u3 it hoi
lati-ly it bshooves every driver to
cut out short trips. It is said that
the biggest expense in running a train
is the starting and stopping. Tho same
is true of an (automobile, and the
larger the -car; the-more expe-.iaive
i? to start and stop it.
It is on the long Journeys that the
motor car sco 'os. It .cores over the
bicycle and all othar forma of locomo
tion in speed and in avoidance of
fatigue over long distances.
Again, er nomy can be affected by
an amendment of driving methods.
Tire economy is secured by moderate
driving, by careful starting and stop
ping and by close scrutiny of the
road. Drivers who are in the habit
of speeding up between street inter
sections and slowing down abruptly
at the street crossings are abusing
their tires.
A maximum of 25 miles an hour.
vhen such speed is permissible, is
judicious driving. Perfect control of
every adverse circumstance without
injury to passengers, tires or mechan
ism can be maintained if this speed
is never exceeded. It has very wisely
been said that any old car can go
fist, but it takes a good one to go
slowly.
The Gas Engine Is
Farmers' Big Help
Caterpillars Crawl Over Acres Of
Golden Grain Gathering For Man's
Necessities Automobiles and
Trucks Solve Transportation Prob
lem. The hand, the oxen, the horse, the
gas engine- have been the steps in the
farmer's evolution. Agriculture is
just now entering into the engine
stage. The "baby" prodigy already
has started the elimination of the
horse. It is cutting down the farmer's
output for hired help. It is enabling
him to dp a bigger work iirith a small
er outlay of energy.
The tractor in Union and Wallowa
counties is subduing the soil and mak
ing it yield "an hitmlr -dfold". Giant
caterpillars crawl alon', mowing be
fore them, not human life as they have
been prostitjud to in Europe, but the
golden grain from which comes man s
daily bread. Twelve Holt caterpillars
are on ranches within a short distance
of I,a Grande.
Trucks and automobiles are solv
ing the quick transportation problem
for the farmer. Thirty makes of au
tomobile trucks and tractosu are rep
resented by local dealers.
NEWS ARTICLE
Arrangements now being made
mcttn that 2,000 horses which here
tofore have drawn touring lAage
coaches throug.i Yellowstone Nation
al Park will bo sold for use in Europ
ean armies and their places taken dur-
Ing the coming cummer by auto
mobiles.
BEflN-BflRRETT L
TO
IT MEANS MORE TIRE MILEAGE,
SAYS AUTO MAN.
PLACES OREGON ON EQUAL
FOOTING WITH CALIFORNIA
Give Us a Good System of Highways
and We Will Be Money
in Pocket.
"If the Bean-Barrett and other good
roads law, -passed bv our Inst. liwiia.
ture, are approved by the Oregon vot
ers at the polls in June, then we will
be on an equal footing with California
as far as tire mileage is concerned,''
says a local good roads advocate. .
"At tho present time we are getting
about one-third as much mileage as
our more tfavoa-ed torotheirs in the
Golden state and still paying the same
price for our tires. Of. mum th
main reason for this is lack of good
roads. Give us a system of highways
covering all the points of interest usu
ally visited during our tours, proper
ly constructed and maintained, and,
although next year our license tax
will double as one of the mmtUinno
of this act, our money will be saved
many times over in decreased over
head expense.
"We have understood that tho per
centage of tires sent in for adjust
ment in Oregon is 10 per cent of
sales, as acainnt loss t.hnn nna nn
cent in California. To my mind no
better arirument for o-nod
needed. Tho sooner the average mo
torist can be convinced that a careful
inspection of his tires before starting
on a trip is really as necessary as his
motor insnection t.hn annnny mill lu
have less ruffled temper, wilted col
lars and spoiled pleasure trips. No
one would think of stnrtinc ant. with
out cylinder oil for the motor, but
they will start with the tire half in
flated nnd nerhmw n cmnll otin f
the rubber tread misHino- TItuW ahnen
conditions every rock is a menace and
apt to cut fabric or stone bruise the
casing. ' A short visit tm t.hn mnn it-
man for ia whole tread again or a cas
ing wen inflated will, as a rule, in
sure a pleasant trip and no trouble.
"If the motorist will co-operate
with his dealers and cease to patron
ize mail order -houses and foreign con
cerns better service enn he oiuen ti
your dealers nnd many dollars kept at
home that are sent awnv in a miatnlr.
en- conception of economizing. As in
clothing and in other stoaples also in
tires you get only what you pay for.
Twelve Cylinder Car
Is New Kissel Model
Test Models Have Ik-en Tried Out in
Different Parts of the Country
With Good Success.
A new Kissel Kar, with hood tight
ly sealed, has been the object of much
interest among tho motorists of sev
eral, widely separated cities for some
months past. Observing the extra
ordinary feats of climbing and quick
pick-up of this mystery car, it was
easy to guess that it contained a mul
tiple cylinder engine. Nevertheless
the details were so carefully guard
ed that only the news that a new
model was being tried out found its
way into print.
The Kissel Motor Car company has
now admitted that it will soon place
upon the market a twelve cylinder
car and that the test models seen in
California, Wisconsin, Illinois, New
York, Massachusetts and other states,
are samples. The complete rexrts
from each of these test cars have been
gone over carefully at the Kissel fac
tory and found to be thoroughly sat
isfactory, it is announced.
"Until we get into production on the
new twelve, which will require two
or three weeks more, we do not deem
it best to release the di-tails," said
George A. Kissel when asked for the
specifications. "I will say however,
that we are all astonished and de
lighted with the results of our coun
try-wide tests and firmly beliove ws
have a big cur of really sensational
performance to supplement our very
successful small model, the Hundrpi
Point Six."
John E. Anderson last week soU
Albert Finney a Maxwell car.