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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 10, 1912)
8 TIIE SUNDAY OREQOXIAX. PORTLAyp, NOVEMBER 11, 191S. . . i ... ir . i m m m m. aai 4 n I - " till ,. . II I I R I mil ni l ii uii u i runiLHiiu vijiiuii TALKS OF FUTURE Automobile Industry on Busi ness Basis, Declares B. C. Spitzley. ADVERTISING BIG FACTOR Former Itesldent, Astonished at Tre mendous Strides of Old Home, Takes Time to IMscuss Motor-Car-Sales Methods. Aside from his astonishment at Portland's wonderful clvlo and com mercial growth and his enthusiasm over conditions In the automobile bus iness In the Vest, B. C. Spitzley, as sistant general-manager of the Ab bott Motor Company, of Detroit, found much to commend about Oregon and donned the robes of the prophet In connection with the motor car industry while In this city last week. Jlepresentlng the conservative type automobile manufacturer full of optimism as to the present and future, but nevertheless far from radical In his views Mr. Spitzley has unlimited faith In the future of tne business and Is doing considerable missionary work In bringing the retail end to a more standard basis. This is the first time Mr. Spitzley has visited his old home In five years. Fourteen years ago he was prominently connected with the Wolff-Zwtcker Iron "Works, when that concern was building torpedo boats. His ability as a mechan ical draftsman won him recognition from the Government and he was sent to the Puget Sound Navy Yard. Ill health led him East for a rest. He joined the Abbott Motor Company when It was organized. He is the only execu tive who had weathered the storm of many reorganizations. Portland Snrprtaes Vlaltor. During the few days Mr. Spitzley re mained in Portland, before leaving for Seattle, he was busy renewing old ac quaintances, as well as sizing up the automobile situation locally. He ex pressed no small surprise at the ex pansion of the city, of its rapid strides toward the goal of commercial supre macy, the number of fine substantial business blocks erected and the growth of the surburban districts. "I noticed a healthy growth when I was here five years ago," said Mr. Spitzley. "but the change since that time has been truly remarkable. Port land always appealed to me as the log ical metropolis of this wonderful Northwest and my faith in its future has not been shaken. Indeed. Its growth in five years gives me all the more confidence in it. When I am ready to retire from the automobile business, if such a time ever arrives, I will make this city my home." Explaining- the reason no effort has been made to gain Abbott representa tion here, Mr. Spitzley said that the output of the factory has been taken up so fully by other sections of the coun try that It was impossible to consider this field until expansion came. With reorganisation and added producing capacity, the Abbott Motor Company now Is In a position to care for all de mands. While In no hurry to get lo cated In Portland, Mr. Spitzley said that he ia positive the Abbott will be old hera within a few months. He looked over the field carefully but made no definite decision regarding aa agent. Kvolutlon In Sale Predicted. Holding distinctive ideas about the business and Imbued with complete confidence In the evolution of the "game," Mr. Spitzley predicts a big change In the manner In which auto mobiles will be retailed during the next five years. By that timet he avers, the mediocre dealer will be entirely elim inated and supplanted by sound, con servative business men. It is not the manufacturers, but the dealers, he says, who are seeking to force an un natural demand for machines. They do this, he says, by contracting for a num. ber of cars far In excess of what they really can selL "Automobile dealers can be classi fied In three parts," said Mr. Spitzley when discussing this question. "First, we had the poor agent, second the mediocre, and third the successful ones. "The poor dealer Is the one who has limited capital and limited ability. He has ceased to be a permanent factor In the business. The medlocTe ones are those who can sell cars when they are driven to It. They are those who work hard until they get a little surplus, and then lay off until they eat It up In 'Joy rid ing and divers means of spending money. When their bank account has diminished they wake up again and sell a few more cars. Then their busi ness quits again. And so on ad infini tum. This class, I am sorry to say, is In the majority. They are being elimi nated gradually, however, and in a few years will be out altogether. ; Radical Dealers Foree Demand. "Now we come to those who have reduced radical, cut-price selling meth ods to a business science; the type of agerats who are conservative in their methods and who conduct tneir ousi ness so that It shows a good return for the money Invested. It Is the radical dealers who are forcing an unnatural demand for cars. They contract for one-half and two thirds more cars than they really in tend to sell. The result is they do not take the contracted number and the manufacturer's production plans are seriously disturbed." Illustrating the tendency of distrib uters to overestimate their selling abil ity. Mr. Spitzley said that before bis concern plans an output of 5000 cars there must be orders from agents on hand totaling at least 1S00 cars. "We do not encourage agents at' tempting to overstep their limit, con tinued Mr. Spitzley. "We try to teach them the work of economy and logical sales plans. We believe that common sense can be applied to the automobile business as well as any other field. Gealna Not Required. "It does not take a genius to sell automobiles. Average competency, sound Judgment and progressive meth ods are all that is needed to make a success of the business." Advertising, according to the ex Portlander, Is a paramount factor In the success of retail automobile firms. He is of the opinion that a consistent, scientific advertising campaign, backed tav a well-organized sales .corps, will win success, providing, of course, the dealer has a car of merit to sell. 'Artvertisin. I think." -said Mr. Snitcley. "is one of the most essential factors in selling automobiles. Agents mast look upon good advertising ai n investment, not as an expense Without well-timed and wall-executed dirertiBln' campaigns. motor car agents cannot expect good business. " AUTOMOBILE MAN MARVELS AT GROWTH OT PORTLAND AND AUTOMOBILE BUSINESS IN PAST FIVE YEARS. i - - , '- yy f ;i y y :yyyiy yy t .71 P B. C SPITZLEY. G. L WILLMAN SEES HOVE FOR SANITY Public Craze for Excessive Power and Dangerous Speed Is Deplored. WARREN OUTPUT LIMITED Sales Manager Contrasts Value of Other Commodities Produced In Enormous Numbers With Au tomobile Industry. George L. Wlllman, sales manager of the Warren Motor Car Company, of De troit Is one factory official who does not boast of the Immensity of the pro duction of his plant. On the contrary. he makes It plain that only aDout zuuu Warrens will be made for the 1913 sea son and that there is no danger of the approximate total being increased. Mr. Willman, recently appointed to his present position, is making hla nrst trip over the Western territory- He was In Portland last week as the guest of E. E. Gerllnger. head of the oer- llnger Motor Car Company, Northwest distributers for tne warren. AJinougn optimistlo regarding the automobile business In general and quite enthusi asts over the big demand for cars. Mr. Wlllman believes In curtailing pro duction Instead of rushing ahead Into many thousands of cars a year. "We will limit our production to 2000 cars. In order that our designing engin eer can keep in personal toucn witn each machine," said Mr. Wlllman. "There never axe more than six or sev en cars going through our factory at the same time. It Is easy, therefore, for our experts to work out the per sonal supervision plan. That Is why the Warren Is called tne nana-maae car of medium price." Official Tour Country. Officials of the Warren Company will make a tour of the country every three or four months. The next man to make the circle will be the chief designer. "In this manner we hope to build our cars so they will be suited to the ter ritory they are sent to." explained Mr. Wlllman. "Our production is limited, so that wa can make changes in the cars sent to Portland, for Instance. It is logical to presume that machines In tended for the Northwest should not be Identical with those Intended for New York. One make of carbureter may work fine In the East and be somewhat of a failure out here. Gears should be changed and other slight alterations made to meet the topographical condi tions of various sections of the coun try. "Limited production also permits of adequate service from both the factory and the dealer. In all cases we are extending the best service within our power. We are seeking to make War ren service a proverb In the business." High-Power Crasa Deplored. Contemplating the car of the future is, to the (Detroiter, the most interest ing phase of the business. He has a vivid mental picture of the automobile of five years hence. Prominent In Its design is the lack of too much power, considered by Mr. Wlllman the domi nant fault of present day motor car construction. The public demands it, he says, and the manufacturers, against their better Judgment, are forced to build to suit popular fancy. As an illustration of the demand for over-powered cars. Mr. Willman cited the Cadillac The 1913 model of the make, he said, had sufficient power to satisfy the demands of rational motor ists, yet the Cadillaa designers were forced to Increase the power this year to keep pace with the perslatent de mand of the public. He added: "There was complaint against the 1912 Cadillac because the motoring public Insisted it did not have sufficient power. That was merely an illusion." Gradually this erase for power will decrease until It has reached a normal state, the Warren sales director be lieves. Then, he predicts, there will be longer life to machines, less mainten ance cosj. a reduction in operating ex penses and a minimum of accidents. Great Speed Meaas Danger. "This craze for power means demand for speed," continued Mr. Willman. "Motorists today want a car that will go fast; the faster the better. Like the others, we must build to meet this de mand. It would be foolhardy not to. Automobile owners insist on a machine that will take the hills on high speed and eat up the mile-posts on the straightaways. All of which is bad for the car and the motorist. High speed means danger of. accidents. Increased fuel consumption and added strain to various parts of the machine. Abnor mal power means rapid deterioration of the car." In view of the change In the National administration Mr. Wlllman said there might be a tendency to tighten up on the part of the large manufacturers, but that this change would be short He said that the motor car Industry has outgrown that stage where it can be seriously affected by political up heavals any more than other stable In dustries. Commenting on the limiting of pro duction. Mr. Willman said: "Did you ever notice that there Is a remarkable similarity in nearly all auto mobile advertising? Almost all of the general descriptive matter may be ap plied with equal truth to a score of different makes. There always seems to be an effort to awe the reader with the glgantlo proportions of the plant, the number of cars it turns out and the amount of money spent In adver tising. Small Plant Idea Urged, "Is a car any better because it Is made in a factory covering scores of acres, or because several thousand more just like It are built by the same con cern, or because nearly 1500,000 are spent on advertising It? "Do you know anything about vio lins? If you do, you know that Stradi variua of Cremona was the master violin builder of the world. It has been said that this old master tucked a piece of his soul away In every violin he made. What Is it makes the Cremona violin a masterpiece? Merely this the mas ter mechanic built it himself. His ex pertness, hla exquisite fitness, his life long experience were put first hand Into the job. There was a piece of his soul In his work. If the workshop of Strad lvarius had been a fiddle factory cov ing scores of acres, the Cremona violin would have been a fiddle worth about 89 cents retail. "Do the same laws hold good In auto mobile manufacture? Name over the world's best cars and see how many are made In factories remarkable for their slse. An automobile should, be built with the perfection of a watch it Is even more Intricate and upon the thoroughness of its workmanship even life itself depends." STARTER AID TO FATA PILOTS Mechanical Cranker Opens TJp New Field for Women Motorists. Many women accustomed to driving horses would like equally well to be able to handle a powerful gasoline car. Hitherto the danger and .difficulty of Cranking by hand has prevented. The perfection of a dependable elec tric starting device, such as recently installed on all six-cylinder Peerless cars, opens up new pleasures for the woman driver. These large cars are started at the pressure of the pedal and the steering mechanism with large steering wheel is so easily controlled that It Is no harder to manage one of these cars than it is to drive an elec tric Moreover, there is no restriction of distance or roads to limit its useful ness as In the case of electrics.- Kissels Draw Lucky Numbers. Every automobile manufacturer couldn't get "the best" locations at the big Winter shows in New York and Chicago. Any one fortunate In both space drawings deserves congratula tions and it seems that the Kissel Mo tor Car Company, of Hartford, Wis., answers that description. Kissel Kars will have a conspicuous place at both exhibitions. The Courteous Colonel. (Detroit Free Press.) At a luncheon at the Auditorium during the Republican convention In Chicago, a New York newspaper man told a story about Mr. Roosevelt. "Mr. Roosevelt." he said, "has a keen critical sense, and. aside from Mr. Howells, there are few of our popular novelists whose works he likes. Well, at the Country Club the other Wanted Foreman for automobile re pair Bhop. Excellent salary and "opportunity. Experi ence, executive ability, good character and references re quired. Applicants mu s t state age' and experience. E 59, Oregonian. MfcatmS. VMS UlTIMATC CAS (Knight Typt vmm Save One Thousand Dollars The First High-grade 5-Ton Truck at a Popular Price About to buy a heavy tootor truck? Then perhaps you would like to save $1000 on your pur .riiisA Tf sn. here is a nleasant bit of Sunday VAM!. J A . 1 1 J? 1 morning reusn ior you: Motor Truck, 5 tons capa city, $3800! Guaranteed live load of five tons! Guaranteed against defective parts for one year! Manufactured by the T. B. Stearns Company, of Cleveland OMo, builders of hili-gTftde motor cars for 16 years t . What track do you consider the best, irrespec tive of price! Compare it, point by point, with the STEARNS specifications, which we are pre pared to present to you; then realize that the price of the STEARNS is approximately $1000 less than . the one you have in mind, and we believe that you will agree with us that the STEARNS is the greatest value on the market today.' Moores Motor Car Co. E. N. HOWE, Mgr. Truck Dept. 16th and Alder Streets Marshall 3983 day, a best seller announced that a new work of his was about to appear, and then, laying his .hand on Mr. Roosevelt's shoulder, he aaid airily: "And where shall I send your pre sentation copy. Colonel?" " To Bagdad, was the reply. To Bagdad?, exclaimed the novelist, Why, I didn't know you were, going there.' "Neither I am, chuckled Mr. Roose 1i T ' A Bulldog Grip Now the Favorite Winter Tire Here Is the tread which has come to outsell every other form of non-skid. ... , It comes on a tire which also outsells every other tire in existence. . Think what a combination No-Rim-Cut fares with this Goodyear Non-Skid tread. f , Any man who sees them is bound to say, Tftat s the winter tire for me." All Objections Ended Early non-rtid treads were made of olt rubber. The projections were too short-lived. . Otbersinvol ved both metal and rub bermaterials that never combine. And ail. until tbis one, pot too much strain on the fabric, because the strain wasn't distributed. That's why m-n have used the In convenient, costly and ruinous chain a. Now We Have This Now we have this thick extra tread,' vulcanised on to the regular So you get tbe endurance of a double-thick tread. Tbis axtra tread Is of very tough rubber, so tbe non-skid feature lasts The blocks are deep-cut. They present to the road snrface countless edges. and angles They grasp the road or Davcment with a bulldog grip. Each of these blocks widens out at the base, so the strain is .distributed over tbe fabric just as with smooth tread tires So e offer you now an enduring, efficient, an Ideal non-skid tread. Oue glance will show you that no other device compares with it MutuT-etr owners have tested out over 200,001, of these treads. As a re? suit, tbe demand today is enormous. And this winter will treble it, prob ably. Come see what it means to have overslie tires, tires that can't, rim cut and tires that can't skid. The Goodyear Tiro Book baaed oa IS years of tiro aaaklne U filled with fact , bouM know. Aakwtoatailittoyoa. X 5 AKRON. OHIO No-Rim-Cut Tires With or Without NoifSkiJ Tread THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER CO, Akron, Ohio i lni a . . - - - THi Company baa no connection wtiot"r with am other rubber couceru wbiclauat Uia Coodroar wun US K-ratIk so-rai. r-Mw Parfflo Mala. MOO He (WO! y& . ' ri "-.. I If'lt M ilk - I ; ' i t I I - i 1 " 1 WHY pay garage rent when you can own a strictly portable garage that you can put up in a few hours, built of first-class materials, correct in design, as durable as any stationary building costing much more, and all complete for what you would pay in rent in a few months? It requires no skilled labor to erect our buildings; every part is perfectly fitted. Two hands, a wrench and screw driver are all that are required. Ask for prices. We do tbe rest. Built any size. READY BUILT HOUSE CO. Bfairafaotiirei s of Portable and Knock-Do wn Baudlng Phonf O 2244, ass 122. East 33 d and Broadway PORTLAND, OR. GIJDDEN TOUfi WINNES. ALWAYS IN THE LEAD ' Tl Csx of Proven Durability, Economy and Reliability. UNITED AUTO CO. 622-28 Alder Strtet Phones Main 4337, A 7171. NEW PRICES ON PREST-O-LITE RECHARGES (A) Tank Recharge (B) Tank Recharge (E) Tank Recharge No. S Tire Ttutk Recharge Ko, S Motorcycle Tank Recharge. ... 2J50 ... I -S 1 25 ... 1-00 .60 ARCHER & WIGGINS OAK STREET, CORNER SIXTH Atterbury Truck Columbia Carriage & Anto Works, Agts. 209-211 Front Street. Phone Main 2892. General Anto Repairing. Bodies and Wheels Built to Order. Aubnrn Motor Car Co. ROBT. SIMPSON, Mar. 505-7 Burnside Street A 7339. Main 2674. Monogram Oil Wins Again San Diego to Phoenix Road Race Monogram Oil used in winning Franklin, also in five out of seven cars that finished. Try it. Ballou & Wright 80-82 Seventh St, Corner Oak, Portland, Or. MOTORCYCLES INDIAN AND EMBLEM ' BALLOU & WRIGHT, 80-S2 Seventh Street, Cor. Oak BOWSER GASOLINE and OIL TANKS STORAGE SYSTEMS FOR PUBLIC AND PRI VATE GARAGES. S. U. Stoddard. Kepreaeata tlve, 80S Colombia Bids. Main 147ft. Chanslor & Lyon Motor Supply Co. The Only Exclusive Automobile Supply House in the City ' 'EVERYTHING BUT THE AUTOMOBILE." 627 Washington St. Seattle Spokane San Francisco Fresno Los Angeles JOHN DEERE PLOW CO. Northwest Distributors, EAST MORRISON AND SECOND STS. Phones: E. 3887, B 1625. TnlcaaUlB, and Ketadla.. B. K. BIX)DGETT. M-Sl North Uth St. MalaWOS. TIRES A car of auch ooJ qualities a. to com1"?, Ij! attention of all who wish to buy an automobile lor aervlce. REFINEMENTS. Paquet & Peck Auto Sales Co. Eart 1S73. Eaat aagata ana 1 1 . . - J. W. Leavitt & Co. Coast Distributers Washington Street 2422 Marshall 2779 THE MIGHTY IT7 T7T7 il A TV I MICHIGAN AUTO & BUGGY COMPANY East 1421, B 1345 369-371 Hawthorne Avenue BEO LITTLE HUDSON NORTHWEST AUTO CO. DISTRIBUTORS F W. VOGLER, President 617 Washington Street Phones Main 7179, A 4959. 1. A. SFENCKB-SMITH. Pre and G- Mr. EL C. HUNTINGTON. Sac ni Ttm. PORTLAND RUBBER MILLS, Inc. 326-370 Eaat Ninth Street, South Phone East 21 43 WE RETREAD TIRES PREER CUTLERY & TOOL CO. Headquarters for Shop Supplies and Automobile Tools 74 SIXTH AND 311 OAK STREETS