The Sunday Oregonian., June 01, 1913, SECTION FOUR, Page 8, Image 62

8
THE StryPAY OREGOXIAy, PORTLAND, TUNE 1, 1913.
ELECTRIC GARAGE
OPENS TOMORROW
F. C. Gibson and A. E. Foss
Will Cater Exclusively to
Non-Gasoline Type Cars.
NEW AGENCY ESTABLISHED
With Operation of Plant at Alder
and Twelfth Streets for Storage
and Charging of Motors,
Waverly Will Be Handled.
Yet another step forward in the prog
ress of the automobile trade, from a
local standpoint, will have been marked
with the opening tomorrow of a hand
some new structure, the home from
now onwards of the Gibson Storage
Battery Company and the Gibson Elec
tric Carase. This Is the first (taraRe
built exclusively for electrics In the
Northwest, and the bulldinsr will rank
with the finest in the country in point
or equipment, location and general
rinish.
The building-. Just completed. Is lo
cated on the southeast corner of Alder
and Twelfth streets. It represents an
investment of approximately $27,000,
exclusive of the company's eaulpment.
It is said to be the largest garage with
out a post In the city, being 60x100
feet. The office will occupy a space of
20X40 leet.
In this handsome new structure only
electric cars will be stored, and a por
tion will be devoted to the charging
and stornpre of commercial electric ve
hicles. The chug chug wagon will have
no place here. It will be an electric
house in practice as well as theory, and
only the clean, silent cars will be al
lowed to enter.
Gibson Is Head.
At the head of this enterprise is the
man who sold the first electric auto
mobile bought in Portland. He is F. C.
Gibson, until recently president of the
Gibson Storage Battery company. Mr.
i Gibson has been identified with the
electrical business for more than 17
years and for a large part of that time
he has been in the automobile brancs
running his own business.
Associated with Mr. Gibson Is A. E.
"("Iad") Poss. Mr. Foss needs no in
troduction to the motorists of Oregon,
or the automobile trade of the United
States. His name is synonymous with
the inception of the self-propelled road
.vehicle. His experience in the motor
, car field dates back to the time when
the automobile was a curiosity, when a
drive down the main thoroughfare of
(ny town was the signal for the ap
pearance of the whole population.
"Dad," as he is familiarly called by
habitues of "the row," came to Port
land as superintendent of the Stude
' baker Corporation's factory branch.
Prior to that time he had been con
nected with the Seattle house of the
same firm. Among other notable things,
Mr. Foss helped to build the first Peer
less car manufactured. There Is no man
in the automobile business In the North
west who enjoys, a wider acquaintance
in this territory than "Dad." and he
numbers among his friends the leading
lights in the automobile manufacturing
field.
Xew Car Comes.
Ever since he has been in business
here, Mr. Gibson has confined his opera
tions to Alder street. In seeking a loca
tion he retained his faith in that thor
oughfare. He thinks it is the most de
sirable street in the city for a garage,
especially the kind he will open to
morrow morning. The fact that he is
"right around the corner" from one of
the leading theaters and that no street
cars pass his door appeals to Gibson as
important benefits.
The equipment installed for -the care
of electric cars is elaborate. More
than 12000 was spent In adding equip
ment to the extensive Investment that
he already had. For the charging of
cars he will use direct current, doing
away with rectifiers.
With the opening of this establish
ment comes another electric car. Mr.
Gibson will have the agency of the
Waverly Electric, a car of high grade
manufactured In Indianapolis, Ind. This
oar ranks high among the electrics of
the world and has proved a popular one
In. the East. It is also one of the oldest
in the United States. Mr. Gibson be
lieves that with such a garage here,
the people will begin to appreciate the
many advantages of an electric and
that the sale of these cars will show a
big Increase within the year.
What the Row's About
WAIT till Harry Mann gets back
from Indianapolis. Won't he
have some news to tell of the Stutz,
which finished second? For a long
time Mann was debating whether he
should go to see the races or not. He
was always saying. "I know the beau
ties -will finish right up, probably one,
two. three, and the only thing that
keeps me back is fear of angina pec
toris or some such heart trouble." One
thing's ceitain. he'll be round and round
the town in that green or that dark red
roadster of hts telling everyone all
about it.
Ask Mel Johnson, when he's got a
spare moment, to tell you that tale
about the Indian and the "great heart"
lady. Then watch him laugh. Mel has
another one on the Becker bovs and
what R. C. H. stand for. but it wouldn't
be fair to tell it. for somebody mlfrhf
believe it.
Talking about the Becker boys,
though, you should have seen Rudy
maneuvering his cars around In the
gamge the other day. He has a famous
freak Thomas car that looks like a
mammoth torpedo with a swollen
stomach, and the trouble was to ar
range this and a l.ozier and his numer
ous n. C. H.'s in the best order. Rudy
got together some friends of his, a
newspaper man. a messenger bov and a
Ked Cross ambulance man, and then
ordered them about In Italian. At least
he thought it was Italian. He did all
the work, of course, standing on the
running board and hanging on to the
wheel. By the way. ask him to show
you his new elevator. Patent proposi
tion of his own.
Ed Week nearly got "taken in" one
day last week, though the story in the
end redounds to his credit. Taking a
prospect out in the Lozier Light Six,
the would-be owner suggested the Linn
ton road. Fine, thought Week. Just by
Claremont the man suggested the Ger
mantown road to the left. Week had
never been up it. didn't guess there
was much of a hill and rammed the old
boat up full steam ahead. By the time
he'd got to the top, though, he said he
never knew there were so many turns
on any road, and the prospect could
hardly believe that Week had never
seen the. road before.
"When I get you in
my Steajis-
Knight" is to be the principal tune at
the next wedding of importance in the
Row. "Chef is shortly to forsake the
Joys of the "batch" and become mar
ried. Before going any further, though,
it might be better to explain to those
few who don't know that Chet is the
younger of the two brother Moores who
sell the car with the silence in it.
'Tother day Chet had an express order
receipt which he would not show even
to his dearest friend. Down In the
Louvre a newspaper man got hold of
him while he was watching the orches
tra and extracted the aforesaid paper.
'Twas an order for a. large sum of
money and was made out to Tiffany's,
New York. Then the fact was out. Chet
blushed and admitted that it was true
and that he was awfully happy and all
that sort of thing. Here's to you,
Moores. May your married life run as
smoothly as the car!
Reese's latest ambition is to drive his
Detroit electric far from the madding
crowds, up into the snowbelt of some
mountain Just to show that it's not
merely a runabout for shopping pur
poses. "I want to get some pictures of
that electric where there ain't any
roads, nothing but thick, heavy timber,
rushing streams and mountain gorges,"
was his idea of doing things. Reese
loves the country anyhow.
Anybody looking: around the Kent
Auto Company's showrooms last
Thursday would have been astonished
to see a new figure at the desk gener-
POETLAND MARION AGENT AND CHAMPION LIGHTWEIGHT
t r-- - V- it ft, ,,1
I f-uniu'" ' - f - - - -.. - - ,...,... .,-.;v,. -f:::':. tyitei
LEFT TO RIGHT WILLIE RITCHIE AT WHEEL AND J. L. REGGEHf SBERGER IX TOKNEAU, ARNOLD
COHEN, MRS. S". L. ALEXANDER AND EDWARD E. COHEN.
Quite a brilliant piece of salesmanship and advertising all in one fell to the Cohen Brothers last week As
most people know, they have Just secured the agency for the Marion automobile. When Willie Ritchie "who
needs no introduction, reached town, both the Cohens went after him hot and strong to persuade him to buy
a Marion. Of course, could they succeed in doing so it would be one of the biggest compliments to the car
possible, for before Ritchie was the pride of the ring he was a skilled mechanic, and consequently knows
all about cars, and is not going to buy something that is not good workmanship all the way through.
The minuto the story got around that Cohen had succeeded in persuading Ritchie to buy a Marion ouite
a. little flutter of excitement followed. Other dealers who had figured on getting the pugilist to be seen in
their car tried to show the Impossibility of such a sale, but all the Cohenboys did was to laugh. "We sold
him the car; we have the contract to show for it, if there are still any doubting Thomases, and we are flat
tered beyond measure at the excitement it has caused." they said. It Just goes to prove what a good car It
is when a mechanic like Ritchie will buy it In preference to any other." su lltr
ally occupied by C. H. King. A cap
a la Stanley Clements or a Parisian
apache, a khaki shirt, rough neck
sweater, and clothes which would not
have looked good to a Weary Willy
clothed the man. As a matter of fact
It was King, but King the fisherman.
not the automobile expert. He was off
to Grants Pass to tickle the minnows.
Carl S. Kelty.credit-man of the Lum
bermen's National Bank, took a party
of friends in his Buick Into the wilds
of the Clackamas River Basin, last
Sunday. Their route led them through
Clackamas and up the North bank of
the Clackamas River to the covered,
bridge where they crossed and, leaving
tne Clackamas Kiver, drove up Clear
Creek, through the little town of Viola,
and on to a point in the forest where
the road abruptly ends. Mr. Kelty re
ports tnat Dut two miles of bad going
were encountered on the entire trip,
and is quite enthusiastic over the scenic
environment.
BIG SIX SCORES AGAIN
AMERICAN- CAR'S PERFORMANCE
VICTORY FOR TJNDERSLCXG.
Perfect Score Is Made in Hudson
Run Machine Drops Over
Bank, hut Frame Saves.
The underslung principle of automo
bile construction scored a notable vic
tory last week in the West Kudson
Catskill tour, promoted by New York
motor car men. An American under
slung six-cylinder car, one of the first
of the new 1914 models to be placed
on the road, not only finished the run
with a perfect score, but made the high
record in spite of an accident that for
a time threatened its occupants with
death or very serious injury.
The accident occurred at a sharp
turn in the road descending Crow Nest
mountain, where road repairers had
been working and had failed to leave
a warning of danger. As the big Ameri
can approached the hidden curve at
high speed its driver was unable to
make the turn quickly enough and the
car shot over the high precipice. As
the front wheels dropped over the edge,
however, the underslung frame struck
the stone road and held the car from
plunging to the bottom of the ravine,
nearly 200 feet below.
Though the front wheels were spin
ning in space and the car was tilted
at an alarming angle, no damage was
done, and the motor was not even
stopped. By the aid of a heavy timber
the machine was placed back on the
road in seven minutes and continued
the run.
News of the accident was brought to
the American factory at Indianapolis
in the following telegram from A. A.
Woodruff, the company's Eastern dis
trict sales manager:
"The 'Six' finished CatskiU run with
perfect score. Performance of car
wonderful. Going down Crow Nest
mountain failed to make short turn
and car went over wall with both front
wheels. Rested on frame, however, and
no damage was done. Did not even
stop motor. Placed car on road again
in seven minutes, wtih big beam. Un
derslung construction only thing that
saved us from death or serious injury."
Remedy for Leaky Flange Joint.
Nothing is more exasneratinsr than
the persistent leaking of a flange Joint
on tne mannoia, wnere copper is used
lor tne gasket. The trouble, however.
nearly always can be remedied by cut
ting a groove around the post with a
cold chisel, and another around the hole
in the flange. When the studs which
hold the manifold In place are drawn up
the gasket is compressed and partially
nns tne grooves, sealing tne Joint.
STUDEBAKER IS 80
Aged Auto Manufacturer Never
Allows Interest to Lag.
HIS 2 BROTHERS ARE DEAD
One of Self-Assigned Tasks Is Selec
tion, of Wood Which Forms Base
of Running Boards, Braces
and Bashes.
While S. W. Benson, sales manager
and one of the directors of the Stude
baker concern, was In Portland last
week on his annual tour of inspection
of the Coast, be told many interesting
and amusing stories, besides giving
genuine statistics and data of the great
growth of the business. One of the
stories he told was about the Nestor
of manufacturers, J. M. Studebaker, I
now in his. 80th year.
"When any of the directors visit the
Detroit plants of the corporation," said
Mr. Benson, "what appeals to them
most is to see Mr. Studebaker, the sole
living brother of the famous five, go
ing around the plant still Interested
and absorbed, though he has really re-
iirea irora tne executive responsibili
ties of the routine order.
"Though he has reached such an ad
vanced age, he has never allowed his
interest to lag and keeps himself in
close touch with all branches of the
immense enterprise.
Mannfacturlnar His Forte.
"Among the brothers, J. M. Stude
baker was the manufacturer: Clement
Studebaker, father of the present vice-
president, was the general executive,
and Peter Studebaker, the sales man
ager. "J. M. Studebaker is today recog
nized as one of the leading authorities
on the different kinds of wood used
in vehicle and automobile construction.
This knowledge has been of great
value to the designers of Studebaker
cars. One of Mr, Studebakers self-assigned
tasks is the selection of the
wood which forms the base of the auto
mobile running boards, body-bracing
and dashes. Much of this material
comes from the great yards of the cor
poration at South Bend, Ind., where it
has been seasoned by special processes
for many months.
Anto Making Ills Hobby.
"Mr. Studebaker's one great regret is
the fact that he was not born 20 years
later, in order that he might have
identified himself with the automobile
industry in a more active way. On
each visit to Detroit he makes a close
Inspection of the automobile plants,
never failing to comment on the im
mense scope which the business has at
tained in so wonderfully short a period.
"Mr. Studebaker retains a love for
outdoor life which begun when, in the
first Studebaker wagon which he him
self had built, he crossed the plains to
California, 60 years ago. The quoit
pitching contest in which he recently
defeated former Vice-President Fair
banks is a Hoosier classic."
SELF STARTER AID TO WOMEN
Jackson Man Considers Device Bias
Increased Number of Fair Drivers.
"One thing that has contributed,
more than any other single factor, to
the increase in the number of women
drivers of gasoline automobiles," says
A. E. Hale, who represents Jackson
cars, "is the electric equipment now
found on the majority of good cars.
"The woman of average strength
was debarred from attempting to drive
a gasoline car before the cranking de
vice was perfected. She could steer,
handle the gears and brakes, and do
everything else necessary, except turn
the motor over. So she could not take
a car out unless accompanied by some
one able to crank the engine. In my
opinion, the average women is a
better driver than the average man.
As a rule she does not thirst for speed;
and it is my observation that she dis
plays better Judgment In situations
which only good Judgment will save.
In other words she will not take the
chances a man will when he Is behind
the steering wheel of an automobile.
"Doubtless the Jackson and other
companies adopted the electric starter
as a matter of convenience and as a
time-saver. It is all that could be
desired In this direction; and In addi
tion has put the women of the house
hold In the pleasant position of being
complete masters of the gasoline car."
NATIONAL WINS CATSKILL TOUR
Hill Climbing Ability, Economy and
Reliability Considered.
One of the most novel contests ever
held, the CatskiU Tour, in New York
state, proved a revelation.
The features of the tour were that
mil climbing ability, economy and re
liability were considered In the final
scores.
The winner was a Beries "V" Nation
al, owned and driven by Bill Poertner,
the National agent for New York City.
In a letter to Mel G. Johnson, man
ager of the Howard Automobile Com
pany, Pacific Northwest distributers
for Buick and National cars, Mr. Poert
ner says that he scored 938 points out
of a possible 1000 points, divided as
follows: Six hundred points the perfect
score reliability, 200 points to the win
ner of the hill climb and 200 points to
the winner of the economy, test.
The winning National with its full
complement of passengers weighed
4200 pounds, with an average of 12 1-10
miles per gallon.
There were no less than 11 entries
and each car traveled a distance of
262.8 miles durlns the two days' run.
Among the contestants in addition to
the winner were the Paige, Alco, Amer
ican, two Fords, Oakland, two Mercers,
Pathfinder and Brlggs-Detroit.
FORD CARS FOLLOW SETTLERS
Towns That Grow Up .Over Night
Make Shipping Problems.
The head of the shipping department
of the Canadian factory of the Ford
Motor Company at Ford City, Out, has
his troubles, according to a. story
printed in Detroit papers.
"Look here," he is quoted as saying,
"here is an order for two cars for
TOGETHER.
Oweunta. Now, where is Oweunta?
You don't know? Nor can you find out
without some trouble. It is not on
the maps, .the railroads declare they
never heard of It, and demand explicit
shipping directions. The only way to
locate It Is to have the Postoffice De
partment look It up.' The postal guides
don't contain it, because the Govern
ment would have to get out a guide
every week to get in all these towns
that are springing up in Western Can
ada. "I don't think that anyone Is in a
position to realize the great growth of
the Canadian Northwest better than
we are here, because the Ford is fol
lowing the settler right out into the
wilderness.
"You see, many of these towns are
far from the railroads and the Ford
car enables the settler to keep in touch
with the nearest city, lack of roads be
ing no obstacle to the Ford car."
HEPASZ IS PLEASED
WILLYS - OVERLAND AUDITOR
CHECKS $15,000 STOCK.
General Official Comes by Southern
Route, Visiting Big Agencies
of His Company.
Large manufacturers of motor cars
go to great length to insure the users
of their product good service. They
do not always leave it to their agents
to see that the owner Is properly
taken care of. This fact is illustrated
by th presence here of H. E. He pas z.
parts auditor of the Willys-Overland
Company, of Cleveland.
Mr. Hcpasz travels around the coun
try visiting Overland distributing
houses, checking up on the supply of
parts. He sees to it that the dis
tributors always carry a sufficient
quantity of everything that Is neces
sary to the prompt service that motor
ists demand. After checking up the
$15,000 stock of parts at the Portland
branch of J. W. Leavltt & Co., the fac
tory man will go to Seattle, where he
will Inspect the Washington house of
the Leavitt company.
On this trip to the Pacific Coast Mr.
Hepasi came by way of the Southern
route, visiting all the important Over
land establishments. He says that
conditions in the automobile business.
u L1JC are surprisingly
good and that indications point to a
well-defined increase in sales for the
remainder of the season.
There was a surprise in store for Mr.
Hepasz when he came to Portland. He
expected that the Leavitt establish
ment would have a good supply of
BARGAIN
45 H.P.
Overland Roadster
Splendid condition. If you
want a snap, this is your chance
Nob Hill Garage & Auto Co.
690-692 Kearney St.
Phone Main 299
Automobiles are sold with less
effort than any car built, because
A prospective buyer of today in the first place wants to know with whom
he is doing business, and the fact that the Studebaker Corporation is the
largest automobile manufacturer in the world today gives him ample as
surance that he is buying a car of a concern that will be in.business for all
time to come. Their 65 years of manufacturing experience and $45,000,000
capital enable them to produce more car for less money than any auto
mobile manufacturer in business.
t The prospective buyer having learned that Studebakers stand foremost
in the manufacturing end, then wants to know what will become of him as
regarding care and service after he has bought his car. Right here is where
the Oregon Motor Car Co., local distributers of Studebaker Automobiles,
come to the front with their strongest asset, namely, their Service Depart
ment. Our Service Department is open day and night, including Sundays,
and is in charge of Studebaker Service experts. The big feature of our
Service is our technical expert, whose sole duty is to visit each Studebaker
owner every three weeks to see that his ear is working perfectly.
This service is absolutely free to every Studebaker owner, regardless of
when the car was purchased.
x The public can readily see from the above facts why Studebaker auto
mobiles are sold with less effort than any car built
OREGON
Local
58-60
Phones: Main 9402, A
parts, but he never expected a firm in immense supply. He was especially ment installed here and the way Over
a city of this size would carry such an I pleased to note the fine service depart- I land owners ar-e ismtv -.are of.
M
' . lrtchal- s C: incher Tjrp
Straight Side Typ
NON-SKID or
Smooth Tread.
' Regular Clincher Typ
The buoyant, gripping Firestone rubber insures perfect traction, no
slipping or spinning" of wheels - gasoline saved.
Again the buoyant tread and cushion absorbs the littje vibrations.
Less strain on ctr mechanism fewer repairs.
This quality of service, added to greatest mileage, has" kept Fire
stone Tires far above .competitian-, for nearly fourteen. years with
never an "o2t season."
This explains the large "proportion of Firestone vsers, particularly
among men who have owned cars for many years. .
Avoid the stages of experiment. Specify or purchase Firestone
Tires Now.
Ask for the real tire Kulde "'What's What inTlres" ty H-'s.' Firestone.
R. E;BL0DGETT;29:31 Fourteenth Street, Portland, Or;
IMxtrllultor (or
The Firestone Tire and Rubber Co Akron, Ohio
m-rlra'a (.antral KwluJi. Tire- ad Kim Mhkm."
IDF
MOTOR
Distributers Studebaker Automobiles
Twenty-Third
7656
nleagge Is
Waofl Inn
Without Sacrifices
When choosing y our tires hold fast to the.
main issues -'
Length of Service and Quality of Service.
Firestone Tires are made in all approved ,
styles or types, like leading makes of auto
mobiles themselves. Take your choice.
Bur don't consider type or style as a virtue
,In itself. It is no indication of service-giving
value.
Trueness of design,materia!s used, methods
of building, care in workmanship and inspec
tion these are the factors which determine -mileage
and quality, of service.
Tires In All Standard Types
Remember that the. leading tire,
in every style, for length and qual
ity of service is. a Firestone tire.
And' in damanding Firestones,
you are . sure not only of Most
Mfles Per Dollar of "tire cost, but a
quality of service which means
other economies as well as greatest
comfort and confidence.
CA1
Street
Opposite Packard Garage
BafisraaiissaMmHi
Wflnatt
Twei
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