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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 17, 1915)
THE STJ3TDAY OREGONIAN. PORTLA5TD. JaSTTAKI 17, 1015. S Jlast but not least, the repair man :v and repairs at that time were no trifling ME IE WINS American Car Growing in Pop ularity Abroad. OVERLAND REPORT MADE Figures or South Africa Distributors Show United States Autos Have Invaded Field Strongly. England Falls Behind. Tbe remarkable increase In popu larity of tbe medium-priced American car abroad is especially marked in lo calities which, until a rear or two ago. had been supplied almost entirely with cars of foreign manufacture. Al though the outbreak of war in Europe has brought this fact into particular prominence by developing tbe foreign market for America even more rapid ly, the general excellence of the Amer ican car already was making itself felt long before hostilities started. The realization of the full extent to which tbe English car has been ousted from South Africa had come to John Bull before this year. Since the start of war. practically all tlie cars sold in South America have been of American construction. It is declared that al though the closing of the English fac tories, brought about by the war, forced the South Africans to call on America for their cars, tbe same ulti mate result was simply a matter of comparatively few years. American Cars Popular, Figures furnished by one of the South African distributors of tbe Willys-Overland Company showing the growth of Imports of American-built cars, in that territory prove highly interesting. It will be seen at a glance that car imports from England were falling off rapidly In proportion to the dovelopraent of the motor car move ment in English territory long be fore the declaration of war. In the race for supremacy which - may be said to have started in 1909, England has fallen far behind the proud position which she had hitherto occupied. In 1908 the total car im ports from the United States were valued at a little more than J5000. The following year they sprang to J90, 073, and for- the. four years 1909-1912 their total value was Jl,043,515, or 29 per cent of the value of cars imported from England for the quadrennial pe riod. Imports for 1913 from America were J2.t523.648 as against J2. 119.029 for Eng land, or more than 23 per cent in ex cess of England's total. Rna-Iaad'a Trade Drops. As against the 1912 figures, the im ports from England dropped in a singlo year from 53 per cent of the total value of cars imported to South Africa to 39 per cent in 1913. American cars on the other hand, have risen from 25 per cent to just over 49 per cent of car imports during last year. According to reports from the Willys- . erland Company, the popularity of the American cars has shown a propor tionate increase during this year, al though for a while the hostilities in Europe threatened to paralyse the mo tor ear business in Africa. Reports of the Overland Company show that on De cember 15 the total export business practically equaled that of the entire calendar year of 1913. This is entirely exclusive of several large shipments itiurfe to belligerent nations, and is in Bpite of the fact that shortly after the outbreak of war motor car business in Great Britain and Europe was practi cally at a standstill, and remained so for mn time. But in parts not di rectly affected by the war. Overland business has shown a great increase over what it was in these same districts last year. Medium-Price Car Takes. One of the South African motoring Tianers makes the following explanation of the rapidly growing popularity of the American car in that territory: "The reason for the amazing growth In the figures of imports from America and the per contra decline in tne ng ures of English cars is to be found not only In the comparatively low initial cost of the American car, but in the fact that American manufacturers have borrowed the good points from English constructional practice and adapted these to their own products. The re suit has been a vehicle of a high pro- in fnvnr larcrer auarters were needed. and late in 1908 the Covey Motor Car Company took the building erected oy the late E. Henry Wemme at Seventh and Couch streets. At tbe end of two years the company found itself cramped for sDace and in May, 1911, moved to I h a nrffflpnt olace. S "The building at Twenty-first and Washington streets is a fire-proof, rein. forced concrete structure of four stories and basement. The floor space, all of which is devoted to the automobile business exclusively, is in excess of 75,- 000 sauare feet. A complete electrical department is maintained, and facili ties are afforded for the repair and maintenance of the electric starting and lighting mechanism now in most z-eneral use on all makes of cars. "The second story is used entirely for garage storage. The third floor ts used as a repair shop. Here is found an adequate machine shop and toolroom comnletelv eouipned. The Covey Com Danv always has worked on tbe hy pothesis that the more the owner knows about the mechanical features of his car the easier it is for him to maintain It economically and the more enjoy ment he will derive from its use. With this In view, owners or their drivers have always been allowed to help in the work on their cars when they so desired. The customer always Is wei come in the shop when his car is being renaired or overhauled. "One of the things which has con tributed largely to tbe success of the company is the manner in which the renair Darts department has been nan died. The stockrooms are situated on the third floor, and practically all of the wearing parts for all models that have been produced by the Cadillac Company are carried in stock. To give an Idea of the magnitude of the stock carried, the last inventory of the com pany showed an amount of S24.735.75 invested in spare parts. - The salesroom is on the flrst floor on the Washington-street side, and is of sufficient size to show as many as eight cars to advantage. The floor is tnarble-terrazo and the entire finishing all in mahogany. Plate windows on two sides furnish ample light. One of the noticeable features of the salesroom is the absence of pillars.. "Any description of this institution would fall short of its purpose if in passing no mention were made of the one dominant tactor wnicn nas con tributed so largely to the success of the company. In point or popularity it would be hard to find a dealer more highly regarded, not only among the trade, but among automobile owners as well, than Howard M. Covey." GAR MODELLED MM HUDSON STREAMLINE EFFECT Is OBTAINED IN NOVEL WAV. The ' Incomparable Four The Six of Sixty Superiorities. at F. 0. B. Factory at F. 0. B. Factory N Best Designs of Europe Taken as Basis Plan Embodied In New Automobile Oat. for portion of efficiency which has made a strong appeal to buyers of moderate means. Althoueh the South African tiurchasing public to a very consider able extent lias been prepared to pay more money for an article than the av cracc American, we find that the me diuni-priced American cars have won the popular approval here. The Eng liah car manufacturer will have to real' ixe that the trend of the times is against him In this market." COVEY HISTORY TRACED FORCK OF ONE MAN GIVES RISE TO BIG TRADE OF TODAY. Motor Company Now Has More Tl 100 Employes to Handle Dodge and Cndlllae Cars. The substance of the motor business in no wav is illustrated better than in the substantial homes which Portland's dealers have erected tor themselves and the cars which they handle. One of the really big plants is that nf the Cnvev Motor Car Company, at Twentv-nrst and Washington streets. which has housed the Cadillac and Tindre distributor since May, 1911. A. W. sstruwger. the secretary and treas urer of the company, reviewed the his torj- of that big firm, which is typical of others. He says in part: "Mr. Covey is at the New York Auto mobile Show and there is no ready means of ascertaining what the 'M' in Howard M. Covey Htands for. but it is our belief that "Motor" Is his middle name. That the story of his life has shown it to be well chosen goes with out saying. Webster does not give .Motor and "Covey' and Cadillac' as svnonvtns. but as usage and custom de termine the manner in which definitions are accepted, we in Oregon have grown to consider the terms synonymous. "The firm which bears his name has been most prominently identified with the growth and development of the automobile business in the Northwest from the Inception of the Industry. From a single room, which fulfilled the three-fold purpose of a garage, a re pair shop and a salesroom, to say nothing of living quarters for the pro prietor, the quarters of the Covey Motor Car Company have been enlarged to meet the steadily growing demands of the business until today theifr four story establishment is one of the largest in the West. "From the beginning of a force of one man an organization comprising as many as 100 employes durin'g the busy season has been built up. Howard M. Covey entered the automobile field as a dealer in 1904. The agent In those days had his hands full, for as a rule he was the demonstrator, the sales- President R. D. Chapira, of the Hud son Motorcar Company, tells a fasci natins story about the way the Hud son designers obtained the graceful and beautiful lines of their "streamline body. This type of body originated in Europe. It is an application to a road vehicle of the principle of the lines on which a yacht is designed, bmootniy- flowing. graceful curves, with no an gles at dash, and absence of protrud ing side lights or other attachments. characterize the design. On a visit to Berlin, officers of the Hudson Motorcar Company found the Prince Henry body, a German form of the streamline, to be nearest to their ideal. They procured photographs. drawings and measurements of it and also of other European- designs. From these, on their return to America, they developed What they believed to be the most nearly perfect streamline motor car body yet produced. But to get it into practical form proved difficult. Model after model was built in wood, steel and other materials and then de stroyed. The Hudson factory is equipped with a complete body-building plant, but al though every facility of this kind was at their command it seemed almost im nnsslhin to iret th desired effect- Finally some bright mind suggested, "Why not turn sculptors? Why not model a car in wax?" This was done and the beautiful lines so ardently de sired at last were secured. But now. another difficulty faced the determined engineers. The body builders had no machinery. rolls or dies fitted to turn out a loo like the designers demanded. They even called it impossible. However, like many another so-called impossible thing it finally was done. Thus have tne Hudson engineers rightly earned tne title of artists as well as engineers, it is probable that never before was such a uniaue method used to produce a de sired effect in an article of this nature. So many motorists have been inter ested to know just how the re markable grace and beauty of the long, smooth, flowing lines of the Hudson Six body were gained that C I Boss, the local Hudson dealer, has given this story as it was told to him by President Chapin. To appreciate tuny tne mag nitude of the task and he successful manner in which it was accomplished finally one must see the beautiful car at Mr. Boss" showrooms. EXHIBIT FUND IS $400P Coos and Curry Counties Busy With Preparations for Panama Fair. MARSHF1ELD, Or, Jan 16. (Spe cial.) The Coos and Curry counties fund for an exhibit at the Panama Exposition at San Francisco is grow ing rapidly. The fund to date is: $2000 from the County Court of Coos County, $600 from Curry County, $600 from Marsh field, $400 from North Bend. $400 from Coquille. while Myrtle Point and Ban don are yet to be heard from. See the 1915 Reo the Fifth, refined and improved at every point where refinement or improvement was possible, and at a $125 lesser price. (Tj See the Reo six the sensation of motordom in all her beauty and know, as a! you have in the past, that in buying a Reo you are investing in no experi . ment. The very fact that Reo has built a six proves that the "six" idea has passed the experimental stage. ' I Allow us to welcome you at our Show Exhibit bmpany or til we si - Distributors for the Northwest Broadway at Couch Street Mr. F. W. Vogle, President Auto NEWAUT0SPR1NG ISDUT F. J. liAHER INVENTS SERVICEABLE ATTACHMENT. Local Faetery, Owned by Inventor, la Enlarged to Manufacture Them and Sales Contract Is Made. F. J. Laher, manager of the Laher Auto Spring Company, made an im portant announcement in automobile circles this week, when he made known his invention of a new elliptic spring for Ford cars. Mr. Laher has been identified with the manufacture of automobile springs in Portland for 10 years, and with the Invention of the new spring he has enlarged his factory to such a size that it is the largest of its kind in the West. Previous to his coming to Portland he was identified with many of the large spring factories of the East. The establishment of the new factory is expected to prove a valuable asset to Portland as a manufacturing and auto mobile center. The demand for auto springs is exceedingly large. The new factory is located in the half block between Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets on Burnside and al ready has in its employment 50 men. New equipment has been purchased and installed which totals $50,000. Last week two carloads of steel- were im ported from the East especially for the manufacture of the new elliptic spring. This spring, which is designed espe cially for Ford cars, has proved a great help to Ford owners and affords for easier - riding than the present snrincr used. It is of anelliptic type and will prevent the severe jars which some motorists encounter with the present-day spring. Mr. Laher is one of the most ex- nerienced soring men in the country, and on a recent trip in the East closed contracts with several Eastern manu facturers to supply their springs for new ones in the Northwest territory. His new spring, has been his .wnoie study, however, for the past year and after a six-months trial by several large corporations in this city owning Ford cars he decided to place n on tne arket and enlarge his plant to sucn capacity that he can manuracture 500 sets of the new elliptic springs weekly. O. Aerne. Jr.. a prominent auxomo- Ubile man of this city, and at present mannsrer of the Blue 'iaxicaD vom- nanv. closed a contract with Mr. Laher to handle the entire sales output of the factory and has already organized his selling force. Mr. Aerne, previous to assuming tne mnnas-erial rein of the Blue 'raxicao Company, was state agent for Ford cars in Oregon. . Space has been secured at the auto mobile show to be held in Portland next week, where the company intends to display the new spring. DEALERS ARE PROSPEROUS . (Continued from Page I.) the management of the Warren-Detroit branch 'at Detroit, which he left to Join the FireWone Company:. :" Six salesmen work under. Mr. Thatcher's direction in . Portland .and outside. Ora E. Holdman and Phelps Carson, the city salesmen, are both well known. The building at 65-7-9 Park street, north, occupied by the Firestone Company, was completely re modled to suit its purposes. In ad dition ( to convenient and carefully planned stock and shipping rooms and attractive offices, it contains a com plete wheel shop where quick service is given to the many motor trucks us ing solid tires. One of the old-timers is W. S.Dul mage of the Manley-Dulmage Auto Company. Mr. Dulmage is the manager of the company and the active partner of the firm. H. B. Manley is the presi dent, but lets Mr. Dulmage do most of the business. v The manager came here as the Head of the Studebaker branch and then de cided to embark in business for him self. He undertook to- Bee that the Hup mobile was accorded its proper place and has succeeded In making the car one of the popular onos on Portland streets.- Then, this year, the company took over the new line of National Sixes and the Chandler Six, which gives the Manley-Dulmage Company a - very' com plete line. Bight now, they are waiting for the new National parlor car which has big arm chairs in the tonneau and is fitted up much like the rear car of a special fare train. The Chandler Six is the car w aich made some pretty good marks in Cali fornia recently. The Manley-Dulmage Company has just taken the line on. Russians' Marching Power. London Standard. Many instances are related of the marching powers of the Russians. One soldier states that during the strerfuous advance at Ossoviec, the troops marched over 70 miles ill two days, with hard fighting at the end of the march, after which they marched 55 miles to Lyck in 36 hours. SCENE IN SHOP WHICH HOUSES NEW INDUSTRY AMONG PORTLAND AUTOMOBILE BUSINESSES. l -J ft i vf-??1 LAHER IITO SPRINOS SHOP WHICH IS NOW MAKING ELIPTIC SPRINGS AS A FORD ACCESSORY. FRONT THE NATIONAL Still holds the proud record of the World's Stock Champion. If you want to know what real motoring is drive a NATIONAL SIX Made in two, four, five and six passenger bodies. See Our Exhibit at the Auto Show Dulmage -Manley Auto Co. 46 and 48 North Twentieth Street BUELL SPARK PLUG WHISTLE rill Oregon Sales James Keep 434 Alder M., Portland It's Peculiar, Penetrat ing Chirp Always Gets Attention! -YOU NEED ONF.S WE HAVE THEMI EDISON STORAGE BATTERIES. Our Specialties: Electric Equipment. Johnson Shock Absorbers, Gates Seat Covers and Tops, Oxy - Deca rbonizers, Waverly Oils, Tires aud Supplies. Everything Guaranteed Company Lrlghtoa 'ltmpleion allou & Wright Invite you to make "their booth at the coming Automobile Show YOUR HEADQUARTERS We will exhibit some interesting specialties. osch Magnetos Rayfield Carburetors Veedol, (the Wonderful Lubricant) Indian Motorcycles A visit to our store at Boadway and Oak will con vince you that we are the Largest Distributors of Auto mobile Accessories in the Northwest which enables us to give our customers prompt and efficient service. Ballou & Wright 817 East Pike St., Seattle, Wash. Broadway at Oak, Portland, Or. DIAMOND TIRES DIRECT FACTORY DISTRIBUTORS Tough Squeegee Treads Are Cheaper Than Other Tires and Cost Much Les Why pay more than Diamond prices? ARCHER AND WIGGINS OAK STREET. CORNER SIXTH Automobile Supplies Master Carburetors III tile bookkeeper, tne washer, ana.