TTIE, SUNDAY OREGOXTAX. PORTLAND, OOTOTiETl "'31. 1915.
BUSINESS IS LAUDED
help to the engineer and designer of
cars which' are to be placed in the
hands of the average owner and prac
tically all of ita value to the sales de
partment. "I am not one of those," says Mr.
Couzens. "who feels that the racing
has degenerated into the hippodrome
"Best in 25 Years," Reports
Visiting Chalmers Official.
class. I am in doubt, however, as to its
continued value from the standpoint of
the maker and user. Isn't it after all
more of a sport than an outdoor ex
perimental laboratory for proving the
car? There was a time when people
marveled at the remarkable speed
made by racing cars, because they com
pared the limited speed which they
FARMER LEADING BUYERS
could make in their own cars with the
showing of the special built machines.
These days a touring car which will
not do 60 miles an hour with its full
passenger load is side stepped by the
buying public. Many of the real high-
War Is Declared to Have Little
Efrect Directly on Auto Trade,
but Greatest Prosperity Era
Is Thouelit at Hand.
(iBplliPiiii '
I II 1 1 pik 9m) l will J III 1
"Beat business conditions in 25
years." is the laconic message sent by
C. A. Pfeffer. vice-president and assist
ant general manager of the Chalmers
Motor Company, who is due to arrive
in Portland today on a hurried trip of
inspection through Pacific Coast ter
ritory. "Many would have us believe that
the unparalleled prosperity existing
among big American manufacturing
institutions at the present time is en
tirely due to the -war." writes Mr.
Pfeffer. "Personally I believe that,
war or no war, business already has
entered upon the greatest era of pros
perity that the country has ever seen.
"And my opinion is founded not only
upon the marvelous Increase in our
own business, but on conditions and
reports from every conceivable line of
endeavor.
Benefit by War Belittled.
"Of course the foreign conflict un
doubtedly will have its effect on Amer
ican business houses. To America
alone ean the various European coun
tries look for manufactured goods,
farm products, clothing and other ne
cessities. But as far as the benefits
accruing directly to the automoblle-
HENRI' FORD HELPS MAKE
FOl'R CARS AM THEN
GIVES THEM AWAY.
Henry Ford put on a pair of
overalls at the San Francisco ex
hibit of the Ford Motor Company
the other day and assisted in as
sembling four automobiles, which
he presented to Rear-Admiral
William F. Fullam, Commander
of the Pacific reserve fleet, and
the following officers: Captain
Charles M. Tozer. of the South
Dakota; Captain Joseph M.
Reeves, of the Oregon, and Lieu
tenant Arthur C. Kail, of the
Milwaukee. Mr. Ford had made
a trip on the Oregon, and to
celebrate the occasion he in
vited the four officers mentioned
above to visit the assembly plant
at the exhibition. When they ar
rived he proceeded to don a pair
of overalls and assist the as
sembly crew to assemble four
cars. Laughingly stating that
Ford machines are not sold to
buyers until the buyer has
learned to put on a tire, he
made each of the officers go
through the operation of putting
on a new tire before he pre
sented them with the car.
maker Is concerned. 7 can safely say
that with the exception of a few com- f
panles engaged in the manufacture of
trucks, the war has had little effect.
"Take the record of the Chalmers
Company for the past thrre months as
a single example. Cut off from prac
tically all foreign export business, we
have actually sold in the three months
of July. August and September 154
more cars than we, marketed during
the first nine months of our last fiscal
year. The first quarter of the present
fiscal year ending on September 30
showed the remarkable increase of 302
per cent for that period as compared
with the same months last year. We
have shipped absolutely no cars abroad
for war purposes and the above record
represents- merely the wonderful pros
perity of the American market.
' Farmer Reported Best Customer.
"On my way west all reports indi
cate that the farmer is again leading
the way as one 'f the best customers
of the automobile manufacturers. Rec
ord crops throughout the grain belt
spell more and better cars for the
farmers, and our dealers in that section
nre doubling and trebling their orders
for immediate delivery.
"While I have only been on the Pa
cific Coast ri short time. I have gath
ered from many of your big dealers
that California will again establish
new records in the sale of cars. I in
tend to make several short tours over
your magnificent roads before return
ing East."
Mr. Pfeffer as vice-president of the
Chalmers Company is typical of the
successful young man In American
business. Although not yet 30 years
of age he already has attained the sec
ond highest executive position In one
of the largest manufacturing concerns
in the country. Previous to his elec
tion to the vice-president's chair he
was treasurer of the Chalmers Com
pany for two years.
Mr. Pfeffer will be the guest of the
II. L. Keats Auto Company, Oregon
dealers in Chalmers cars. He has vis
ited the San Diego and San Francisco
expositions and Salt Lake and Denver
on the present trip. Mr. Keats, who has
heen East, is expected to arrive with
Mr. Pfeffer today.
$10,000 WAY IS COMPLETED
"Permanent" Road Near Ridgefield
Made Sufe at AH Points.
RIDGEFIELD. Wash.. Oct. SO. (Spe
cial.) The new highway known as Per
manent Highway No. 4, beginning Just
outside of the city limits and extending
eastward for 6700 feet, within one-half
mile of Horn's Corners, is now entirely
completed and open to traffic. The
work on the new highway was done by
the Kern Construction Company of
Portland. A new grade has been laid
over part of the route through what
was a deep canyon, a big fill being
made.
Heavy guard rails have been placed
on all curves, and the "safety-first"
idea has been carried out on all possi
ble danger points. The new road is of
macadam construction and is ona of the
finest stretches of highway in Clarke
County, costing about $10,000. The
road has a 24-foot roadbed with a 14
foot center. The County Commission
ers have inspected and accepted the
new highway.
RACING DUBIOUS ADVERTISING
Official of Pathrtnder Company
Analyzes Situation.
"lias motor car racing lost its value
as an asset to the sales department?'
This la the question which St. Clair
Couzens, of the Pathfinder Company, of
Indianapolis, raised when in Portland
recently from an unprejudiced and dis
Interested view point.
Personally Mr. Couzens is a great
race fan. He has never failed to see
any great race, when it was at all pos
sible for him to get to it. but at the
same time, along with many other
practical motor-car builders, is seri
ously wondering if racing has not lost
much of ita value aa a real source of
y. ........ ..............?
v
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I dHuaUMSMiMK jf iMlfcliliiiritfiriMiliffii'iiiir, imii'ii li'Umi
C. A. Pfeffer, Vice-President of
Chalmers Motor Company, iVht
Is Expected to Arrive Today.
classed cars will do better than
miles.
MITCHELL AGENT TOURS
H. S. RODEBAl'GH IS HOME FROM
TRIP TO LAKEV1EW,
Portion of Rough Road Gives Splendid
Test to Cantilever Which Great,
ly Reduces the Jar.
H. S. Rodebaugh, sales manager of
the automobile department of Mitchell,
Lewis & Staver Company, returned last
Monday from a tour made in the In
terest of Mitchell cars through the
valley and Southern Oregon. He started
on the trip in a Mitchell "Six of '16" in
the early part of October.
"The roads from Portland to Eugene
I found in fine shape," said Mr. Rode
baugh yesterday. "The crowning of
the roads through Marion and Clacka
mas Counties will do much to keep
them in good shape through the wet
weather. From Yoncalla. to Grants
Pass the roads are of dirt and when
I went through they were in good con
dition. In fact, more pleasant to drive
upon than hard macadam. The road
In the Southern Oregon district were
better than I expected. I received a
good many friendly warnings in re
gard to bad conditions and the strange
thing is that points where I was told
I would have trouble were negotiated
without difficulty.
"The roads everywhere show evidence
of considerable work and are prob
ably in much better' shape than ever
before. I struck a rough stretch be
tween Lakeview and Klamath Falls. I
welcomed this roughness for the reason
that I wanted to test fully the canti
lever springs on the Mitchell six of 'IS.
I certainly was well pleased with the
way the car rode through this bad road
and my satisfaction -was greatly in
creased when upon the return trip in a
car oX another make without cantilev
ers we were jarred about far more than
in the Mitchell.
"In regard to business conditions we
automobile men are confirmed optim
ists, but I really believe that good times
are not very far ahead for the part of
the country over which I traversed.
Everyone is talking prosperity and at
some towns where 1 stopped on the
way home for a second visit I found
that even in the few days that had
elapsed since I had been there previous
ly this feeling had attained consider
able growth. I find that farmers are
becoming a good deal more interested
in the better class of cars and it really
surprised me to find how well informed
on car construction most of them are.
I met many Mitchell owners and every
where found that the car was favorably
known. Taking it altogether. I look for
a good year in 1916 for the automobile
business.
REAR AXLE IMPORTANCE CITED
Studebakcr Company Explains Es
say Contest Among Youtlis.
The rear axle, next to the motor it
self. Is the most vital part of a motor
car, yet it seems to be least understood.
or the hardest to comprehend. It was
this fact that prompted the Studefcaker
corporation to institute a prize essay
contest among boys not more than 17
years of age, for the best article not
exceeding 600 words, on the construe
tion of the full floating rear axle, as
used in Studebaker cars, and the ad
vantages it possesses over other types
of axles. The essay contest was of a
National character and brought several
thousand articles discussing the full
floating rear axle, coming from almost
every part of the country.
Not only do the essays show a great
deal of familiarity on the part of young
America with automobile construction.
WEED TIRE CHAIN REPRESENTATIVE VISITS PORTLAND BRANCH OF HUGHSON & MERTON
i
m 11 & a ess.
W. T. MORRIS, OK WEED CHAIN A TIRE GRIP COSLPAXY. AT WHEEL
piiitiii
Our
n
but they developed the fact that the
young writers possess a creditable me
chanical knowledge. Many of them
entered into a detailed description
showing how a full floating rear axle
relieves the shaft of the burden of the
car's weight, at the same time afford
ing greater accessibility to the parts
having directly to do with the rear
COMPANY.
i y Broadway 887 A 4959 j
The New Reo Six
frf sn-n .t r..w - The Is ew Reo the Fifth frrt
Hea 12d0 at t actory - , , , kJS
jgi The Incomparable Four $875 at Factory Eljl
rggJXlffqTfr'-J,'UU U IZTT co I. ., .ngj
New Reo the Fifth
Demonstrator Is Here
-
THIS WILL BE GOOD NEWS to the scores of Reo admirers who have been waiting for a first look at this latest
edition of this world's most famous automobile.
IT HAS SEEMED a long time since the Reo folk announced this car at the sensational price of $875 time
always drags for those who keenly anticipate a pleasure.
WE'VE NEVER KNOWN A TIME when interest was so keen as it is with regard to this car. . ' '
AND NO WONDER ! The Big Reo ad stated that this car. had been refinecTand greatly improved at many
v points at the same time that the price had been as greatly reduced.
WHEN YOU RECALL that at $1050, the last-season-price, Reo the Fifth represented such values that no com
peting car could stand up against it; -that other makers had to cut prices early in the season; that demand
was so great every Reo the Fifth was snapped up the minute it came from the factory:
WHEN YOU CONSIDER that that demand was so greatly in excess of the capacity of the big Reo plants that,
when the last car of the year's output had been delivered, still there were thousands waiting who had to be
disappointed.
WHEN YOU CONSIDER that condition, is it any wonder that thousands and tens of thousands of buyers all
over this country are eager for a glimpse of this New Reo the Fifth?
WE'VE BEEN MORE ANXIOUS than even you could be: we are importuned every hour in the day for
information as to when our new Reo the Fifth Demonstrator will be here.
AND WE ARE GLAD to be able to say- that by the time you read this it will be in our salesrooms.
COME IN AND SEE; look it over; ride in it; note the refinements; compare the value that you will receive in
this car with any value that is to be had anywhere else in the world.
AND THEN DECIDE. Don't delay. You know the history of every past season always more wanting Reos
than the number of Reos we could get to supply them.
ORDER NOW. Make it a definite order and you can rest secure in the knowledge that you'll be among the
lucky ones you'll have your Reo when you'll want it.
Northwest Auto Company
F. W. Vogler, President C. M. Menzies, Manager
. BROADWAY AND COUCH STS.
Broadway 887 A 4959
axle, and increasing efficiency in the
car's performance. The prizes offered
in the competition totaled $100.
The chang-e of a generation jn human na
ture Is infinitesimal and then some. Now
it is the bright red automobile, second
handed, for which Indians are trading away
their valuable lands; nothing but a 20th
century bead.
MO.'.
i """i.,. '
OP KISSEL. KAR ROADSTER.
'jH " I I,,
Xf J i
J US' I
' T 'If .:. M
OLDS EXPORTS GAINING
MICHIGAN AUTOMOBILE COMPACT
. TAKES ADVANTAGE OF WAR.
Four-Cylinder Car la Found Particu
larly Acceptable to Dealers la
Forela-n Countries.
"The Olds Motor Works, of Lansing,
Mich., is one of the automobile com
panies which has taken advantage of
the shortage of cars in foreign coun
tries, owing to the war, to expand its
foreign business and become firmly es
tablished with its line on foreign soil,"
said W. W. Stillaon. manager of the
Oldsmobife interests for the Northwest.
"The automobile has proven to be
tbe best means of transporting troops,
and practically the entire output of
European factories has been taken over
by the contending armies. Consequent
ly, the foreign automobile dealer has
been forced to look for a new source
of supply and haa turned to the Amer
ican manufacturer.
"The Olds Company made its first
active bid for foreign business early
in July with the establishment of a
foreign department. At that time Olds
mobile dealers were established only
on the islands of Cuba. Porto Rico and
Hawaii.
"Owing to the fact that the four
cylinder car was particularly accepta
ble to foreign dealers and has been re
ceived well in the foreign market, the
Olds company has been able to expand
its foreign business with surprising
rapidity. Since July dealers have been
established in many countries, includ
ing Great Britain, Australia. New Zea
land. South Africa. India. Norway, Hol
land and Japan, and transactions now
are pending In Central and South
America, Denmark, France, Italy,
Greece and Spain, as well as in a num
ber of the Asiatic countries.
"Although the British embargo on
rubber, prohibiting the shipment of
tires on cars sent direct from the
United States to neutral countries and
the high rates of ocean freights, which
are fluctuating constantly, have served
as a temporary handicap, the Olds com
pany has been able to accomplish in
four months what ordinarily would re
quire a much longer period of patient
effort in building up a foreign demand
for a product."
GOOD ROADS BIG TRADE AID
Clarke County Farmers Report
Many Benefits Received.
RIDGEFIELD, Wash.. Oct. 30. (Spe
cial.) The system of good roads from
Ridgefield to the southern part of
Clarke County already is having a
marked influence on the trade in and
around this community. This is now
being recognized, and proof of this can
be given when a grocery company of
East Portland purchased a load of ap
ples at the L. V. St. Clair ranch, about
a mile east of this place. No road dif
ficulties were encountered during the
trip, which was made in good time.
C. N. Weber, another rancher of
Ridgefield, near the St. Clair farm, is
of the opinion that a ready market
opened for the produce at even a mod
erate price would solve the question of
hard times for the . small farmer.
Farmer Weber suggests that when this
fruit is condemned that it be given
away to needy families and not thrown
aside to be a total waste.
Agents Prove Balanced Lightness.
A novel and convincing demonstra
tion of the "balanced lightness" of a
Studebaker car has been given by dif
ferent agencies showing a car stand
ing on four platform scales, one under
each wheel. This "balanced lightness"
feature of the Studebaker is a factor In
long life 'for the car and economy of
operation. Ideal results have been se
cured by Studebaker engineers in part
by placing the transmission and rear
axle in the same unit. This plat.es the
weight of the transmission where it
better balances the total weight of th
chassis. The same principle Tor pro
portionate distribution of weight is fol
lowed even down to the storage bat
tery. As a consequence the flywheel
and clutch mechanism are left free and
accessible, while the propeller shaft
and chassis frame' are relieved from
the strains and vibrations of low and
second speed drives.
8000 PACKARD TRUCKS SOLD
Product of Decade Valued at Aj
proximately $20,000,000.
In the 10 years they have been on
the market, Packard motor trucks to
the number of nearly 8000, with a value
of nearly J20.000.000. have been sold
for purely commercial purposes. These
surprising totals, published by the
Packard Motor Car Company, indicate
the tremendous growth of the com
mercial car industry and show the
tendency of the most progressive busi
ness men to adopt power-driven vehi
cles for the transportation of mer
chandise. The figures do not include
the trucks which have been sold 'for
export.
"A few years ago a business which
showed a volume of $2,000,000 annual
ly was regarded as a stupendous un
dertaking, but there are only a com
paratively few people now who realize
Just what the motor truck means te
the business world," says W. B. Froude,
truck salesman of the Frank. C Rlggs
Company.