Mariy Automobile Concerns in New Auto District to Have Openings This Week With Opening of The Market on North Commercial
&&rty-Four Million People Will Take Vacation Trips by Automobile in the United States During the Coming Summer Season
SECTION TWO
-PAGES I TO 10
mm
mm
AUTOMOTIVE
BETTER HOMES
WAY BETTER THAN LAST YEAR
iNTY-SEVENTH YEAR
SALEM, OREGON. SUNDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 5, 1928
PRICE fVE CENTS
De Luxe Models In 1928 Hudson Line
VOGUE OF TOMORItOW IX DESIGN EXCLU8IVE LINES AND SIODERX STYLE FEATURED
FOiTT-FDl MILLION
PEOPLE WILL TRAVEL
Growth of Willys-Overland Sensational
mm
Sf.
I
sn -s
ini's m, .
ILO0K PRESEHTEB
sport m asm
PROMINENT
9
1927 Claimed To Be Record
Year and An Incentive
To Greater Effort
By Thos. P. Henry
In reviewing the trend of mo
tordom tn the past twelve months,
I cannot help but believe that the
year 1927 will stand out aa one of
outstanding achievements In be
half of the car owners of America
The progress that the year
brought, and which should be an
incentive to further effort in
1928 by the car owners in their
Individual and in their organized
capacity, related in the main to
thoee vital matters on which the
continued development of the au
tomoblle as an instrumentality of
transportation of pleasure hinges
Before attempting an estimate
of what has been accomplished, let
us state briefly what these vital
fields are in which, organized mo-
ordom registered progress:
cHf"Jf rst. while the question of au
j fnr"'bile accidents continues a
fi serious national problem
CSe is ino doubt whatever that
in 1927 the nation as a whole be
fame more 6afety-mlnded.
Second, the drift toward uni
formlty of State motor vehicle
codes and municipal traffic ordin
j.ices gathered notable a.ccelera-
aon.
Third, there was a determined
nation-wide effort to head off thf
ever-present tendency to increase
the tax burden of the motorist
a burden which has already as
sumed unfair proportions.
Fourth, the forces advocating
compulsory automobile insurance
were stopped dead in their tracks
Fifth, motor touring as one of
line outstanding recreations or iar
American people was on the wholr
I pleasanter by reason of Increased
(services than ever before, and the
motor caravan contributed more
thau t-er to the prosperity of the
1 nation.
Motorists Organize
Sixth, realizing the importance
of coordinated efforts in the solu
tion of common problems, the
tre-nrt toward organization by the
Jvrlsts on a local and national
y ySV fir service and protectior.
( Continued on page 5)
II
W. R. Tracy Vice-president
Appoii
ints Six Regional
Sales Managers
The Oakland Motor Car com
pany, which advanced from the
position of ninth in noint of sales
volume during 1926 to fifth place
in 192 , has expanded its alread
extensive sales organisation to
handle an expected further sale?
increase during 1928. it Is an
nounced by W. R. Tracy, vice
president Id charge of sales.
The most important develop
ment so far has been the appoint
nen of six regional sales man-
in key cities to direct the 22
offices stationed through
United States. The pres
ent eastern and western sale
nanagers, W. B. Sawyer and E
M. Lubeck. each has supervision
ver three of the regional man
gers.
All of the district sales offices
kre being expanded and moved to
arger quarters and the number
f representatives traveling among
he deaUrs from the district off!
es has been Increased. Many
imore dealers are being added tc
he present total of more than
11.300 which now Is nearly five
lmes the slxe of the dealer or
ganization in 192 5.
The six new regional managers
ind their headquarter cities are
ir follows: New York. P. R.
krench, formerly special eastern
Mes representative; san rran
isco, L. M. Dreves, former Pa-
S-Sr-E&haffey: Cleveland. L. J
mm ne
SiESlElZSTl
sJf Sh: Atlanta. W. A. Sullivan;
' I l-" c,tT Edson Smith. The
-J Hpur last named hare been promp
ted from the position of district
nanager in their respective cities.
These promotions have necessi
atd the f olio win r assignments
I IP- Batehelder. formerly with the
l Yf-teneral Motors Acceptance cor
&rfiSOn; Cleveland, E. J. Barlow,
-Nc Turner district manager at On
. f 1 fjanapolls; Atlanta, T. A. Klm-
luel, former assistant district man-
-ger at Buffalo; Kansas City. E.
if. Begnhn, former Butt district
J inager; Indianapolis, E. J. Mann.
former assistant district manager
fAt Cleveland; adui, u. u. mgn.
former field representative In the
(Coatta4 a pf T)
r v
sx-'sv'i-Nci-v.v::
With nickeled steel window sash, narrow steel pillars and the landau leather top material carried
down to the body belt at the rear the Landau Sedan reflects smartly both speed and roomy spacious
ness. This Is one of the Hudson de luxe- models.
0 ACCIDENTS
SHOWS
SLACKNESS
Maximum Effort Not Being
Exerted To Avoid In
juring of Coasters
WASHINGTON. D. C. Feb. 4.
So far this winter the accidents
and fatalities to child coasters in
many part.? of the country Indi
cate that neither the motorists,
the parents not yet the municipal
officials are directing to this haz
ard the attention it deserves, ac
cord in e to a statement Issued
from national headquarters of the'
American Automobile association
today.
"The reports from the safety
departments of A. A. A. motor
clubs In many key sections of the
country are incomplete, but on the
basis of these partial reports, there
is no indication that there has
been a material reduction In acci
dents to child coasters during the
first part of the winter season,"
the national motoring body de
clares.
The motorist's responsibility is
to exercise the greatest of precau
tions in areas where this form of
winter sport is being indulged In
by youngsters who, in their zeal
tor its pleasures, forget that It Is
fraught with many dangers, the
A. A. A. points out.
Parents, on their part, the
statement asserts, should Impress
upon their children , the dangers
ot sledding In areas other than
those set apart specifically for this
purpose, and municipal officials
ihould see to it that such cones
are designated and police-patroll-3d
immediately upon the opening
3f the coasting season. It continu
es:
"Constant alertness on the mo
torist's part is essential. Even the
most vigilant parental and police
control cannot nrevent a ohilrf
with a sled from regarding almost
every hill as open territory for
coasting. It is easy to lose sight of
the fact that a rapidly moving sled
is one of the most difficult con
veyances to control. Once started.
a sled carries its occupants almost
where it will and It tra
happens that this leads into the
path of an automobile.
Perhaps a child has no right
.o be where he to, but he is there
md no motorist will attempt to
dodge the fact that It la
largely nts responsibility to see
that no accident results
Parents can do a great deal
tu prevent coastine iiimk.
they will lose no opportunity to
impress upon their children the
aangers or tnis eport at places
otner than those where there I-
no traffic or on streets from which
venicies nave been diverted. Ev
ary gift of a sled should be ac
companied by the very definite
caution that its use is restricted
4. At L ..
luiaiionB wnere mere is no
motor traffic.
. "Each municipality should see
to It that areas are designated for
tnis sport from which all other
activities are barred. This Is the
practice of a majority of the alert'
municipal ' governments of tM
country and one that should be
adopted by all others. Barricades
should be erected definitely clos
ing the street to all traffic.
"In addition to diverting traf
fic, it is an excellent idea to patrol
such streets, tor when they be
come crowded some of the more
daring spirits among the children
are tempted to go to neighboring
thoroughfare. The moet effective
way of dissuading them from each
dangerous step im through positive
action on the part of the police.
If this coarse is followed gener
ally, it will relieve winter ot one
of its greatest traffic hazards. Its
negligible cost and relatively slight
inconvenience mora than Justifies
It as a nation-wide practice, the
A. A. A. statement concludes.
Jl Hudson Super-Six Landau Sedan Itf) 1 11
In its new line of custom-built
cars, presented for the 1928 tea
son, the Hudson Motor Car com
pany offers an Innovation which
will undoubtedly prove important.
There are three of these models
the Tlctorla, the 6-passenger
landau sedan, and the 7-passenger
sedan.
AU these cars were designed
for Hudson in Hollywood, Calif.,
by a firm which has specialized In
special, exclusive bodies, none of
which ever have been offered at
less than $5,600. A few months
ago a number, of these de luxe
bodies were purchased by Hud
son officials, and others, for their
personal use
So different were
they from models current at the
time that Hudson determined on
them as the basis for a special
line of cars on the 127-Inch chas
sis. These custom bodies are built
to express what Hudson term
"the vogue of tomorrow
The
Is de
whole contour of the car
signed to express fleetness and
modern style with a sport motive.
Color schemes and mouldings are
more daring than in Hudson's
usual models. The front window
pillars are 6lender in outline,
while the outer rim of the wind
shield is brightly nickel-plated.
Similarly, the window supports at
the top of the doors are unusually
trim and are nickel-finished. This
Is said to improve vision from
within the car and to assist an im
presson of smartness.
The rear quarters of these cars
are covered with landau leather,
which comes down from the top in
an unbroken surface. Car inter
iors are fully and richly finished
in de luxe style.
These cars are being manufac
tured for Hudson In Amesbury,
Mass., by a firm of custom build
ers whose total capacity has been
contracted for by Hudson. The
construction Is of hand-hammered
aluminum panels and selected
hardwood. The use of aluminum
Instead of sheet steel permits the
obtaining of distinctive and subtle
body lines and saves the weight
of one passenger.
Hudson's big production pro
gram at this time of the year is
declared the result of the recep
tion of the new Hudson-Essex
line. Prom reports the country
over, this Is said to have been the
most favorable of any line of cars
In the company's history, despite
generally cold weather. In De-
(Continued on yf 2)
DOWN THE ROAD
HAVING TO WAIT TILL THE FOLKS
TREAT ALL THE NEIGHBORS. BEFORE
YOU'RE ALLOWED IN THE NEW CAR..
w I
NIMON 68 M
CREATE AUTO HITS
1928 Marmon Line Places
Straight-Eight In New
Position In Field
Displaying its two entirely new
lines of straight-eights, the new
Marmon 68 in the low-price field
and the medium-priced new Mar
mon 78, for the first time before
the automotive world, the Marmon
Motor car company provided one
of the sensational features of the
New York automobile show and,
at the same time, announced the
greatest program in its history for
1928.
The marked public acceptance
of the new Marmon straight eights
was manifest shortly after the
opening of the national display,
and the success ot the two lines
became even more pronounced as
they were displayed at subsequent
automobile shows in Milwaukee,
Philadelphia, Newark, Buffalo,
Cincinnati, Louisville and several
other cities. Simultaneously with
this wave of public approval is
word that the Marmon factory is
in full operation at 300 cars a day
and that shipments are well under
Tay to all of the company's dls
ributlve points throughout the
country. .
Introduction of the two new
Marmot straight-eights bears two
fold importance since it marks the
entrance into volume production
of one of the oldest manufactur
ers in the industry and, moreover,
establishes the modern straight
eight type of motor car as a lead
ing factor in both the low and
medium-priced fields. Both new
Marmon lines are of the most ad
vanced type of straight-eight de
sign and are manufactured entire
ly within Marmon factories.
The new Marmon 68, which
sells at a base price of $1,395 at
the factory, is powered with a
72-horsepower straight-eight en
gine making possible unusually
smooth performance, flexibility
(Continued OB pas 7)
LIFE'S LITTLE TRAGEDIES
Many Vacation Auto Trips
Being Planned for En
suing Summer
WASHINGTON, D. C. Feb. 4.
More than forty-four million
people, over a third of the nation,
will take vacation motor tours
during 1928 and will spend the
staggering sum of three and a
half billion dollars, according to
preliminary estimates of thia
year's motor tourist business made
by the National Touring Bureau
of the American Automobile As
sociation, today.
The A A A. estimate for 1928
is based on a detailed study of fig
ures for the 1927 season, with an
allowance of ten per cent increase
for this year, which is about the
normal annual growth in the gi
gantic industry of motor touring
over the past few years.
Approximately forty million
people, in ten million cars, took
to the winding ribbons of paved
highways and into the byways for
their vacations last year, the na
tional motoring body declares.
"One of the most impressive
and Important features of the mo
tor tourist business in 1927," says
the A.A.A., "was the trend away
from the tourist camps and toward
the hotels and tourist homes ca
tering to motorists. The latter en
Joyed a heavier business than in
the previous year, despite weather
conditions that somewhat handi
capped the annual vacation move
ment. In thia trend, amounting to
an increase of twelve per cent in
business, is seen a clear indica
tion of the position of the resort
hotel as a permanent fixture in
the rest and play life of the mo
torists, i
"The figures for last year show
that 29,000,000 people in 7,250.
000 cars patronized hotels and
tourist homes. On the basis of
last year's figures, the total of
thia class of motorists should soar
to 22,00,000 this year.
"Figuring four people to a car
and allowing each occupant an ex
penditure of $7.50 a day, for an
average period of ten days, the
army of motorists patronizing ho
tels and resorts would spend near
ly two and a half billion dollars in
1928.
"Wandering in nomad fashion,
as lured by climate, scenery and
history, more than 11,000,000
campers used their cars last year
for vacations. The caravan num
bered abouf 2,750,000 automo
biles, including house cats fitted
out for housekeeping and as trail
ers. This would Justify the esti
mate that more than 12.000,000
campers will use over 3.000.000
pleasure cars to visit the great
outdoors this year.
"The camper spends Ihree times
as long away from home as the
hotel tourist and on a basis of
$3.30 per day, per person, near
ly a billion and a quarter dollars
wfll be left along the gasoline
trail by this class of motorist.
"These tentative estimates for
1928 may appear arge. but they
are in reality conservative and are
based strictly on the figures for
(Continued oa pag 5)
0 i
lasts
1 -rite v l: ;?.:': A ?
W
John N. Willys, President
Alfred-Billingsley Motor Co,
and Douglas McKay
Chevrolet To Open
Gala open house celebrations
In Salem's new automotive and
market center will be events of
Thursday, February 9. it wps re
vealed last night. This active
business center, North Commer
clal street between Center and
Marion, will be the scene of three
important openings on that date;
the Market building, with its
numerous tenants all ready for
business; the Douglas McKay
Chevrolet company next door at
430 North Commercial; and the
Alfred J. Billingsley Motor com
pany dealers of the Wlllys-Knlght
and Whippet.
Particular interest will revolve
about all of these formal open
ings, the market because lit is
something entirely new in Salem,
and- the automobile agencies be
cause In addition to opening in
new quarters and with new fur
nishings and equipment, they wil
be showing the new model cars
which have been so great a topic
of discussion recently.
Just what the opening program
will be, the managers of these
(Continued on pa 2)
By FRANK BECK
F .'Jill! CENTER
of Willys-Overland, Inc.
As president of Willys-Over
land. Inc., the record of John X
Willys, is one of the outstanding
features in the history of the auto
mobile industry and covers many
of the most spectacular achieve
ments accomplished in the auto
moMlo world. Like many other
prominent men in the motor car
industry, John Willys started in
the bicycle business first as a
salesman and then as the proprie
tor of a Store in Elmira, N. Y
As the motor car superseded the
bicycle, he engaged in the busl
ness of selling automobiles and4n
1907 was Overland dealer of EI
mira.
This year there occurred one of
the worst financial panics that this
country has ever seen and the
manufacturers of the Overland lo
cated in Indianapolis were caught
in the storm. Willys was put in
the position of having the deposits
of hi3 customers, which had been
?ent to the factory, held up to his
own serious personal loss unless
he could come to the rescue. With
his characteristic resourcefulness
under severe pressure, he went to
Indianapolis and through his ac
quaintanceship with grocers, bar
bers and general store-keepers,
raised enough money to tide the
manufacturer over a pay roll and
sufficiently far ahead to assure
the delivery of the cars he had
ordered.
The result of this move on his
part was that he soon came in con
trol of the company and moved
to Toledo, Ohio, occupying the
plant of the old Pope-Toledo or
ganization. It is his statement
that his first year In business with
this company constitutes to him
the greatest "financial success he
has ever made, for this year he
marketed five million dollars
worth of Overland cars and made
a profit of one million dollars.
From 1908 until the period of
the war, the growth of Willys-
Overland was one of the sensations
of the automobile industry. Dist
ribution was built up all over the
United States and Europe and in
the Asiatic countries and Willys
was a strong contender for first
place In quantity production
throughout the world. In 1915
he' electrified the Industry by in
troducing the Willys-Knight car
motored with the engine designed
by Charles Y. Knight, an Ameri
can engineer, who first persuaded
European builders to adopt his in
vention, where it has long been
the accepted car for numerous
royal families.
The history of the Willys-Knight
car since it first appeared in" the
United States has been the story
of the successful adaption to Amer
ican standards of mass production
and low price of a car that has
been definitely placed in the lux
ury class in transcontinental mar
kets.
With the entrance of America
into the World War, Willys de
voted his personal endeavors to
the services of the government
backing them up with the fall re
sources of his enormous plants.
With the close of the war and
as the result of the reduction in
motor ear buying which followed,
he found the affairs ot Willys
Overland 'm. a chaotic condition.
He faced the loss of the tremend
ous prestige which, be had built op
The financial slump caught him
unprepared and for a time he faced
almost insurmountable difficul
ties.
Literally taking off his coat, he
. (Oatlma-4 pf f.) . .
Probably Raciest Car of New
Lot May Be Called
Sport Runabout
Distinctive among the fine cars
built to appeal strongly to those
desiring sports atmosphere in
their motor cars. Franklin offers
a variety of models in both open
and closed bodies that have at
tracted especial attention.
All sport models are powend
with the larger Airman air-cooled
engine and are capable. It is
claimed, of fast continuous travel
without fatigue to engine or pas
sengers. Four wheel hydraulic
brakes, developed by Franklin en
gineers, assure smooth, positive
deceleration.
The Sport touring, mounted on
the long 12S-inch wheelbase chas
sis, presents the long graceful
lines of a thoroughbred racer.
Front and tonneau windshields am
fully adjustable.
When Colonel Lindbergh was
offered his choice of Franklin
cars, he selected the Sport Sedan.
The features of this car have been
carried over In the Airman this
year. This car is of the close
coupled, club type and has an
over-all height of 71 inches. Low,
lounpy seats, emphasize the rakish
proportions of the car. An all
metal, watcr-and-dust-proof trunk
is provided for touring luggage,
and adds to the symmetry of the
whole.
The Convertible Coupe is dis
tinctive and practical. It converts
easily from a closed to a sports
car. The single wide seat accom
modates three people comfortably
while the rumble seat accommo
dates two. Space for golf clubs is
provided in a separate compart
ment which is accessible through
i small aoor in tne rignt, rear
Probably the racieet car in ap
pearance of the series Is the Sport
Runabout, seating two or four
persons, as desired. A new style
top affords ample protection and
is readily collapsible. Space for
golf clubs, as in the Convertible
Coupe, Is accessible through a
.-;mall door In the rear deck. Pig
grain leather is used for up
holstering. SPEEDED AT PRESENT
Demand For New Victory
Six Makes Plan For
Building Necessary
Due to the volume of Victory
Six orders, which have been re
ceived since January 5, when this
latest Dodge Brothers product was
announced, it Is estimated by fac
tory offfcials that a large percent
age of the pas-enger car produc
tion during the year will be the
Victory models. Plans for 1928
also include an increase in the
production of Standard Four
equipped with four wheel brakes
and a larger production of Senior
Sixes.
In the truck division, due to
the fact that Graham Brothers has
just completed the most prosper
ous year in its history, building of
trucks and commercial fca in
five capacities will continue. Thf
line consists of four and six cyl
inder motor coaches, commercial
cars and trucks of 2-ton; 1-ton;
1-ton; -ton and H-ton capac
ities. More than a year and a iialf
was required to perfect the Vic
tory Six which H priced between
the Standard Four and the Senior
Line ranging from $1,045 to $1,
170, f. o. -b. Detroit.
Grilling tests during which ap
proximately 1,000,000 miles were
rolled up by the engineers in both
experimental and actual-production
models preceded the formal
announcement of the Victory. One
of the test cars on durability runs
was ept going on the highways
until Its speedometer showed over
100.000 miles; speed performan
ces on the Indianapolis track dem
onstrated that the car was capable
of maintaining nearly 70 miles sn
hour as an average In thousand
mile grinds. For months prelim
inary to the formal announcement,
Victory Six models have been sub
jected to all sorts and conditions
of roadwork in all parts of the
United States; theis drivers taking
them 14.000 feet op mountains
and far below sea level on western
deserts. . - -: ts '" -
Officials of the Dodge company
state that the new ear embodies
several basic innovations In auto
motive construction and de-ljrn.
To provide road-holding qualities
(Coatlasad ea ?t Tl
HI
BENE
I -