The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-05
SHOW A BUSINESS SUCCESS.
EARLY OPENING OF ADVANTAGE
TO MANUFACTURERS.
WI Rush or SiEhtSeCrs Continues Agencies
Are Practically Closed anal Work OF
the Factories observation-disclosures
u SOt Always Profitable.

Are Practically Closed ana work OF
the Factories bet rmlned-steaIing
Prospects IL Not Always Profitable.
y On every hand at the Grand Central Palace
yesterday ere hoard expressions Of salts
faction from the sales managers and heads
of firms that We = showing their various
types of motor driven vehicles at the seventh
annual automobile show of the
Club of America. To these hariheadet
men of affairs the show is no diversion
but rather a week OF most strenuous work,
upon the result of which will depend TO a
large extent the prosperity or reverse OF
their factories for the ensuing year. These
men are unanimous in declaring that the
early show idea has all Of the virtues
claimed for it by its most enthusiastic
advocates, for it will enable them to plan
the work Of their factories much better,
in addition to giving them a month or more
of time in which to prepare for the rush
of the delivery season, which begins far
earlier in the year than it was wont to in
the days when the automobile Was more
of a high priced novelty than the necessity
il has become to many Americans.
Last night inquiry at booth after booth
revealed the fact that in spite OF the ia Ct
that but two days of the show had passed
practically all Of the agency territory east
of the Mississippi had been awarded, and
at one t1oth they told Of a San Francisco
dealer w.o had wired that he was starting
for New York and telling the firm not to
make arrangements for mis- city until after
he had arrived. IN" concern in question
was so struck by the cNhib!tion OF enterprise
on the part of the Californian that they told
him to come along, and tell his story, as the
agency in his city would not he given to
any one until after he had shown up.
In the experience Of most OF the factory
men this haste on the part OF the agents
to close up so c Arly in the week il an en-
tirely new and novel though very pleasing
sensation. IL is accounted for in various
ways, some asserting that II ia the result OF
the settling down OF the indus
try, while there are others who say that
it is because a great many OF the men from
out OF town are anxious to get through with
their business in connection with the auto
mobile show in order that they may put
in the balance of the week helping their
wives or daug hters do their Christmas
shopping. Whate YER the reason may be,
there is no doubt but that a great deal OF
business has been lone when the compare
lively short time that the show has been
running is remembered, and in many cases
individual dealers have contracted for more
cars of a single make than the majority
OF American factories could have produced
but a year or so ago.
In many ways this affair has proved its
undisputed right to the title of the earl y
show" II is early in the winter, the dealers
have been early in closing up contracts
for territory. and the now time honored
practice Of stealing prospects" has also
been started early. This prospect pur-
Joining has its risks for those engaged in
it, but once in a while it works all right:
The scheme is to have a demonstration tell
some prosperous looking man who asks
where he can find the Plank-Dash car
that he is standing alongside OF it and then
take him away for a demonstrating trip
IN NuhnNANnR WnnEn ~ aaR tho ZnrnaUhnf
INSCRIPTIONS driver is running.
There have been times when this has
worked beautifully at former shows, i'll
stances being known where men whose
knowledge of automobiles consisted mostly
of what they could remember of the adj
vertisements they had read in the news
papers and magazines were actually COM
pletely taken in by such methods and act
ually buying and paying for ears they
had never intended to buy. When il came
time to turn over a check for the car the
plausible salesman would explain that
the check must he made out to the local
dealer and not to the manufacturer. Oc-
casionally these wouldbe smart youths
are caught at their own game, IA was the
case with one of them yesterday. He
told an innocent appearing old gentleman
that his car was the machine that he was
looking for and thereupon took him and
his family out for a several hours drive.
He drove the car up hills on the high gear
and sent il crawling through crowded
streets, SUN on int high gear anu running
up into Westchesterc county showed how fast
the machine could travel With its full COM
plement OF passengers and finally delivered
his passengers at their house uptown.
As the OH ge- tleman alighted the anxious
asked him how
he Ii Ied the car and inquired when he could
see him again ~ another demonstration
if he did not feeI nke giving his order at
once. His rSSv sd astonishment can
better be imagIr14d than described when
the benevolent Old gentleman proceeded
to deliver a lecture on common honesty,
winding up by telling him that he had
known all the time that the young man
had tried to fool him., and that he had gone
with him in the hope that the remembrance
OF his wasted afternoon woull bring the
full measure Of his iniquity home to him.
When the disgusted demonstration told a
friend of his about his experience, he added
that as far as he las concerned he would
make no further attempts at stealing pros
poets.
One Of the several self starting devices
in the Palace is shown on a Harrison car.
In the operation Of the device il is necessary
to have the car equipped with an automatic
gas tank of the ordinary type in general
use. A mechanically actuated air tank
is placed underneath the body on the OPP
posite side from the gas tank. Instead
of forcing this mixture OF gas and air into
all cylinders and relying on chance for 1t
to turn the engine over, a range FINGER
is operated from the dash, which shows
III NN liItAlct AT III ktGhNSSt lOiAib VI YIN
preston, and the xhcle is fired into this
one cylinder.
The advantage Ia utilizing ~acetylene
gas l. apr aren't, "a IL is not affected by vary
ing temperatures. The same push button
that starts the engine may Re used for
testing the plugs ana cells without crank
ing the engine. Another clever arrange
ment Of this car is made to light the gas
lamps from the seat by merely pushing
a button. Tie conn ressed air tank is alsa
valuable, as il is ever ready for pumping
the tires or cleaning the car.
Another Of the novelties Of the show is
the EhTet tire and tool receptacle, consist
ing Of a partition made in the back part
Of the t~onneau, ro0my enough TO hold al
extra tires and necessary tools without
spelling the lines Of the body in sny way
Not only is protection afforded against
inolement weather, but the running board
Ia kept clear of unsiyhtly tool boxes and
tire cases. or his device the inventor says
"S)me Tc)7le say that the body il
weakened by having folding doors at the
back. IA a matter ~ fact, the rece ltacle
really Strengthens the c)net-:Gti N Of the
body, "a il il a solid iece and acts as a rein,