New-York tribune., 1907-11-08
DOLLAR DAY" AT SHOW
BIG CROWD TURNS OUT.
Closed Cars for Winter Use attract
Chief Interest at Garden.

II was dollar day" at the automobile show
in Madison Square Garden yesterday. but this
had little or no effect on the attendance. Many
persons waited for this particular day in the
hope of avoiding the crowd and getting a chance
to examine the cars more closely. but they were
disappointed in finding others who had figured
the way.
The large number OF incIosed cars on exhibit
tion is quite justified by the interest taken In
this class of vehicle. In fact. goodly proper
tion of the retail sales made are of lmousines or
landaulets. while the business being done in
touring cars is less than usual. BY this is
meant the business in actual retail orders. \
great deal is being done by exhibitors in the way
of getting customers in line" The interest is
present and also the intention to buy, but it Is
too long time before spring for men 10 pay de-
posits and order deliveries. The enthusiastic
motorists who have just finished their long tours
are not as hungry for it as they are in January,
after two months of inactivity.
These are circumstances that are now recog
nized as initiating against show early In the
fall, but the fact remains that the attendance
probably will show increase for the whole
seven days. On the other side of this subject
II is to be said that more wholesale business Is
being done at this show than has been done at
the January exhibits of recent years. This
means that there more new agencies being
arranged for by the manufacturers and more
orders being placed by agents
II is noticeable that more interest is being
taken in the accessories than formerly. When
buying his first man is likely to accept the
saleman's say TO his equipment, but by the
time he has been a mOtorist for a year or more
he begins to have opinions of his own about
tires, lamps. odometers etc. The exhibitors OF
parts and accessories realize this from the talk
Of those who visit their spaces. The work Of
the salesman is becoming less educational and
more competitive all the time.
The women reveal the advance in familiarity
with motoring matters proportionatey and take
more part in selecting car Some women do
the selecting themselves, in fact. An overheard
conversation near the door last night betrayed
the fact that family party was separating. the
husband 10 pick out touring and the wife
to select town 10 her liking
An incident of the day was an assiduous at
tempt on the part Of a salesman to sell Barney
Oldheld six-cylinder OF the same make as
the famous eight-cylinder racer that he drove
in his days OF fame After the salesman had
exhausted his line of "patter he asked Old
field is there anything more you would like TO
Yes" replied Oldfeld, looking directly at the
ynhOoded engine. "I would like TO know how
many cylinders the car has" When the sales
man replied Six" Oldfeld said: Now. I'm
used to eight cylinders Perhaps we might split
the difference and have you build me a seven
cylinder car.
The salesman turned away and inquired
about his customer. After learning who 1t was
he was all out of "kilter' for any further busi-
ness.
Among the visitors at the show yesterday
were T. Suffern Taller, Grenville Kane H. S.
Redmond. Newbold Edgar, Eben Richards H.
Mrs. w II. Moffett. Samuel Willetts. Rene La
Montague. Mr. and Mrs. Silas McBee. G. NJ
PymptOn. Craig Colgate. Mrs. Gordon Hughes
Paul Rainey. w. r. Grace. J. p. Grace Mr.. and
Mrs. +. Grey Griswold Mr. and Mrs. Joseph II.
Choate. Robert ]. Collier RobeEt L. Gerry. Mr..
and Mrs. James A. Stillman. Robert W. Goeet
Arthur Iselin, Mr. and Mrs. Perry Tiffany and
Cortlandt Field Bishop.
Colonel John Jacob Astor again visited the
show and spent the afternoon inspecting the
mechanisms of the latest types of four and six
cylinder tourabout cars. William K. Vanderbilt
jr., another visitor, and seemed to be espe-
cially interested in opera coaches and electric
broughams
Commodore Elbridge T. Gerry was also seen
I'm the promenade. The commodore has lately
taken great interest in automobiles. He said
that the auto show the finest business
exposition he ever saw. and added that
compliment is due some one for the admirable
way in which the exhibits had been placed, amid
a systematic color scheme that did not Jar the
nerves and confuse the average spectator. A
prime fault. he said. with modern business
shows want of system in arranging tho
booths The uniformity with which the scores
OF exhibits had been placed throughout the
Garden was worthy OF the highest praise.