New-York tribune., 1907-01-13
AUTO SHOWS HISTORY.
FTRST WAS HELD IN 1900.
Industryts Tremendous GrozCth in
Last SeUen Years.

An argument in favor OF January the time
sor the Automobile Show has been advanced
,sosntly by no less important and authorita-
.,xs osrson than Colonel George Pope chairman
of the show committee Of the Association Of
Isoensed Automobile Manufacturers. In his re-
marks Colonel Pope said:
In years gone by, when the old guard makers
,r.re new in the field and We're looking for deal
srs to handle their product, the national show
-rss largely a trade event, to which the manu-
tacturers went seeking tc Go business with
1aiierg Now the old esta blished manufacturers
su have their regular line OF dealers, and tho
orderz from these are booked n the fall. They
IN not go to the show to engage dealers 60
% eoain +ba,r outnu+ hecause fbay Gro aIre,5,,
supplied in this respect. They go to display
their new models to the public and the show.
from being e purely trade event, has become 8
sort OF festival for society and the automobiling
class Under these circumstances there is ab-
solutely call by the well known manufacture
ers of the licensed for g. show before Jam
nary They not firms that started in bus-
ness last month, or last year. and who have to
hunt up dealers to sell their cars. The dealers
in licensed cars. like the makers of them. are
sil estaDlisheo
rsv!ew Of the former automobile shows at
Madison Square Garden brings out the story
OF the changes. snd win be interesting at this
ttus II the exhibition Of q few "horseless
oarr1xses" at the last bicycle show at Madison
Square Garden. In January, 1900, be passed over,
the first real automobile show was held in the
Gard60 NGve1nDeS o 10 ~, 46Uu-
Although the credit for the idea has been
given to the Automobile Club Of America. It
really originated with James P. Young. score
ta-y and treasurer Of the Madison Square Gar
dan Company. Mr. Young sought the co-opera-
ton Of the Automobile Club Of America, and the
first show announced being under tbs
auspices OF the club
good photograph OF that show would cause
hearty laugh now, although II was held only
q little more than six years ago. There were
not enough exhibits to fill the space, even with
q board track the main foor although motor
cycles and motor tricycles were included with
the automobiles The machines themselves
were near automobiles" OF the shaftless buggy
type, nearly all Of them having steam OF cleo
tricity for motive power. In the cafe were the
nearest approaches to real motor cars These
were loan exhibits Of imported cars, owned by
members of the club. and they seemed quite
wonderful at the time. The track was used for
gyTnkhana events, brsling, starting and stop
ping tests and otbssg stunts.
There were no foreign exhibitors in the first
show. The garden was crowded at every ses-
sion, and the show was success financially, az
ali succeeding shows have been. The cost Of
putting the first show on was $1,000. outside
Of the decorations. which were paid for by the
exhibitors.
The second national show was held IN Madison
Square Garden on December 20. 1901 Ninety
three exhibitors took space in this. The track
was omitted this une but again there was a
loan exhibit Of foreign cars IL the cafe. There
was g. Mors car shown by Foxhall 2. Xeene
half dozen Panhard and Lsvesso- usohines,
a Dsrracq. a Napier, Renault and Daimler
Cannstatt Mercedes No foreign exhibitors had
space.
The Industry had then begun to develop rap
idly. There WAS an increasing output by the
factories, that the makers found 1t more
necessary TO act as wholesalers only. The dis
tance between the user and the manufactures
Increased. and the retailer began to flourish
Thus, during 1902, the show came to be re-
garde6 as a wholesale mart Of manufacturers
seeking TO close with dealers. During this year
the commercial future Of American built cars
became more certain The National Assoclation
of Automobile Manufacturers was formed. and
after few conferences it was arranged that the
next show should be at the beginning Of tho
year instead OF at the clo5e and that It should
be managed by a committee on which the n. A.
4. NJ the Automobile Club Of America and the
Madison Square Garden Company should each
be represented, and that each Of these organi2a-
tons should share in the profits.
Thus there show in 1902, and the third
one was held a year and five weeks after the
second one or during January 17-24, 1903. At
this show the number OF exhibitors totalled IoU
and for the first time foreign firm was an ex-
hibitor. This was the Paris Automobile Com
pany, represented by Henry Fournier.
The fourth national automobile show was held
at Madison Square Garden January 1928
1904 More than two hundred exhibitors mad
space, including several foreign manufacturers.
This show was held under the same auspices as
the previous one
in Madison Square Garden, January 14-21, 1903
the automobile industry had grown to such pro-
portions that hundreds Of would-be participants
were unable to secure space, although 250 ex-
hibitors were accommodated in the big building
At the shows Of 1904 and 1905 the number OF
exhibitors great that the Garden was
sadly crowded. and, each exhibitor being allowed
70 decorate his space to suit himself. tho en-
semble presented motley scene Of hodge podgs
In draperies and lighting effects.
With the 1905 show the contract between the
National Association Of Automobile Manufactur-
ers, the Automobile Club OF America and the
Madison Square Garden Company expired, and
, the Association Of Licensed Automobile Manu-
facturers obtained a three years lease OF the
Garden for the purpose OF holding future shows
under the auspices of the licensed makers, who
were organized in March. 1908.
Since 1oO5 the Garden show has been held
under The auspices Of the Association Of Ii
censed Automobile Manufacturers. and the high
Iy successful show there, January 1920, 1905,
was in charge Of the same show committee that
mas the arrangements for the present one in
hand-namely, George Pope Marcus I. Brock
and c. R. Mabley, with NJ L. Downs. secretary.