Bisbee daily review., 1908-11-12
lPhoanix Rennhlican.l

tEuotllA fcpuDlANdA-J
 The event of the Las Angeles-Phoe- nix auto races will probably remind the old residents of Phoenix of time in the early history of the automobile which was exemplified by their fellow townsmau. L. D. Copeland, who at that time, 1884, was an engineer in a Phoenix flour mill. He built small engine. boiler, gasoline tank, etc, anu attached the same to what was then known as a Star bicycle" which hao a fity-one inch rear weel, and an 1S- inch ferwarl wheel. This machine wAich was a very beautifully con structed affair, was on exhibition aI the rst territorial fai rin 1884. where it attracted a great deal of attention. It seemed plain to few people that there would be good future for a self propelled vehicle preferably vita four wheels, and particularly plain to the inventor. With this view in mind, Mir. Copeland took the machine east and interested two or three men with him, for the purpose of enlarging and Iperfecting a self propellel vehicle which would serve in a useful and pleasurable way.
 Three years later, after consider able amount of labor in rebuilding. etc, he produced a three-wheeled ma caine which would carry two men at the rate of twenty miles per hour on smooth level road. The longest trip successfully made by Mir. Copeland with this machine was from Camden. N. J., to Atlantic City. a distance Of sixty miles.
 Upon the completion of this motor cycle" as it was called hr Copela
 had his plans for attaching power to an ordinary carriage of the finest build, when there came a lack of in terest in motor cycles on the part the inventor and he sold nearly aiI vl his patents, one cause of this lack of interest was in thinking that the public would not pay more than ll,u hundred dollars for a machine and it
 was not thought that there would be any profit in it at that price. How ever, there was an effort made to form a larger company, but peopIe were not enthusiastic
 MT. Copeland, who furnished tho above facts Is here for a short VI. with friends and relatives and to see the fair As the old timers know he is in reality the father of the autom0 bile and motor cycle. That is to sa
 the principles he utilized and first pG. to practical test in the invention ot his self propelled bicycle and tricycle., are the same ones in the main
 are utilized in the manufacture of au- tomobiles and motor cycles ImpIUve- ments have been made in many ways, not only in applying the motive power, but in the construction of the various vehicles in all their respective parts, but the principle behind it all and t' engine that furnishes the power in all these machines, differ in no imp
 idea except detail, from the constr tions of Mir. Copeland.
 It is pleasure for Mir. Copeland ru be here today and see the excitemer
 over these power machines, and Hi
 memory compare it with other days when people all thought he was vast ing his time. It is also no small hon or for Phoenix to nave been the birth place of the power propelled vehicles that are now the chief excitement ol the sporting world, and an invention of great utility.
 MT. Copeland has with him the pic
 ture of his notable baby inventions
 and they will be displayed this Week
 at the fair grounds. not for money but where all may see.
 At the time of today, says Mir. Cope
 land, when we see constantly before
 us the magnificent automobiles. it fs
 diffieule to look back to the year 1884
 and form an idea how slow people
 were to receive, and comprehend any
 thing in the way of self propelled