The sun., 1908-12-20
AMONG THE AUTOMODILISTS
GRAND CENTRAL PALACE SHOW
GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE.
American Motor Car Manufacturers As.
sOciauOn VIII spend SO 900 in Pro-
Ntding Decorations for Exhibition
Affair to he lnterna Il enai-Gs0

AFFAIR to BE lnterna tienai- Gossip.
Practically all Of the preparatory work
has been completed for the American Motor
Car Manufacturers Association show. which
opeDs In the Grand Central Palace on New
Years eve. This year the affair 10 to be
international In character, aA the members
Of the Importers Automobile Salon have
secured space In which to exhibit the latest
models of European cars, many of these
machines coming directly here from the
annual Salon de lAutomobile In Paris. The
figures show that seventy-seven manu-
facturers of motor cars will be represented
In the show. while the products Of 2l2 aoces-
sorry makers will also be displayed. There
will be sixty-six distinct types Of pleasure
cars and eleven different makes Of COM
merclal vehicles, which will include machines
ran ging from q $500 low powered delivery
wagon to fiye ton truck. o..
Visitors to the annual exhibition of the
independent manufaoturers/will see very
deliberately decorated show. as more than
eS0, 600 will have been spent for the decors-
tlons and lighting effects. The work of
preparing for the show has taken about
eight months and required the services of
small army Of workmen. all for an industrial
show that will last but seven days. The
popularity of the show is proved by the num-
ber Of exhibitors, as $50 firms have engaged
space for this winters exhibition. as COM
pared with 257 exhibitors at the Grand Gen.
trail Palace affair last winter.
Good art always costs money, said II. o.
Smith. chairman of the show committee OF
the A. NJ. c. NJ. A., and the best In the line
of statuary. paintings and electrical equip
ment will be seen at the international show
which opens In the palace on the eve OF the
new year. However elaborate and beauti-
fuH the decorations are. they have been
designed in such perfect taste that they
will in no way overshadow the cars them
selves. which are thereal objects OF the show.
and simply form a suitable frame or back
ground to display the machines to the best
advantage.
while some Of the expenditures Of 30
large an amount OF money may seem ex-
travaRant, especially when it is considered
that a very little part OF the decorations
is avsilable for use after the show. it has
been proved to the motor car trade that such
affairs are paying propositions. Heavy
patronage by the general public permits
such industrial exhibitions. while to the
manufacturers the returns more than war
rant the OUTLAW necessary for proper
exhibit. Under the uniform plan Of decora-
ton each exhibitor. Is as big factor as his
nei ghbor and the whole supplies a pleasing
contrast TO the affairs of old when each ex-
hibitor had an exhibit with decorations
that differed entirely from the others.
The Palace at Forty-third streets and
Lexington avenue, both inside and out. will
be completely transformed by the decora-
tors in their effort to supply proper stage
for showing motor cars. The decorative
scheme is OF the early English period. with
the red roofs. while the entire affair will
be Illuminated. some 5000 or 1900 electric
lights supplying food OF Hight that is
expected to surpass any previous exhibit
ton in this country. Although it required
six months to prepare the decorations.
which is the result OF the best work OF
artists, modeIlers. carpenters, drnpers.
carpet layers, plaste workers. scene paint
ers, sign painters. electricians. sculDtors
and workers in fancy iron and brass, the
whole had to be installed in about five days
and nights and will be removed in less
than forty -ei ght hours when the show comes
to an end on January z.
!, Those who have seen the plans admit
serprise even the most optimistic admirers
of suth affairs ! he electric lighting.
flashlights. statues, paintings. elect Tically
signs, silk banners, mirrors fla Is and bunt-
ing nrtistically arranged. the whole setting
Of the best in American and foreign auto
hibition that will be we'll worth visiting.
aside from its attractions, as show of new
types Of motor vehicles.
THE fact that the show will be an inter
national affair makes the trade rivalry
more. keen with the result that both the
Americans and the importers are doing
their utmost 20 outshine one other. Pol.
ished chasseR and beautiful limousine and
iandaulets will be lined up in comparison
with the roadsters. runabouts and touring
"Wagners record breaking Fiat. with
which he scored notable victory at Sa-
yan1ah Ti be smoPg the Rs,srs S,rSSti9Ss 9Ss
ing closely the Italian machine which with
MP6sr % ae Po Toa sae the %s
mobile Club of America on Thanksgiving
Day. The 5000 cup will be on exhibition
with the car In the Fiat stand Ths m Benz
won the second place at Savannah will
also be exhibited at the palace show"
T.P. e. Forbes, Jr. is mourning the loss
of his 40 horsepower, American roadster.
which was stolen from one OF his demon
anS Ihs Ss 5as daIs an 1ne rpeen
The number on the engine was 4o2 and the
car had u New York license tag, No. 4sS7s,
oape on top Shen and set of tire % holders Was
fastened TO the trunk rack.
If the present agitation for good roads
ia continued by the motorists Of many
Southern cities 1t viii only be a question OF
a year Of. two before II win be possible for
AutOnODlItfIS 10 through tHe ooutu
on new highways which will be as good as
those Of the Northern states. As an indi-
cation Of this activity reports have. re-
Gently been received by the American
Automobile Association from X, Angus
Nichols, president OF the Richmond. Va.
Automobile Club, advising that their Club
Is cooperating with other organizations
in an endeavor to establish new road be-
tween Richmond and Norfolk.
A very successful meeting was recently
held at PetersburgN Va, at which Senator
G. 7. Lassiter an enthusiastic good roads
advocate, presided, when there was formed
the Southeastern Greater Highways Asso-
ciatiop. which proposes to secure legisla,
ton for the construction of a new road
between Richmond and Washington and
other important centres with trunk lines
leading into the neighboring States OF
West Virginia, Kentucky. Tennessee and
North Carolina. The success which at
tended the Petersburg meeting resulted
in a conference with Gov. Claude A, Swan
son, who is well known as a good roads
boomer and It was decided to hold another
meeting In Richmond on February 10 and
IL, and to advertise this meeting the Cover
sentatives. supervisors, highway authorities
and road workers requesting that they
attend the meeting to discuss ways and
means for improving the road conditions
in Virginia. The county OF Norfolk has
voted 5000, 900 for highway construction
and the taxpayers OF Henry county. will
shortly vote TO appropriate $500 900 TO build
100 miles OF new roads leading TO the city