Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-03-21
AUTO PULLS ITS
DOUBLE WEIGHT
DAVID AND GOLIATH STORY IS
GASOLINE LORE
Sturdy Little Auto Pulls Big Touring
Cars and Limousines Up Thirty
Per Cent Grade to De--
light of Crowd

The story of David and Goliath was
told over and over again at the auto
show during the week when was re-
counted the tale OF the e. M. F. go
cars performance in pulling sixty-two
cars up the 30 per cent incline into the
casino, says the Detroit Free Press.
David was personified in the E. M. F.
go" and there were over fifty Goliaths
over fifty of the sixty-two cars drawn
up the steep incline weighed more than
twice as much as the car which per-
formed the remarkable stunt.
1t happened this way. Half the cars
to be exhibited had to be taken up to
the second floor, thirteen feet above the
street level. Manager Pelletier asked
the street commissioner for permission
to build a runway clear across Second
street so as to obtain an easy IN
cline, This could not be granted, be-
cause it was necessary to hold at least
twelve feet of the thoroughfare open
for passage in case of fire. So the
runway could be only forty feet long.
A rise of thirteen feet in forty is a
little over 80 per cent.
How to get the cars up. Gasoline
was not permitted in the building, so
no car could be allowed to go up on its
own power. "Get q block and tackle
and a couple of teams of strong horses
and snake 'em up" suggested mem
Der of the committee. Perish the
thought" exclaimed Pelletier, this is
an automobile show. Why, we don't
admit the horse has any place in the
scheme of things nowadays
Fine for Publicity
A power truck was suggested. Fine.
Great publicity stunt for a car tnat
does it. Well sell the privilege for $50
who wants the chance?" To his dis
may four makers of heavy trucks side
stepped the proposition on one pretext
or another Some said frankly it was
impracticable-"A self-propelled We
hicle is all right for certain kinds of
work, but there won't be enough trac-
ton nor--why you'd better get horse
this time
Finally one concern took up the Of
fer. 1t agreed to have a ten-ton truck
on the ground promptly at l p. m.
Sunday. 1t didn't arrive. The manager
stormed-for the weather was stormy
and the men who had brought highly
finished exhibition cars and were COM
PEELED to stand out in the storm wait
ing for the truck that never came,
were hos under the collar though their
teeth were chattering.
Two O'Clock, $3.50, $3.50, and no truck.
Twenty odd cars waiting at the bot
tom of the incline and the management
being eussed to a fareyouwell. Pelle-
tier was fast losing his temper, when
some wag shot a bolt at the r. M. F.
advertising man that made him vince
and then act.
"Put that e. M. F. 800 of yours on
to the job-she's wonder, so your ads.
say
Dome" said Pelletier, and he called
driver.
Amidst the jibes and jeers of the
crowd the $50" was hitched to the line,
while big car was pushed to the foot
of the incline.
Ready, co."
| A hum of exhaust, but the "9O''
didn't bulge out of her tracks, though
the driving wheels, shod with chain
grips, were whirling furiously and the
crowd scattering from the flying snow
they threw back.
Here you-jump in the car; four OF