The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1909-07-16
PIONEER AUTO A
BRATTLEBORO CAR
A Horseless Carriage Operated
Here in 1887
JOHN GORE THE MANUFACTURES
Made Last Trip from Bernardston 70
This Town and Ran the Machine over
the Bank Where It Rested Until Seen
by Junk Dealer.

Brattleboro bears the distinction OF be
ing the pioneer place where automobiles
were built and exploited. Over 20 years
ago there lived in this village a machinist
and inventor by the name OF John Gore
who built an automobile in 1881 1t was
not of the upholstered type OF the hien-
speed touring car that rushes about town
these DAYS, yet in those days it was
wonder as a record-breaker for speed, and
those who saw Mr.. Gore tearing along. che
road to West Brattleboro were inclined
to seek the high spots and let him have
more than the proverbial half that is sup
posed to belong to the driver OF vehicle
on the highway. The machine was a
success inasmuch as it took the hills
pretty much the same reckless abandon
that the modern motor car does.
The last trip the machine made was
from Bernardston. Mass, to Bratteboro.
Just what happened to the mechanism,
history does not record, but the car went
over into ditch a mile or two OUTSIDE
of this village and the inventor and build
er climbed ont of the wreckage ana re-
marked that the debris might remain
there. 1t did for many years until the
eagle eve of Junk collector discovered
It.
Whether it was a one or slX-cylinder
machine is not known. The carriage was
an ordinary wagon or buggy such as was
used in those days and the motive power
was a miniature engine connected WIN
fine wheels 1t made as much noise as a
threshing machine or reaper. w hile our
forefathers were not inclined TO put up
the bar against progression they decided
that Holm Cores whizZ wagon was Il
menace to the life, limb and welfare OF
fine public and accordingly the useless
and dangerous machine" was prohibited
the use Of the highways.
just where the machine was built is not
known. Mr.. Gore occupied shop upon
what is now the unoccupied site OF the
old Valley mill on Bridge street. He was
also at one time located in shop where,
Fenton's blacksmith shop stands on Canal
street and for l3 years was engaged IN
the manufacture of various kinds OF ma
chinery. Mr.. Gore won more fame as
a builder of boilers and engines than ne
did as an inventor of motor car. ne
invented and built large number OF
boilers and engines for Commodore Corne
lius Vanderbilt. which were installed IN
steamships owned by the latter. Some OF
Mr.. Cores boilers were a so used IN the
steamers that piled on the Connecticut
river. Like many an inventive genus ne
found that his path toward the top OF
the ladder of fame was not streWn with
roses. He invented moving machine
which was a success ana 1t looked 70 NJ
Core that fortune had really Knocked IN
earnest at his door, but some unscrupu
lous person or persons discovered the
strong points of his invention and beat
him out in the manufacture and sale OF
the machine. !, :,
The machine is claimed to have embodied
the valuable features of the old Ellnsdale
moving machine.
Mr. Gore was man of great physical
t,1l I'D Nv
the original exponent of the square deal
in Brattleboro and the old time raconteurs
tell how he was always on hand to take
the part of the under dog whenever any
of his neighbors were at odds WIN one
another. A story is told OF how Mt
Gore assisted the constable to .quell a dls-
turbance out on the Gulltord road one
evening. After drinking up the mans
supply of cider the visitors threw their
host out of his domicile and We're holding
possession of the place when Mr.. Gore
and the constable arrived. They were IN
vited to consider themselves under arrest
and to return to Brattleboro with the
minion of the law. Refusing to accept
the hospitality of the constable 1t became
necessary to employ strong arm methods
and Mr.. Gore it is said, gathered IN the
crowd of three or four and threw them
into the wagon much after the manner
that he was won't to employ III loading
wagon with wood.
While Mr.. Gore received fair remuner-
alton for his invention he did not possess
the elements of business man and
though he received prices for his ma
chinerv that were considered high in those
DAYS he failed to amass money and died
poor man, in fact very poor man.
Burnham's History of Brattleboro refers
very briefly to the inventor as having been
engaged in the manufacture of stationary
engines and boilers in Brattleboro from
1882 to 1915, and that he constructed a
steam carriage in 1887. No mention is
made of his ancestry or whether he was
native of Brattleboro. However, the
survivors of the old guard in town are
of the belief that Mr.. Gore was a native
Of Brattleboro or if not that he, was born
in this county. He was married and had
daughter. Franc, who married c. G.
Whitney of New Haven, Conn. "A veteran
II