The Detroit times., 1910-01-27
DETROIT GETTIN c
ACQUAINTED WITH
81 VARIETIES
It's a Strange Coincidence. But the
d. A. D. A. Automobile Show
Has Just That Number Of Fac
tories Represented.
Many Gases Where New Manufac
turers Have Aped the Product of
1909 Successes.
BY PAUL HALE sRuskE.

latest name for the triumphant exhlOt
ton of motor cars, now in progress
at the Wayne gardens under the aus
pices OF the Detroit Automobile Re
tailers' association, for which John
Gillespie holds the position of show
manager. IL is IA peculiar fact mat
famous manufacturer or condiments
has nothing on the Detroit sho"
There are few who can enumerate the
picked delicacies. but many man
woman aud child in Detroit is In posi-
ton to rattle on the names or the
cars which have become household
words in Detroit Some of them nave
entoyed that distinction for years
while others are OF more recent du'
vent In the local halls OF fame, but no
Detroiter can be pronounced Wen III
formed on current events II ne can /
rattle them all OFF by name and reeos'
nize most OF them when they Wh'L
past on the street.
There are just exactly 81 varieties
of them in the SHOW that. OF COURSE
there are many subdivisions OF the
products OF the factories represented
which brings the total OF cars on eK-
Inhibition up to well beyond the 3OO
mark.
Record Breaker Sure.
The present show is now hall over
and there has been no dimlnutloh III
the enthusiasm which started Things
OF with the largest crowd that mas
ever attended an event OF the kind lii
the Michigan metropolis. The Groves
ON wednesday continued al a rate
which ensures a record-bTeaking week.
AS the public is becoming acquainted
with the show the purchasers are
making the appearance in large mum
hers. II has come 10 be an accepted
fact that the man who orders MS car
in January, is the one who Is going
TO get ii when the season is young
II has taken a good many years TOT
this fact to sink into minds OF the
local public. but indications around
The show are to the effect that the
lesson had been well learned at las.
The statesmen are naturally glad over
tie prospect that their season Is now
definitely taking form, and that they
viii probably be able at the close or
the show, 10 make very accurate e5-
innate OF the business which they can
expect the season through, and make
their supplementary orders from the
factories accordingly. None or the
dealers have as yet duplicated the rec
ord of the dealer who sold ~ cars NJ
retail in one batch, but sold signs
are making their appearances at all
the booths and the general run OF
business Is sure TO eclipse any show
OF former years.
An interesting feature OF the show
this year has been the number OF int
tations that have sprung into being
as the result OF manufacturers recent
~ entering the field. who have pat
termed their output very closely after
the lines CO successes OF former sea
sons.
Imitators Are Welcome.
Last year a Detroit factory made a
well-timed advent into the field with
n low, racy-looking little runabout
which was virtually a big car boiled
down." The machine scored an in
slant triumph and the food of pros
perity which ensued for the manufac !
turer and those interested with him
excited the envy OF many rivals. This |
year there are no less than three cars
exhibited, all of them from factories |
making their local debut at the present /
show. the product OF which is so pal
pably an imitation Of the successful /
model of 1909 as 10 draw attention 10
the fact from the most casual OBJ
server
The ordinary business man might
be pardoned a protest at so obvious
a pirating OF design. But not so the
automobile manufacturer in consider
alton.
I'VE have already made contracts
which will ensure the sale Of our en-
tire output, and we are making five
times as many cars as We did last
year" said his local representative on
the floor last evening Our car was
a success last year and is an improy
ed product now. The other fellows
are welcome 10 what business we
can't take care of and that is what
they are getting. We wish them
nothing but luck.
Another of the new factories max
ing its debut this year boasts as It's
chief stock in trade the fact that the
man who designed its car was one OF
the assistant engineers al the factory
which produced a most conspicuous
1902 success in the light touring car
class. The fact that the chief en-
gineer OF that factory was and remains
one of the most noted technical eN-
merits I'm the A. r. A. NJ. and was the
man who had TO stand or fall with the
success of the car last year is kept
An the background as much as pos
sible and the firm carries its imita
ton of its predecessor to such an ex.
freme that. in finish and lines and
resemblance is so marked as to make
the two cars almost identical, even
10 an observer well acquainted win
the original model.
Nor does the factory whose car was
pirated emit the least protest. Like
the manufacturers OF the cute little
ratnabout mentioned above, there IS
no complaint The makers OF the
original have their whole output dis
ooaed OF under contract and are per
focfly willing Co let the imitators
Gran on all the business they can
from those who care to take the risks.
from Philadelphia, OF Course.
- rohb writes a pathetic entreaty