New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-01-01

THE AUTO A MAGNET
BIG CROWD OUT FOR
PLACE SHOW.
Popularity of the Modern
Motor Car Plainly
Indicated.

II ocular proof was wanting of the re-
markable popularity of the modern motor
car, 1t was furnished last night the
formal opening of the tenth annual Inter
rational Automobile Show in the Grand
Central Palace. BY 9 O'Clock the aisles
were so crowded that elbow room was al
premium and little opportunity was Of
fered for close inspection of the
Everything was in readiness when the
doors were opened, and the completeness
of the exhibition and the gorgeous setting
brought many expressions of approval
Patrick F. MCGOWAN. President of the
Board of Aldermen, opened the show as
his last official act He said in part:
This occasion marks the tenth anniver-
sary, of automobile. shows. for the first
affair was held in this city in 1900. AS in
dusty during that time + G is Worth ri noting ny
that IN 1900 there were only SO exhibitors,
while in the. present show there are 32S
were unable to get any space. All this in
dicates that America is now in the lead so
far as motor car manufacture is concerned.
Such thing exporting an automobile
in 1900 was unheard of. yet in 1910 our ex-
Tess. the foreigners are keeping up with the
march. as evidenced by the excellent cars
they show here tonight, and it is the COM
petition between the foreigners and the
Americans that is making the perfect
automobile of to-day and making it at
price within the reach of thousands of our
citizens
Last years show broke all attendance
records for motor car exhibitions, more
than one hundred thousand coming through
the gates during the week following New
Years Eve and there is every indication
that with the increased interest in auto
MODELLING these figures Will be surpassed at
the present exhibition.
New York's Automobile Row" with its
salesrooms and buildings" tells plainly of
is distributing millions of dollars, in one
form or another. Hundreds of garages are
located in New York and hundreds more
will be needed to care for the fast increas-
ing use of the power driven car, which is
no longer a luxury, but necessity. just as
important the telegraph the tele-
phone, for with those two conveniences the
automobile makes for the bridging of dis
tance and the saving of time
We have at this show the greatest dis
play of commercial vehicles that has ever
been offered, vehicles which have an un-
certain TO lessen the traffic difficulties of
New York: car that carries twice the
doubling the width Of the streets; when it
travels twice fast it doubles the width
only half the room of horse drawn
vehicle it doubles the capacity of the
I now formally declare the tenth inter
national automobile show open.
Three hundred and twenty-five exhibitors
cars and accessories. In the latter class
were many novel and ingenious devices
which attracted considerable attention
from the throng Of visitors Eighty-four
exhibitors show some two hundred and
fifty cars, and these range in price from
less than 1900 to 5000 and over. The ex-
tibits include iftysix makes of American
pleasure cars, twelve foreign machines and
seventeen types of commercial vehicles
The show gives evidence of the progress
in motor car construction. Each separate
exhibit has its little refinement of detail in
body building or its improvement in some
component part of the motor itself, but in
a general way each car resembles every
other car Of its own class. Simple ele-
gance where eiega nee, comfort and utility
go hand-in-hand, is the keynote of the ex-
hibition. Even TO colorings, this simplicity
extends. Nine-tenths of the cars have
black bodies: q few are in the popular dull
gray: here and there a servicea BILE red Is
seen. and a couple of dark blue or canary
cars add a dash of brillancy to the scene.
But the glazing color schemes of other
years are conspicuous by their absence
lust as freak bodies and motors are miss
ing.
Makers and veteran users of motor cars
said that this is only the outcome of nat
uraI progress a purchaser nowadays
wants 2 car that can stand the strain. and
the makers are keen to provide just such
2 vehicle Costly experiments have borne
fruit.
In no other particular perhaps was there
ouch wide range In weights of the
cars exhibited. If anything, there is
tendency toward tightening the cars. but
there are still many models weighing in
the neigh borhood of two tons. The light
all c1e gb only
500 10 $50 pounds This wide diversity of
poundage is made necessary owing to the
difference in size and power of the We
hicIes. The lighter cars are reduced to
the lowest notch compatible with durabil-
itv and safety. Lighter and neater body
construction and better combination have
made the lighter cars possible.
The Palace was more attractive from
decorative point OF view than ever before
Outside of the trellis garden idea, the dec
orative scheme involves q lattice and
landscape effect, set off by mirrors, an
electric fountain and myriads of glistening
lights. No glare met the eye, however. as
the lights were masked by globes or con-
cealed by growing plants.
The color scheme is In Nile green lat
ticewoTk on soft Caen stone background,
while the roof resembled a huge trelis
arbor hung with grapevines, through which
the sky is apparently seen at intervals.
The whole is Illuminated by number of
immense globes of light which are hung
by chains from the ceiling.
Among those who attended the private
view of the show in the afternoon were
Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Wagstan jr Mr. and
Mrs Henry X. Bourne. Mr.. and Mrs Percy
Hall, Miss Elsie Wilets, Miss Edna Wal
lace Hopper, Mr.. and Mrs. Cortlandt
Field Bishop. Thomas b. Clarke. jr.. Nc
Rae Livingston, Mr.. and Mrs. II. p. Will
Jams, Philip Dodge, Francis c. Dale Mrs.
Frederick S. Pearson and Miss Pearson,
Herbert 4 Goddard, Mr.. and Mrs. Jules
Bache, DR.. J. a. Blake, Mr.. and Mrs. Man
ming. II F. Sanderson, Arthur Iselin, Will
sam Bruce Brown, William ID. Guthrie,
Winthrop E. Scarritt and T. Herbert Wat
son.