New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-01-02
AUTOSHOW RECORDS
Space HARD TO GET.
Remarkable Grogrth IN the
Number of Exhibitors.
By X. e. Odds, Chairman Show COMMITTEE.
a. VI. c. NJ. a.

BY X. r. oids. Chairman. Show COMMITTEE.
n. NJ. G. NJ. 4.
Foremost in the minds Of manufacturers.
dealers and automobile owners of to-day.
as well those who have a leaning motor
ward and are likely to be owners in the
future, is the mammoth show which opened
on Friday evening in the Grand Central
Palace
Everything that could DE done to make
this exhibition record breaker has been
striven for by the show committee. and
when the public looked upon the grand
array OF exhibits and the superb decera-
tons there was no question that it met
with approval.
Eight months of time and energy. thou
sands OF dollars and a great amount of
detail work were necessary to give the cars
and accessories their rightful setting
Three months before the opening every
available square foot of floor space was
sold. and there was a waiting list, with
each delinquent applicant hoping that some
one would withdraw at the eleventh. hour
Much credit is due TO the pntiring efforts
OF my associates on the show committee
and no better or harder working congrega-
ton ever labored for the success of
motor car show than H. o. Smith,
last years chairman, and now chairman
OF the committee of mana cement; Ben
jamin Briscoe, S. II. Mora, D. J. Post,
representing the motor and accessory
manufacturers; Z. r. Hollander, represent
ing the Importers Automobile Salon and
At no previous time in the history of au-
tomobile shows has there been such an
overwhelming demand for space as there
was this year. 1t would have been an easy
matter to have sold from Sc, 900 to 5000 ad-
ditional square feet of exhibition space 1t
was necessary for the show committee to cut
down the space generally used fer the ex-
ecutive offices and press rooms to let in a
few extra exhibitors AS a matter of fact,
no building in New York, and that means
in the United States, is large enough to ac-
commodate the products of all the car
builders who wish to display their models
This year. in the Palace show, practically
every exhibitor is restricted 10 smaller
quarters with his latest models than he
would occupy were space unlimited aud
the matter of space has become a difficult
problem to solve.
It seems 10 be almost the universal desire
on the part OF motor car makers to cater
to the demand for medium powered and
moderate priced cars for the man whose
money is limited. Another striking feature
is the general effort to attain refinement
IN detail for the already laudable products
of other years. The ungracefuI automobile
Of few years ago has disappeared, and in
its place has come the beautifully proper
iy7
those exhibited at the first motor car show
The growth Of automobile shows, like the
automobile itself reads like a fairy tale,
and to those pioneers who can wildly re-
call the first show held in this country it
is hardly credible that the industry has
grown with such bounds and leaps
To the outsider who is not connected
directly with the automobile industry it
is a matter OF wonderment as to what
has caused the automobile show TO
have such strong hold upon the pub
lie and TO act as such a drawing card to
all classes, whether II be the class that
purchases automobiles or that class which
attends an automobile show from curiosity
alone.
Manufacturers who exhibit meet pract-
cally every dealer who goes 10 the show
from the most distant points OF the coun-
try. Dealers meet the buying public, make
new acquaintance and secure the names
and addresses of those who are really in
terested and intend TO purchase. All this
can be done In no other way at so small
a cost. Many people lured to the auto
mobile show by the superb decorations,
good music and exhibits of highly polished
chassis and luxurious new models catch
the enthusiasm while there. and either pur-
chase a car or go away with a resolution
made that they will purchase in the near
future.
In November. 1900, the Automobile Club
of America launched the first exhibit
ton I'm Madison Square Garden with sixty
nine exhibitors. On December 2. 1901, the
second show opened with ninety-two ex-
hibltors. There was no show in 1902. but
each year since has seen successful ex-
hibitions, with the following schedule:
Isos-January 17-24. Madison Square Gar
den, l9s exhibitors.
Is04-January 1919, Madison Square Gar
den, 205 exhibitors
1so5-January l4-21, Madison Square Gar
den, 2T exhibitors.
laos-January 1870. 18th Regiment Armory.
218 exhibitors.
isos-December 1-s. Grand Central Palace.
Is07-October 24-s1. Grand Central Palace.
257 exhibitors.
feOS-'Oe-December 81 January 7, Grand
Central Palace, 30l exhibitors.
lso9-l0-December 81 January I, Grand
Central Palace, 325 exhibitors.