New-York tribune., 1911-01-01
Lovers of Modern Motor Car
Flock to Exhibition.
SPEECH BY GENERAL GRANT
Aeroplane in Which Moisant
Flew Across English Chan
mel on View.

the show OF cars. which Will continue
through the week and close on the evening
OF Saturday. January 3 there is exhibited
a number Of aeroplanes and aviation ap-
pnsnces.
The attendance was large. and the aisIes
about the exhibits were fairly thronged
within an hour Of the time the doors were
oponed
Major General Frederick Dent Grant. T..
:. A., commander OF the Department OF
IN. East accompanied by three aides
Colonel Stephen G. Mills. general stan
CAPTAIN c. w. Fenton, "a Cavalry and
First Lieutenant Marion ". Howe Isl
Field Artillery, opened the show win All
address. which in part follows;
Ladies and gentlemen: 1t Is e pleasure
10 me, as / am sure It is pleasure 10 you.
10 be present tonight at the opening OF
The international automobile and aNlauoh
show. the managers OF which have asked
me 10 assist In this opening. because l
suppose OF the interest which army Of
ncers, Ike the rest of the world, are TAX
ire in tho use OF automobiles and aero
planes.
Tn my annual report OF 1910 wrote 10
the War Department the following recon-
rnendatiou
The greatly bettered concition, o. ne
ynAds in this section OF the United states
nd the wonderful Increase in the numbers
and he improved construction OF autoinv-
hiles have suggested to me the uul!Za non
OF these machines IN the Hittdc izc1e as
Automobiles art purchased on c!tiDenS a.
rspjdJy as the manufacturers turn thenl
out. and while they are produced Dy the
,ens Of thousands, there Is never It
demand for a large number; especlduy -
isis the case Of the larger sizes OF autoino-
bIIes which could be Of use in the mlil'ar'
service in times OF necessity. , d.. ~,
"It therefore seems 10 me That II Woui9
Re wise II the national government PdsseS os
laws that would cause the reElsuauon va
ell automobiles capable of Transporting
four ar more passengers. and that tne OWL
eYs OF these machines be leGally oDIlseu W
transfer them, upon demand, 10 tIe EOS
erpment for military uses, loI c. Suit
money not greater than the nrSt cost OF
the machine to the owner AT the tliie 1Ho
machinf IL needed. .. ,,,,,td
"If this we're done, the government couIu
hsys st hand and without cost, supply
~ transport alton for the rapid moVemei,
of troops, and in case Of need, the cost
would be vastly less than Wouip pe ne009
sary under the present connlllohs'
.rhe automobile is already IN general
use. having become necessity not only
among civilians but also in military opera
tio1s. An army not supplied with auto
roobiIes now would be regarded as sadly
deficient in equipment
..rhe aeroplane, being rapidly developed
and Improved, seems now almost i'll a state
Of perfection. the lightness and strength OF
.he motor being the only part of the PROB
len, OF air navigation not yet sausTactorlly
ss,t,ed. We OF the military profession hope
mat the government will supply the army
,ith aeroplanes, feeling certain that they
an he of the greatest possible service IN
military operations
This exhibit tonight, which is the
eleventh annual one OF automobiles and the
drst exhibit of aeroplanes, is an important
one., am sure that we will find II most
profitable and interesting 10 investigate the
progress made in these wonderful inven-
tions.
LAS requested by the managers Of this
exposition l welcon-s you here tonight
with pleasure"
The band played Hail 10 the CHIEF as
General Grants party proceeded down the
main aisle, and broke into the strains OF
America" as the address ended. General
Grant was introduced by Major Fuller. OF
Moline Ill, Civil War veteran well ac-
There was q brave showing of full dress
army and navy uniforms on the floor. The
national guard was represented by Captain
stratton, 9TH Regiment, and number OF
fellow officers. General Grant also was
welcomed by the official mascots OF the
opening night, figure dressed as Father
Time. TO represent the outgoing year Of
1910. and a tiny Cupid. typifying the new
year Of 1911.
great crowd OF funmakers. who later
were 70 sit at tables In Broadway Testau-
rants and hotels TO see the new year in.
hocked about the floors and added TO the
general jollifcation over the successful
opening of the show. The Plaufuss Or
chestra gave an opening concert in the
main auditorium. There were vocal solos
~ Miss Rena Aubrey and John Baxter, of
chicago.
General comment was heard about the
oeauty Of the decorations. Never in the
history Of the old Grand Central Palace
old for New York which tears down It's
older buildings in half a generation and
rebuilds-has the structure presented such
a striking picture.
Stage scenery, made especially for the
occasion. covered all gaps that might have
appeared out of place to the artistic eye
Noble columns, balustrades. panels and
sweeping draperies accented the general
scheme OF decoration. II cost the manage.
uent Of the show $4,000 to present this
picture to visitors for one week.
Seventy-three exhibitors OF automobiles
displayed as many varieties Of cars on tn,
main and first balcony floors, many of IN,
makers showing several types. Visitors
round tnat there was choice Of anything
from light runabouts, racing cars, limou
sines and touring machines 10 coal trucks
baggage wagons and business delivery car
Of endless sort, to attract their attention.
In the accessory division there wert
scores of new-fangled contraptions 10 mak'
the automobile owner spend money.
The exhibit OF aeroplanes in the aviation
section attracted much attention, and men
women and children hovered around tn,
Wright. Curtiss, Bieriot. Burgess and Moi
SAINT machines.
The Wright and Curtiss representative
we're surrounded by groups OF eager ques
TONERS, many OF them women, who askel
such questions as How does IL feel 20 faI
ont OF an acceptance "Will this machine
really fly with a man Ia it?' or, sagell
nclining the head, Let me see, who wa
H.. now, who invented the aeroplane p
Questioners were oourteously treated, how
ever. by the attendants, who in the cours.
0f flying meets in this country during IN,
last year have learned what TO expect from
the average layman.
II was announced that Orville Wright
who arrived from Europe on Wednesday Il