The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-10-10
MOTORING NEWS
AND VIEWS
FOR THE CAR
OWNER AND
THE TRADE
BY AUGUSTUS J. FERTIG.

Between the engineer who designs an
automobile and the manufacturing gen.
ius who builds it, there intervenes a step
which. while never OF a spectacular sort.
is nevertheless Of mighty Importance.
determining to a great extent the price
at which the car proitably can be sold.
This step is the purchase of material.
To the man undeE whose direction this
task is performedNthe autOmobiling- buy
ing public owes a large share OF the
increasing value that Is being put into
the popular-priced American automobile.
The purchasing agent is a specialist
in values of materials. He knows the
reputation Of every large maker Of ma
terials. and the capacity OF his plant
He is a veteran student of human ma
ture-wary, resourceful and shrewd.
An example Of scientific buying ability
is Chester J. Reynolds, through whose
department The Studebaker Corporation
buys annually many millions OF dollars
worth of supplies, varying in value from
the pencil of A stenographer TO the most
costly automobile materials and equip
ment.
Mr.. Reynolds experience dates back IS
years to his FIRST job in the purchasing
department at the Studebaker in plant
South Bend. His transfer to the auto
mobile plants in Detroit occurred several
years ago and implied a change in detail
only.
Backed by the immense Studebaker
buying power, Mr. Reynolds daily enter.
tains an interesting series of callers az
this office in the Detroit headquarters.
Representatives OF the big steel mills
statesmen OF high-grade leather and
paint: builder Of automobile equipment;
manufacturers Of machine tools, and a
host of others complete for the Stude-
baker business.
Guided by a definite policy. Mr.. Reyn-
ODDS sits in judgment He must be salts
fed regarding quality: If there is any
doubt involved. the Studebaker labOra-
tory determines that by analysis and
experiment. He must be satisfied on the
sellers financial standing and ability TO
make deliveries according to schedule.
He must he satisfied that the price
finally agreed on is reasonable, but will
still allow the salesman's firm a margin
OF profit This asst provision makes it
necessary for him to know the last word
regarding manufacturing cost.
The experienced salesman Is fully
aware Of all these conditions. He knows
also that the Studebaker contract will
mean continuous operation for the manu-
facturer he represents. and a successful
season as a result. Just how great a
saving this represents to the purchaser
Of a car may he imagined from the fact
that a manufacturer Of material or
equipment Is almost always ready to
quote. on pieces ordered in lots Of 5000.
a price approXimating one-third or less
Of what IS charged for the same piece
At retail list.
indianapolis, Oct 9-"Homeward. no.
is the slogan Of the Cole engineering
tcst party. II the present schedule is
maintained the transContinertal testers
will be in the Hoosier capital early next
week
II viii be a pretty weary and hOmesick
trio that pulls IN in front of the Cole
motor car factory. Almost 10 a day,
Chief Engineer Crawford. Field Adyer-
tisinE Manager Bradfeld and Chief Tester
Fettijohn will have been on the road
three months. During this time they will
have traverscd fifteen States and the
Province OF British Columbia. Already
the speedometer has clicked off more
than 1.5oo miles. Their journey has taken
them into the toughest country on the
continent.
The return Of the motor car explorers
has been timed most opPortunely. They
will be in the East in ample time TO
prepare for visiting the big automobile
shows, an important fact from the view
point or the manufacturer and dealer.
II is expected that the transCOntinental
Cole will be the TeiEninE feature at
the national motor car exhibits.
\ royal welcome is being planned for
the arrival of the trio in Indianapolis.
4 number OF private owners Of Coles are
getting up a parade to escort them into
the CITY. An informal reception will he
held at one of the leading clubs. In
recognition of the wide boosting that
the Cole chiefs have done for Indianapolis
and the Hoosier State. the Governor of
Indiana and the Mayor OF indianapolis
will be on the program to thank them
on behalf of the State and city.
When running wiresN for an electric
lighting system, great care should be
taken to see that none Of the wires are
50 positioned that the sill OF the body
can squeeze them. for otherwise the con-
slant chatting will soon cause grounds,
which will he fatal to the satisfactory
working of the system.
The wires should he placed in the chan
mel of the frame iron, and retained by
clips or brackets. which will prevent
in so far as possible. To
prevent shorts two wires should not be
held by the same clip.