The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-19
SEEING AuT0s MADE.

As place OF unusual interest 70
sightseers the iarge~automobile FACTOR
les of the country rival In drawing
power the national park. Niagara
Falls and other places where nature is
/ her best. But the automobile fac
tories attract closely akin TO astonish-
ment to those of mechanical turn OF
mind. This industry, so young IN
years. has developed a vast array OF
machinery belonging distinctiveiy 10
itself and as yet little known OF except
TO those actively engaged in automobile
manufacture. SO large number on
visitors are entertained each day at the
factories that IL is necessary 70 employ
= number of persons whose sole duty
II is TO show sightseers about.
Especially is this true of the larger
factories OF the country. most of which
are IN Detroit. At the factory of the
Ford Motor Company. the largest
automobile producers in the world,
competent corps of guides are con-
stantly Leasing visitors throughout the
huge plant.
Visitors come to this factory in crowds.
They number up To the thousands DUR
ing the course of year. They come
from all parts of the globe and visit the
factory. singiy. in pairs, or in parties OF
from ten TO 500
Mostly the visitors are those either
directly interested in the automobile
business or those of a mechanical incli-
nation who are DESTROYS of seeing the
many wonderful machines that serve
in the modern automobile factory.
As has been said. the automobile
industry is so young. that it Is sim a
mystery TO most persons. Those VINO
looked askance at the horseies5 carriage
a decade ago. look with the same hest
fancy and incredulity at the multitude
OF machines. unfamiliar 70 them, that
steadily spin out the parts OF an
automobile.
While an automobile nowadays 10
such common sight that even the
unsophisticated country nag Is familiar
with IL and no longer pricks up It's ears
when passed by car. yet TO most the
many steps by which the completed
car actually assumes its shape are as
mysterious as the embalming oil an
Egyptian mummy.
No wonder then that almost without
exception when "a trsveler nnds himself
with a moments time on his hama
while in Detroit he avails himself OF
the opportunity TO visit the Ford fac
tory or one OF the many others.
And many large delegations come
from all parts of the world TO this city
for the express purpose of going through
one of America : wonderful Institutions
II not infrcquentiy happens that as
many as hundred OF such visitors are
found at the Eord factory at one time
II 10 TO accommodate these visitors
that the guide service Is established
The guides are % thoroughly familiar
with the points or interest in the factory
and can describe them with u great
deal more accuracy than can the
venerable conductors who prey upon
unsuspecting tourists in the Alps and
elsewhere.
AS they lead visitors through the
factory they explain just what esch
machine they pass is doing and wnere
each part In the making VIII be founo
In the finished car. They point out Inc
machines tina; do the work formerly
done by scores OF men, as, for Instances
a huge four way drill that bores forty
five holes ia a cylinder casting IN exactly
one and one-haif minutes. Then they
show where the parts are being as
sefnbl where the cars are being put
together, the department where the
motors are tested point out the testing
yard. and bring the visitor or VISITORS
back 20 the administration building.
when the visitors leave the factory
they have acquired "A pretty concrete
idea of how a motor car Is built
Sell S250,O00 Worth in a Day.