The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-01-18
APPERSONS HAVE LONG
RECORD Of VICTORIES
Makers Of the Jack Rabbit" We're
Pioneer Race Drivers as Well
as Builders.
A WINNING CAR SINCE 1855

zone Of the pleasures OF handling the
Apperson Jack Rabbit agency Is the
fact that one Is dealing with men who
have had actual experience from practi-
cally the inception Of the automobile
business in America to the present day. %
says w. R. Emerson. the head of Emer-
son & Orme CO.. local agents for the Ap-
person Jack Rabbits"
Elmer and Edgar Apperson were not
only pioneer automobile builders, but
they were also pioneer contest drivers.
In 1895 Elmer and Edgar Apperson at
tended the Times-Day- Herald contest of
Chicago and were awarded the first
prize for the best designed gasoline en-
gine for motor cars. 1t was the first
award of such a nature to be given to an
American automobile.
'In 1856 Elmer Apperson drove races
on the Hippodrome track and went over
the Eastern country during that year.
On July 4. 1896. he drove successfully an
Apperson Jack Rabbit in the races at
Sioux City, Iowa. Later in the year he
drove an exposition car at the Minneapo-
lis bicycle show. carrying passengers
around the big convention hall at 10 cents
each.
in 1897 Edgar Apperson won the first
speed contest given In America at
Charles Power Park track, Boston. In
1898 Elmer Apperson drove exhibition
races at the State, Fair at Columbus,
Ohio. and at Bucyrus. Ohio. and other
country fairs. In April, 1901. he drove
the first car to run a hundred miles
without a stop in 4 contest held by the
Long Island Automobile Club. In 1893 he
drove the first long overland run from
10
lance OF 800 miles. delivering the car to
a customer. In 1891 Elmer and Edgar
Apperson were first and second in the
Automobile Club of Americas overland
run from New York to Buffalo during
September. This was the first road con-
test held in America.
I'm November Of the same year the
Apperson brothers separated from the
Company and formed
the Apperson Brothers Automobile Com
pany. The following season they built
and shipped the first car under their own
name. In April. 1903, they built the first
Jack Rabbit The follow
ing year. using a forty-hve horsepower,
Jack Rabbit they won
the worlds record between Chicago and
New York, taking seventy-two hours con-
day and night running TO cover
the distance.
In 1876 they wen the ten-mile handi-
cap race at the Harlem track. Chicago,
the time being 10 minutes and 90 sec
onds with a stock chassis on a one-mile
circular track. In 1907 the Apperson won
the hest percentage in the Algonquin
over hfty-nine competitors.
showing the best time for weight and
size OF motor.
I'm 1905 they were first in the light
stock car race at Savannah. and second
in the heavy car race at the same con-
test In February OF the same year
the Appersons won first in the Pasadena
Altadena hill-climh at Los Angeles The
course Of one and fcur-tenths miles was
covered in l minute and 3s seconds from
a standing start. the average grade
being IL 1-2 per cent. In the same year
they won first in the heavy car class at
Oakland roadway, averaging
8 l-2 miles per hour with a stock car.
The following year they again won
the Pasadena -Altadena hill-climb, cover
Ing the distance this time in ] minute
and "A seconds, or at the rate of sixty
miles an hour. with a standard model
Jack Rabbit car
We have here the record not only of
the car. but OF the builder. showing the
Apperson to be a properly constructed
vehicle TO withstand the strain Of every
kind Of work that may be demanded of
the modern motor car