The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-02
IMPORTERS LONG LEADERS.
Foreign Cars Have Played ImportRn,
Part In American Industry.

Almost since the inception of the auto
mobile as "A practical road vehicle in this
country the foreign ear has played u
conspicuous part in the annual exhibit
tions held In New York The Importers
Automobile Salon this year which runs 10
January 10, is the tenth time that for
eign cars have been exhibited by them
selves in New York
This does not mean, however. that for
eixn cars have only been exhibited the
past ten years, for they were in the
first automobile show ever held In this
country. the show promoted by the Auto
mobile Club of America in Madison
Square Garden in November 1900
The following three years the import
ers continued to show their ears side by
side with the American made automobile
at the annual Garden show. In August,
1904. the Importers Automobile Salon
was organized with the following charter
members r. T. Birdsall. r. +. Gallaher.
E. X. Hollander. G. II. Mabley. j. :.
Josephs, F. a. LsRoche. Il. 7. Kimball
and 3. Il. Bowman.
In the following January this organi-
zation held its first salon in Herald
square Hall This hall was none other
than the top floor Of the new building
erected by the big department store of
r. II. Macy 4 Co. In 1906 the exhibit
OF foreign cars was incorporated as II
section OF the annual show in Madison
SQUARE
In the following year the foreign cars
were divided between Madison Square
Garden and the Sixty-ninth Regiment
Arrnory. That IL those which acknowl-
edged the Selden patent were shown at
the Garden and the others were found in
the ranks OF the independents, The hit
terness In the fight over the Selden pat
ent at that time proved SUFFICIENT to
divide even the importers into two camps
despite the fact that throughout the his
tory OF the automobile Industry In this
country the importers have consistently
presented a united front.
In 1905 the importers again Joined TO-
gether and held their salon In Madison
square Garden early in January. Just
preceding the annual show of American
cars held there. The cost OF hiring Madi-
son Square Garden for the entire week
proved somewhat heavy burden for
the coterie OF importers, whose num-
Der in comparison with the American
automobile industry was indeed small
In 1909 and 1910 the Importers Auto
mobile Salon was run as section OF the
Automobile Show at Grand Central Pal
ace, which was participated In by group
of American manufacturers known as
tho independents" through the fact that
tho fought the Selden patent. In 1911 the
importers again struck out by them
selves and held their salon in the grand
ballroom OF ING Ihotcl NStoi' ''''Nc c'''
the salon has been held each January in
tho same place
The grand ballroom provides between
$1,000 and go. 900 square feet OF exhibition
space, ample for the annual salons. The
architecture and tho decorations of this
ballroom make these annual exhibitions
really ''saions'--that is, drawing room
functions Permanent decorations furnish
an admirable setting for the display OF
the beautifully designed and highly I'm
ished foreign cars. and the surroundings
are such az to appeal most strongly to
that class OF well to do Americans who
comprise almost entirely the clientele OF
the automobile importer.
Considered from one standpoint the I'M
porters Automobile Salon really began
with the one hold In the Aston In Janu-
ary. 1911 This reestablishment OF the
annual salon on a permanent basis was
due very largely to tho work OF small
group OF importers. including Emanuel
I.ascaris Paul Lacroix, w. T. Demarest
and Gustave Massanct
Not the least important function Of the
Importers Automobile Salon has. been
the Introducing to tho American public
Of many new features of design and con-
struction. which have since been gen.
orally adopted In this country Among
these might be mentioned the shaft drive.
the six cylinder motor and the valveless
motor. It's influence on body design IN
this country has also been marked
T.. u. Thomas 90 Race IN France.