The Detroit times., 1915-10-04
~. TIMES HAVE CHANGED SINCE CHARLES B. KING
B6R Ills H0RSELESS BUGGY ON STREETS OF DETROIT IN 1894

and Was compelled TO force his way
through the crowd. Within ten miles
OF the fnish he found clear road
and finished the contest an hour
ahead OF his nearest competitor.
II was in 1900 that X. +. OldS de
yeloped the curve dash runabout
with one-cylinaer motor anu 'AiS
car became famous over night and
really started Detroit on the way
10 fame and fortune. Mr.. Odds &C
tually manufactured AIS or these
cars In the first year This ngure
seems small now. but II was enor'
nous at that time.
r. Eugene Spooner. who is con-
nected with the editorial depart
ment OF the Automobile. New York.
has compiled the following history
Of me automobile FROM tho files or
the publication taking incidents IN
rotation. The results OF his ind
ing are given below. A history OF
the development OF the automobile
must he, as a matter OF fact. his
tory Of the development OF the City
OF Detroit
In narrating the history Of the
gasoline motor driven vehicle and
also the electric vehicle in the Unit
ed States" SAYS Mr.. Spooner, one
must go back TO the earliest days OF
the horseless wagon. because the
practica bility OF the gasoline motor
and then electricity for power pur-
poses had no sooner been establish
ed than pioneer inventors began to
adapt them for the propulsion OF
road vehicles
"Harking back to the early days
Of the gasoline pleasure vehicle de-
velopment. IL is found that during
the year 1898. the following promi-
nent men brought out their hrst
models. namely, Elwood HAYNES.
Elmer and Edgar Appcrson and c.
F.. Duryea. George Seldsn became
interested IN 1887. and two years
later applied for the first patent,
which. however. was net granted by
the patent Office until 1895.
In 1885 the first gasoline engines
we're used on road vehisles in Flu
rope. These were the inventions OF
Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler OF
Germany.
so much for he inception OF the
pleasure vehicle industry.
NO definite year Is given for the
inception Of the commercial vehicle
industry. Many OF the early auto
fitted with internal cont
,ustion motors. were designed for
use Although outshad-
wed by the phenomenal growth
md development Of the pleasure
ar. the motor truck has advanced
to the important position
I occupies today. not only in the
industry. but in the gen.
sral field Of transportation. II has
been evidenced at most If the au-
omobile shows, and even the ear
lt,t toulS WNtt altOhAPahN
led by at least one motor truck.
which served as baggage wagon.
The FIRST Glidden tour took place in
1905 A number OF the concerns,
however. announced delivery wag-
cns as far back As 1898.
THE electric car was used in this
country before the gasoline motor
driven vehicle In 1855 p. W. Pratt
on the streets Of Boston
with a e-passenger electric run
about. the prototype of fhe modern
electric automobile -Four years
later there was running on tho
streets OF Boston an electric coach
capable OF carrying eight passen-
gers at a speed Of 16 miles an hour.
At speed OF miles ar hour this
vehicle had a radius. or a single
charge OF Us batteries. OF 90 miles
Electric vehicles now 20 from 50 10