Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-11-30
DEVELOP MENT OF
ELECTRICS RAPID
Remarkable Advancement In This
Branch Of Autm0hIe Business Has
Been Made,
FIRST CAR SEEN p YEARS AGO
Was Built by William Morrison. neS
Maines. i'm 1s91-Industry Firm
ly Established.
Ri Z. u. FISHER.


It IS now % years since the first
electric vehicle was seen on the streets
of Chicago. This car was designed and
built by William Morrison Of Des
Noines, Iowa, during the summer of
1891 and a year later was sold by him
Ito J. B. Mcdonald, president Of the
American Battery company. Chicago.
The Western Electrician Of Sept H.
1892. gave a description of the car and
of the excitement caused by its ap-
pearance on the streets of the western
metropolis. Ever since its arrival
said that paper, the vehicle has at
tracted the greatest attention. The
sight of well-loaded carriage moving
along t-e streets at a spanking pace
with no horses in front and apparently
with nothing on board to give it mo-
ton. was a sight that has been too
much. even for the wide-awake Chi
.caEoan. Tt is most amusing TO see the
crowd gather whenever the vehicle
appears down town In a number of
instances so great has been the curl
osity Of those on the streets that the
owner when sassing through the bust
ness section of the city has had to ap-
peal to the police to aid him in clear
ing the way for his carriage"
In 1892 Fiske Warren, a prominent
Bostonian. was commissioned TO build
an electric brake capable Of car
rying eight passengers. As a result
the streets of Boston soon saw an cleo
trio vehicle which could attain a speed
of IS miles an hour. and which at the
rate of eight miles an hour, could
cover 40 to so miles on a single charg-
ing of the batteries.
On Firm BASIS.
From 1892 the existence Of the eles-
trio vehicle was an assured thing. In
1895 New England was treated to its
first motor race, feature OF the state
fair held at Providence. r. /. This
racing meet attracted the attention of
the country and in the Boston Post
there appeared this comment. The
results of the contests Monday showed
the two electric motor wagons far in
the lead On Tuesday there was one
of the liVeliest contests. One of Dur
yeas entries went to the front and it
maintained the lead for halt a mile.
with Riker's electric wagon a close
second. The entry of the Electric Car
.riage and Motor company finally
rushed ahead Of Riger, finishing second
10 Duryea Time, 2;474s.
In 1898 tn, Riker Electric Motor
company was organized IN Brooklyn
and began building electric vehicles as
a commercial proposition 4 little
earlier Morris and Salem OF Philadel-
phia began building electric brakes.
hansoms and hroughams for cab ser
vice in the various cities, afterwards
transferring their rights to the Elec-
tric Vehicle company of Hartford.
Meanwhile several firms engaged in
the manufacture Of bicycles had be-
come interested in the promising out
look of electric automobiles. The WAY
erly company of indianapolis built its
first electric carriage in 1897. The
Pope Manufacturing npany of Hart
ford was on the market in the sprine
OF 1925 with the Columbia electric pha-
eton. In 1899 the Baker Motor Vehicle
Co, of Cleveland made its debute with
a very light piano box electric runa-
bout with bicycle wheels and chains
which through some error in compnta-
ton has since been exhibited and adj
yertised extensively as the first cleo
trio ever built About the same time
the Wood Motor Vehicle company If
Chicago began building elettrics.
In 1898, Pope. Riker. Barrows and
Waverly eiettrics were exhibited AZ
an electric show held in Madison
Square Garden, New York In ne fol
lowing year electrics were again ex-
hibited at bicycle show in the same
place, and in the early winter of 1901
they occupied more than third of the
space in the first exclusive automobile
show in this country, held in the Madi.
son Square Garden, New York. BY the
Automobile club of America.
The electric automobile business wa.
now thoroughly established and the
output was increasing at such a mace
that several carriage builders. includ-
Inc Studebaker. the Columbus Buggy