The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-01-15
STORIES OF EARLY
AUTO DAYS RECITED
PIONEERS AT NEW YORK AUTO.
MOBILE SHOW TELLS INTER
ESTlNG EXPERIENCES =
Machines Had Clumsy Gas Engines
With Csrbureters as Large as
TubsNFord's Horseless Buggy.

The many automobilists from all
over the county attending the annua
Aut show at New York last week are
telling many "reminiscences OF the nrst
machines made in this country thirty
years ago. Charles r. Duryea. one OF
the oldest automobile historians" in
the country told several interesting
stories about the first machines. which
a part of them is here given from the
New York sun:
IL was thirty years ago. in the sum
mer of 1856. that Charles r.. Duryea
saw a stationary gas engine at a State
fair I'm Columbus. Ohio. and decided
that At was the engine to drive the III
ture motor vehicle. II was as big as
an Office desk. neavy as a team OF
horses. had a ~carburetor as big as a
tub n used a dozen wet cells as its
ignition battery. The automobile was
not the style and most people were not
Independent enough to accept the IN
novation.
Twenty years ago the first automo-
bile exhibition and race was held at
Chicago and Duryea's car beat the
world. But We then the buyers had
not arrived. Much pioneering had TO
be done before the market could be
said 10 be ready. Fifteen years ago
the Automobile Club of America had
attained a sufficient membership and
prominence TO influence the great pub
lie. and the first real automobile how
was held. From that time to this IL
has been a triumphaI march.
Elwood Haynes had the eye of a
prophet when he began his little mo-
tor driven buggy by a two cycle launch
I gnulnn in Nnnnnakav HEnR krtr 10 AFa
not see that by that time the IN
dustry was old enough TO vote IL
would be ranked as one of the leading
enterprises in the country. lie saw
that the lever was not the future steer
ing device. but the bicycle crank steer
ing which bumped him into a tele-
graph pole on Wabash avenue aud
brought down a shower OF ice as well
as the derisive hOwls of the specta-
tors did not point the way to the mod
ern steering wheel.
Henry Ford knew traction engines
and believed IN ono small enough to
] serve as a buggy. His first one. built
in 1895. was a close copy of the Pen
nington motorcycle motor. and being
better built did surprisingly good
work. Alexander Winton. in 1895.
thought that a bicycle with power
would b. Of advantage TO his cycle
trade. but Fac years development
carried him further ava from he
cycle and more toward the car. until
he was ar the hoa OF the automobile
trade and for a while had no real
competitors. lie foresaw self starters
when others were glad to get the en-
gines going in any old amer.
Col Albert \. Pope looked upon the
automobile business i'm 1895 as a spec
ulative bLjness which he "a too old
TO enter. but his great progressive
ness would not let him stay out OF IL.
He chose the electric out and il cost
him $500. 600 to get started in that.
only to be Obliged TO start again in
the gasoline car line some years later.
Thomas b. Jefery was "A mechanic Of
highest grade and loved mechanical
development. He studied the coming
vehicle in 1895 and later bought a De
Dion tricycle. from Duryea in 1895.
He too leaned toward the motor bi-
cycle and one his first products was a
motor tandem.
II. II. KOhlsaat offered prizes and
successfully carried out the first au
tomobile contest In America I'm the fall
OF 1895. He must have spent 10000
20 $4,000 on this event. and few PEG
pie even consider 10 thank him His
satisfaction a. he looks az the great
industry now and remembers his part
in ~ must be great.
John Brisbcn Walker. then pub
Usher Of the Cosmopolitan Magazine
and sftorward maker ~ Mobile steam
ers. is another OF the %alruists of which
there were so few.