Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-12-10
BIGGEST MOBILE
CONVENTION EVER
Six Thousand Dealers and
Others Taken to Toledo at
Company's Expense.
ALL ARE LOUD IN PRAISES

The greatest private motor show
ever staged by single manufacturer
is going on in Toledo, o., at the pres
ent time, where the Willys-Overland
company is entertaining its dealers
from all parts of the United States,
together with newspaper men, few
bankers and real estate men. The
show started December and con-
tinues until December 20.
Special trains, twenty-seven in
number, have been and are running
into Toledo from every corner of
the United States. These trains con-
sist of string of Pullmans and diners
sufficient in each case to care for the
delegation attending. The entire ex-
pense of the trains and diners is paid
by the Willys-O Overland company.
Last Sunday two special trains left
Omaha, one called the Omaha Spe-
cial" and the other the Nebraska
Special" The Omaha Special left at
10 a. M, carrying 1872 people, and
was accompanied by Adams Saxa-
phone orchestra. About the same
made up the Council Bluffs
contingent, which was accompanied
by brass band. The train left over
the Rock Island and was in charge
of J. R. Jameson, Overland dis
tributor, ably assisted by J. S. Willie
brands of the New York Central
lines and ]. S McNally of the Rock
Island lines.
Live in Cars.
When the train arrived at Toledo
the sleeping cars and diners were
parked in front of the new admins
tration building of the Willys-Over-
land company and the visitors lived
in them during their stay in Toledo.
The program during the two days
that the Omaha delegation was at the
factory consisted of factory tours,
lectures and talks outlining new sales
and service policies, minstrel and
vaudeville shows, banquets, smokers
and band concerts.
The minstrel show and most OF
the entertainment features are given
by employees of the Willys-Overland
company. The entire party is being
held on the company's premises,
which contain more than 1903 acres OF
floor space. The trains are parked
in the Overland yards, where there
are seven and three-fourths miles OF
tracks. Many of the meals are
served in the dining room OF the ad-
administration building, where 500 can
be accommodated at one time
Stop in Chicago.
The Omaha delegation left Toledo
on the return trip, at an hour that
permitted a stop over in Chicago
Wednesday, so that many of the del
egates could visit the National Live
Stock show being held there. 1t left
Chicago Wednesday night, arriving
in Omaha Thursday.
Returning delegates are loud in
their praise of the way in which they
were entertained and of the wonder
full arrangements made by the Over
land people Nothing was ever so
impressive as the tour of the great
plant that turns out the Whatsoever
land, $25,00000O being tied up in the
plant itself.
Growth is Rapid.
The growth has been most rapid,
developing from $50 employees in 1908
to 1890 in 1916. The administration
building alone employs 1000 persons.
The structure is SIS feet long and has
every facility for rapid work, includ-
ing its own telegraph and telephone
system and a mail handling depart
ment that does about everything but
write the letters.
In the shops there is whirl Of
action that is fairly amazing Parts
by the untold thousands are to be
seen here with value into millions
of dollars. Every thirty days 100,
tons of steel is consumed here and
the same immense proportions obtain
everywhere.
i During this great factory show
5000 dealers will be brought into
the Willys-Overland factory to attend
this biggest automobile convention
in the worlds history.