Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-06
WlllYS GAINS FAME AS
AUTO PROGNOSTlCATOR
President OF WilIys-Ovcrlnnd Company
Has Marvellous AbiDt. to Fore
east Future Events.

/ Possessed with an uncommon amour,
or business sagacity and knowing the
automobile situation like Il book. John
! y. WHY'S, president OF the WHY'S
/ Overland Company. is regarded by
| many as the oracle OF the motor car
! industry
! His ability TO forecast coming events
! Is nothing short of marvellous. y year
ago. during the automobile show In
! New York. he made u prediction to the
| effect that when tho 1916 show took
| place there would be 1T least five
| tWclvc-cylindcr cars on exhibition
/ And when the twin skies were counted
/ this year it was found that he had
forctold the exact number.
! This was but another striking exam
! pie Of the foresight and Keen business
acumcn of the Toledo manufacturer
Not only has he the ability to judge in
! advance. but his knowledge of the
different phases of the automobile in
dustry has given him the cnviablc
reputation of being one of the best
posted men in the field.
! In 1913 and the year following his
calculations rs TO what the public
would demand were almost uncanny
| He forctold the type. size and price
! that would meet with the approval OF
the majority OF motorists. That he
was correct is evidenced by the fact
! that tho total production. amounting
! TO $4,000 cars for the two-ycar period
was not nearly enough to supply the
! demand.
| Another prediction made by Mr. Will
| lys q year ago was that the Ovcrla nd
/ factory would bc shipping COO cars II
I day before the end OF 1915. At that
I time the Toledo plant was setting the
pace for all motor car manufacturers
with the except OF one. Its daily out
! put was averaging around l50 cars. but
! even though its growth had been pho
, r.
! WHY'S believed it possible to quad
ripple its production during the year
| just passed.
! However before the end of September
the factory had fulfilled the prediction
of its president. Not only did Mr.
program. but he increased the manufac-
| turing facilities OF the plant so that
it is now possible to build 1000 ma
chimes every twenty-four hours
Time after time he has pittcd his
business Judgment against that OF ex-
| pertS in some particular line and the
result Invariably has been the same.
Before the war sent prices soaring.
| the material market was at normal.
Many manufacturers hnurht only
enough of tho raw products to last
them through tho next season. WHY'S.
however. decided to take advantage OF
the low prices and the result is that
| while most every automobile manu-
facturcr in the country IS clamoring
to-day for materials 1T any price, tho
Overland is provided with ample sup
piles To take care of its entire 1916
production.
On aluminium alone tho WHY'S Over
land Company has been able to save
S3,5Oo. 900, while the saving on steel
amounts to another 81 600. 600. 1t IL
due primarily to these economies that
tho Toledo concern was able to deduct
$50 from tho original price of its model
S3-B even In the face Of Il rising ma
terial market.
Some idea of tho rapid growth Of
, tho Overland factory can he gained
from the fact that In June the total
number Of buildings contained seven
ty-nlnc acres of floor space. while at
present there arc i.+SG.6So square feet
/ or more than hundred acres Of floor
space available for manufacturing pur-
poses