The Washington times., 1917-03-03
AUTOMOBILE JOKE
N4TS EARLY DAYS
Only Wiser Heads ForeSaw 1t
Was Going to SuppIant the
Craze for Bicycles.


years or so ago the automobile was
practically unknown. In those days
the bicycle craze still was in its glory
and practically the entire world was
awheel
In the earIy days, the automobile
was a decided Joke. Only the wiser
heads realized that the gas driven car
in the end was going to take the place
of the silent steed. In their minds
eye those wiser heads saw row upon
row of automobile salesrooms stand
ing where bicycle shops then were
6ourishing like the cedars OF Leba-
non. That the wiser. heads were right
Is proven by what actually has hap
penec in the automobile industry in
the past ten or a dozen years.
Naturally the automobile industry
has only reached its present level
after a hard fight. Many an interest
ing story is told of its pioneer days.
when Auto Was Not Popular.
One of the early pioneers told an
amusing tale regarding the first mo-
tor cars that were used on Coney Is
land.
About fifteen years ago we came to
the conclusion that a good deal of
money could be made by giving auto
mobile rides at 10 cents a head to the
pleasure seekers at Coney Island. We
bought half a dozen cars that today
would look mighty strange in any
place but dime museum.
There were two or three Olds that
were steered with a long Gtiller, and
not by a wheel; French machine, no
longer built, which made more noise
than q whole factory of boiler max
ers; a winton that was considered the
prize craft of the fleet, and one of the
old q. S. long-distance cars. 1t was
a grand aggregation of junk, judging
by the modern automobiles.
I'VE thought that the dear old pub
lie would jump at a chace to ride in
an automobile. Our stand was on
Surf avenues right in front of Luna
Park, which had been opened to the
public for the first time that year. In
those days the sightseeing coach was
unknown, and, although the automo-
bile was not exactly a novelty, 1t is
safe to say that it was as strange to
the average citizen as Is an airship
today.
Baked At Automobiles.
1T was rather hard work coaxIng
ne people into the cars. 1t was as
4enishtnE how they baked and just
would not ride. They had an idea
that ar automobile was more danger
Gus than the loop-the-loop, and the
other amusement enterprises at the
island- Also 1t was astonishing the
remarksmade by the people who actu-
ally rode. I feel just like Helen
Gould was the favorite remark made
by the women. Why it was always
Helen Gould is something have
never been able to understand. Miss
Gould was not then nor has she ever
been very much in the limeliEht- Still
the popular mind.
Incidentally, the venture wss not
financial success. II remember cor
rectly we took in about 800 on July
4 and had to spend about $3.50 during
the next few days on new tires and
general repairs. Again our cars were
not large enough to carry enough
people at one time to make 1t a pay.
ing venture"
Speaking OF the u. S. Long
Distance car, one Of the first ma
chimes manufactured in the United
States, a good story is credited TO
w. H. Kouwenhoven, now with the
LocomobiIe Company in New York.
The Kouwenhoven, the Remsons, the
Schenks and q few more of the good
old Dutch families of the flatbush
section Of Brooklyn are all more or
less related, so it was to be expected
that a Kouwenhoven should go along
with one Of the Remsons when the
latter found one of his stores in the
hands of an automobile man who was
unable to meet his rent.
Had to Engage Agent.
The story goes that I. S. Remson
decided to take over the Lang Dis
tance agency so that he could collect
the money due for rent. The deal was
made and the Remson- -Kouwenhoven
clan moved into the building. The
pride of the new firm was one U.
s. Long Distance car. 1t was
handsome machine, as machine were
judged in the dim and dusty past.
The arrival of the first customer
created no end of excitement. A
demonstration was suggested. 1t was
accepted. Then with all due cere-
mony the car was rolled out into the
street and the Kouwenhoven Remson
clan started to crank the animal. The
machine proved to be a mighty cranky
affair. 1t just would not go. A hurry
call was sent for the original agent.
He arrived, whispered into the cars
ear, patted it on the back, and 10 and
behold, 1t ran as surely as a present
eiEht-cylinder affair. But he. and he
alone, could make the machine go.
II therefore was necessary for the
Remson-Kouwenhove clan to en-
gage the former agent to give demon
strations in the U. S. car. =.