Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-03-16
OvER2,OOO.
CARS. ARE
SOLD HERE
in WEEK
Greatest Auto Exhibit of All
Times Closes a Big Sue
cess; Motor Parade
the Finale.

The grandest exhibition of motor
cars Omaha has ever seen closed
last night. The final brought thou
sands to the scene of artistry and
elegance of workmanship in motor
dom. The show was a striking sue
cess from every standpoint, and ex-
emplified the industrial spirit of the
Gate City already looming in splen-
dor in the early months of recon-
struction.
Omaha has benefited much by
the grand exhibition of cars" Man
ager Clarke Powell, busiest man
west of Chicago during the past
week, declared. "The success of the
show is seen in the large number of
cars sold and the impetus given the
automobile industry. Dealers say
they have sold by so per cent more
cars than ever before, and this is due
to the imposing display and demon
stration of their cars"
Two Thousand Cars Sold.
The past week in the Auditorium
was literal pit of business and So
cial gathering. 1t is estimated that
more than 1000 motor cars were
sold, besides nearly 200 trucks.
Farmers played an important part
in the purchases. This years total
attendance to the show shattered all
records of previous exhibitions of
motor cars. More than 100000 per-
sons passed through the main en-
trance of the Auditorium. Omaha
hotels were filled to capacity, taking
care of the innumerable visitors to
, Omaha's Fourteenth Annual Auto
show.
1t is the opinion of local auto
mobile dealers that nearly $2,0O0,0OO
worth of motor cars were sold dur
ing the show, deliveries to be made
as soon as possible. Incidental to
the display of cars, Omaha was hon
ored BY highly rated men from the
east, representatives of large auto
mobile factories. c. B. Voorhis,
general sales manager of the Nash
Motor Car company, declared
Omaha's show a peer to New York's
display of cars.
Planned Shows Extention.
With steadily increasing crowds
having clamored into the Audito-
rum day by day, officials at first
planned to extend the show another
week, but novel scheme of earlier
opening hours and later closing time
relieved the situation.
The most popular event of the
show was Musical Night, held on
Thursday. A varied program of spe-
cial vocal and instrumental music
attracted more than $4,000 persons
to the Auditorium that night. An
added decoration of allied flags and
bunting, intermingled about the
strikingly colored adornments of
the balcony and ceiling, were sig
nificant of Friday nights occasion,
Army and Navy night. A steady
stream of uniforms passed the main
entrance from o'clock till 9.
Majors, captains, shave-tails and
a number of sailors and marines
were prominent in the crowd. Par
ticularly interesting was the famous
Liberty Twelve motor, on exhibition
in the Annex The flashy colored
speedsters and wasp-tailed roadsters
held the eye of many a returned SOL
dier and sailor The largest bust
ness of one day was done on
Wednesday, Dealers day. More
than 400 cars were sold that day.
Last nights attendance far ex-
ceeded the record of previous years,
The crowds simply wanted to re-
main, and look at the cars, while
those of the social sets lounged
comfortably in high-priced sedans.
Much Benefit to Omaha.
Industrial Omaha benefited much
by the show. Thousands of persons
were attracted to the city. More
business was done in the automo-
! bile industry during the last week
than during six months of last year,
officials of the show declared. Cars
were sold as fast as Flor de Ropes
! on election day. Even the autoac-
| cessory stores that were barred
4 from the show did an immense bus
iness. New creations in automobile
parts were demonstrated and sold.
Truck bodies were disposed of in
large numbers. Farmers became
more interested in the truck and
many bought them
An interesting feature of the
| grand finale was procession of the
\ finest cars in front of the Auditor
ium yesterday afternoon. Signs,
banners, electric horns and cut-outs
were loudly evident in the parade.
i Omaha dealers closed their
booths with supreme satisfaction OF
the largest business and finest dis
play Of cars they have ever had.