The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-04-19


For number Of years. II has
been my desire to give the men
and women. the families OF the
United states. Just such car a.
this. wanted - build thai car
10 well, TO make u 10 beautiful, 30
strong. yet light. 80 powerful and "a
economical OF upkecp that every
obstacle IN the way ~ the motor
ear enjoyment ~ the great army OF
American people would be over
come.
The accomplishment Of this pur-
pose presented a tremendous prob
lem 90 me. but this problem has
been solved. when started,
would not have believed that the
car OF my dreams would be built
around half million dollar motor
To carry out my plan must live
and work In an atmosphere ~ leis-
urciy thoroncns There was only
one place that would suit my re
quiromcntA That place was Paris
SO. in tho spring OF 1919. accom-
panied by "a number OF my former
associates. ! sailed for the French
capital.
There the story ~ the half-mll'
lion dollar motor started, II was
produced In Paris entirely ga the
French way slowly. carefully and
without regard 10 cost. Time was
not considered. There were no In
ntr1ictions marked rush.
Not only did wish to work In
the slow and studied manner II the
old world and In the creative cnVir-
onmeat u Paris. bat I wanted O.
combine the scientific knowledge 81
foreign motor car engineers with
the facility OF production methods
in IN. United states. once had
the complete model. " would be
casy enough 20 make the standard
parts in America. My idea was 10
operate the principal factory In this
country. and 10 also conduct "a
branch In France
Paris has over a hundred and
alNty places where automobiles are
built. The output 81 the majority
Of these shops IL hut three or four
cars year. The proprietora q
these shops are creators II Ideas az
well as artisans 81 the first rank
Naturally. here was the place %
design and build m. car I had IN
mind. Here could take the threads
Of "a dream and weave them into
n fabric Of fact.
20 We took of our coats IN
Paris, and started our task. MS
brother Frank and visited nearly
all the little shops before We start
&c 90 design the heart ~ our car
the motor, We nosed around
continually Tor "a month. looking
over a great many cars and a
great many motors. We found tina
in France they didn't build for
great power; they built for economy
Of gasoline consumption. That WAS
lesson for US. n We were 20
make a car for the man OF limited
means We must get blK mileage out
can requirements Ne must get pow
cr. too.
Prank and watched the French
motor designers at work We saw
how carefully they worked out their
problems Of economy by the care
full relation OF bore and stroke.
Here was the principle that We had
long been seeking. To get what
We were after in u successful en-
gine. we must couple this efficient
French principle to the high power
required on American roads. We
must employ the aid of French en-
ginccrs.
knew the great Sizairc. the crc-
ator Of the long stroke. small bore
motor. ! was only able TO employ
him after protractcd negotiations.
There was also "a famous Franco
Swiss engineer. $. Gcrster. an al.
thority on motors and motor de-
sign. We secured him TO make
the drawings for the Briscoe en-
gine. our total force Of experts
xVaa ~ and don't know hnvr