The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-02-28

S,11e.4qsr,as1-u -sfspN sks
non here and the Coburn Car com
parry, EorforK. va, are me distrfpu-
lots for the Studebaker car in this
secuon. One OF the largest, If not the
largest distributors of motor cars in
the. South, they have limited their
sales to the Studebal<er cars. This
nrm occupies a whole block in Nor
!oik, known, as the Coburn block, and
nave one of the finest auto salesrooms
ana service station In this city.
~ Gray Coburn, president OF the
hrnl. has his headquarters in Norfolk
win j. L. Darden, vice president and
general manager, in Richmond. Mr..
harden started with the firm In 1908
rs a bookkeeper and worked himself
up. having been with the firm con-
unously. excepting for the last year
curing which time he was serving
Uncle Sam in the army. Is now back
on the Job.
Back of this enterprising firm stands
the great Studebaker corporation,
whose home Is at South Bend, In
diana. The immensely OF the business
and the high favor In which II is held
al nome is indicated in an account Of
= recent dinner given In honor of
president Albert Russell Erskine. at
which MIR. Erskine outlined plans for
ecnlarging the corporation and bring
ing to South Bend 10000 skilled woJs
men and their families. AT the same
time, South Bend pledged It's fullest
cooperation In the movement by help
ting to provide housing facilities for
The $4,000 additional population
which this vast number OF new work
man represent The dinner was given
BY citizens of South Bend.
President Erskinc Speaks
The exact meaning II the enor-
moue project was told OF by Mr..
Erskine. what changes in the city
VIII be necessary were Also brought
out. but accordi"~-- fue speaker the
big proh''- Ehicn confgonts South
Bend + tnat ~ housing the additional
Cit rs Just what lhis meant was
told hy G, rassuacht. Of fhe Indiana
Lumber company. According 20 M~
fassnacht il will mean The cxnerH4-
TIRE IF 1000 600. the erection OF
1900 homes and to meet ho demand
In time the houses wilt 'lave TO be
erected al the rate al seven day
Tor the next two YES. In accordance
with the plans The homes viii cost
approximately $4,000 each.
just wIat the corporation is going
- do Ia South Rend was graphically
bAtitHeG by MT. E.rSkinF. ACCORDING
TO the speaker the new automobile
plant which the corporation Is con-
tenplartng to erect an investment Of
over 100000 will be required and
viii bring from i2.o00 10 1900 ad
cicorai employees 10 the city. Auto
mobiles will be produced at the rate
OF $50 a day by January I. 1920. and
the summer Of 1920 will see the plant
producing 400 automobiles daily. The
row buildings are now under construe-
tson. 90 per cent OF which are already
completed. Ey spring SO per cent
more will be erected and the remain
ing 80 per cent In the very near future.
Welfare OF Workman.
The new automobile riant WIFI be
modern in every respect and every
thing known for the welfare OF the
workmen viii be installed.
Details of the plant were told hv
NJ r. wollering. OF Detroit. Mich,
vice president OF the Studebaker cor
roration. by the aid OF chart MIR.
wollering explained In detail the erec-
sion of the new plant. which viii
4 cover over sixty acres OF ground. All
the buildings will be OF REINFORCED
steel and concrete. and viii AFFORD the
corporation 1000 900 additional square
feet OF floor space. The plant will