The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-03-06

who blazed the trail for the use oi
the motor car IN Oklahoma. Wher
southern Oklahoma had for its thor.
oughfares trails ami wagon roads
watch were well nigh impossible by
motor car, Mr.. Cooper could be seen
hopping about the country in his
Ford, and with him he carried two
pieces Of equipment which are today
obsolete but which were at the time
absolute necessities lor motor travel
They were spade and an axe. For
rs he rode, Mr., Cooper had 10 clear
his own path. This statement does
not in any manner tend To lessen TIE
Truth of the saying that "a Ford al
ways gets there" for the obstacles
with which the driver OF u motor
car had to contend in those days
were sufficient to cause a horse to
hesitate before attempting 10 over
come paem, and even today, the Ford
people will admit that their car is
not superior to the horse in negotia-
ting certain places.
At the time, Tom Cooper owned
- OiI 5Ai a6t dl DAi-lFis OhlduOIIld.
1t was his first venture in the au-
tomobile game. He had acquired the
garage and Ford agency in rather
peculiar manner. The man who own
cd the garage prior to Mr. Cooper,
also owned a plumbing shop as q
profitable investment. Mr. Cooper at
the time was in the cotton business,
a.
pied. So he received a proposition
rem the plumber to the effect that
If he would purchase the plumbing bu.
siness for $3.50. the plumber would
throw in the Ford agency free. Mr.
Cooper mad faith in the auto agency,
having been acquainted with the sue
cess the Ford car had met with in
Texas so in order that he might ac-
quire control of the Ford garage he
purchased the plumbing shop. A few
mcnths later he sold the plumbing
business. and confined his time 10 tne
selling Of Fords. lie had male the
purchase durin. the latter part OF
1913, and almost immediately after
commenced the erection of a modern
fire-proof garage, so by 1870 feet in
size. In the spring he received a
shipment OF % Fords. which he stored |
in his place of business.
The citizens ct Stgler, Mr.. Cooper |
says, regarded him as being very
foolish when he erected the garage |
building, and still more so" when he |
or]ered shipment II % cars. For |
they regarded the automobile as alb
solutely unessential In that territory. |
on account of the impossible condi- |
tiVn OF the roads. and the rugged ma |
turo OF the country. In fact, the main |
street Of Stigler was SO rough and |
irregular, that in o.ler TO bring the |
Fords from the railroad station 10 mis- |
garage, Mr.. Cooper had To hire teams |
TO haul them there. The citizens ex-
pressed deep sympathy for Mr.. Cooper. |
or they felt certain that he was |
sauandcring his money In his invest |
ment in the Ford agency. But Mr. |
Cooper was not lismayed and did not |
permit himself to be led by the eY-
pressions OF uae citizens. He had |
faith, confidence, thorough knowledge |
Of salesnanship, and was not afraid |
OF hard work, and with these cnviable |
assets, he eventually succeeded in |
establishing fine business in the |
territory which he covered. At the |
time ne controlled territory Tor "A ra-
iius OF 100 miles. But when toe Ford |
people changed their policy In 1914. |
AMI decided that there should be a |
Ford agency In every town large en- |
ough . have a postotfice. his terri |
tory was olt down, and his business
was confined to stigler and the I'M
mediate vicinity. The Ford people |
limited his contract to 30 cars per
year. Mr.. Cooper was displeaSed with
this because he had built up a bus-
ness which required a larger contract
Than this. So he saw the manager
OF the territory AT Oklahoma C'y.
and Informed him that he desire,, a
greater number Of cars The manager
refused 10 permit Il, so Mr.. Cooper
Informed that gentleman that rauner
than be limited to but 90 cars per
year, he would give up the Ford
agency at Stigler. The manager sug-
gested that Mr.. Cooper take hold OF
~ agency at some other place in
Okiaboma. mir. Cooper replied that
he was. y.flling to 30 anywhere pro-
vided that he would be supplioi with
q sufficient number ot cars lie stat.
ed that he preferred an oil town. SO
after a careful study OF list o. towns
In southern Oklahoma Mr. Coonar
chose Ardmore. and was given CO.
car contract In this city. In Novem-
Der, 1914. he rented out his building
at Stigler. and moved this stock to
Ardmore. His first difficulty in this
city was the inability to find a loca-
ton SO he secured temporary quar-
ters with Ray Paterson, at me old
Palace Garage, opposite the postufffice.
Shortly after he secured lease on
u two-story stone building on A street
in the rear of what is now
the First National Bank building The
size Of the building was so by so
feet. and at the time of its leasing by
MFR. Cooper Il was occupied as liv-
cry stable on the first floor. and an
African Golf Emporium on the second
Mr.. Cooper remodeled the building im-
at cost OF $1,000. which
was a large expenditure at the time.
He installed an elevator, put In a new
'front.'. laid cement floors, and made II
he best garage In Ardmore. II was
aot until January 1st, 1915, that AIR
80, naua III