Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-04-25
Farm Life Was
Ford's Reason In
Making Autos

New York, April 24.-Life on farm
drove Henry Ford into making auto
mobiles.
Mr.. Ford says so himself in an arti-
Gle which he calls MY Life and
Work" written by himself in Nc
Clure's Magazine for May. with the
collaboration of Samuel Crowther,
author and editor
And Mr.. Ford still feels the same
way about farming. Not that he has
anything against farmers, he points
out, but there is too much hard hand
labor on farms" Because he was born
on a farm and knew without ques-
ton just what farming means, Mr..
Ford invented an automobile with
which he hoped, first, to tighten the
farmers task and, second. to aid
people without a lot of money in
their search for enjoyment and BUSH
ness relief.
That, in nutshell, Is what Mr..
Ford's article gives as the reason for
the Ford car. incidentally it is the
reason for his interest in farm trac-
tors and for a lot of other thinGs
which have happened in Detroit
recently.
The automobile, however, barely es-
capped being a watch. Mr.. Ford had
"a desire to do fine mechanical work
and his ideas naturally turned to
watches, he says. At one period of
those early days he had 500 watches
land knew what made the wheels go
around in every one of them. 1t was
then he thought of the possibility of
making watch for 80 cents. In fact,
he says. he almost started in the
business but rcfrained when he fig
ured out that watches were not a
necessity and so would not be sold
Just how | reached that surprising
conclusion is difficult to state, now"
he observes.
But combination Of the farm and
the watch, and the sight when he
was only l. Of a road engine was too
much for anything plehian in Mr..
Ford's future. He started to con-
slider the possibility Of machines and
after elancing at that engine, study
ing it, watching changes, reading and
thinking, Mr.. Ford branched out into
the automotive industry.
OF course, SAYS Mr.. Ford. the horse
loss carriage was a common idea. He
mad IT, as did several other inventors.
Hut Mr.. Ford figured that steam was
the best means for moving his car,
and he set about making a machine
to operate by steam. lie built one, and
1T ram But it had defects. lots of
them. He very carefully points out
most of them. When ne found he
couldn't work out his difficulties to
ms satisfaction, he turned to gasoline
and so was born the Ford.
1T was in 1890 that | began work
on double cylinder engine" he
writes. because it was quite imprac-
t tical to consider the single cylinder
for transportation"
Shortly after that the farm was
left behind definitely and completely,
WhCn~Alr Ford went to Detroit as an
engineer and machinist for the Detroit
Electrlc Co. at exactly SIS a month.
The Job wasn't much in itself but its
great beauty lay in. that it kept him
out in his work shop for he had spare
time and he employed it.
Two years later Detroit got a thrill.
Chug -chucGing down its main streets
came the gas-buggy. In the seat was
Henry Ford. Behind it was string
OF frightened horses and curious
people. In front of it vas hulwark
OF Wondering thousands. Henri Ford
mad found way to ride without
horses to drag him.
me machine, however, was a slight
problem. To begin with it blocked
traffic Not that it stalled, but every
time Mr. Ford stopped the crowd
started and he could not. in safety
leave the car moment Always there
was some curious soul who would
climb aboard, play with the brakes or
the clutch and then trouble com
mcnced
Finally. it came to a showdown
with the city authorities. At last
writes Mr.. Ford, although there were
no speed laws, no traffic ordinances
ne had to get a permit from the
mayor to operate the ma ;hinc.
LINUS loF time, ne continues, II
enjoyed the distinction of being
the only licensed chauffeur in the
country"
Mr.. Ford ran that first machine 1000
miles until 1896 and then sold it. It
took him four years to make the first
sale of a Ford automobile, but he
Immediately did what he has done
slnce-put his profits into building
new and better car.
All this time, Mr.. Ford was work.
ing as an electrician with the Electric
60. He had become a foreman at
Sl29 a month, but his gas engine ex-
periments were not popular at the
shop. Tho trouble was thcv heliered