The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-05-09

all over the middle West. So he Dor
rowed $500 from one of the Glrec-
tors of his Elmira company and call
ed a creditors meeting.
Gentlemen" he said, 'if this
company is afforded temporary re-
lief we can, wi }. the little money
on hand, weather the Storm.
Here is our proposition. Take
preferred stock in the COM
pany for your claims at 100
! cents on the dollar, or take 10 cents
on dollar in cash, with 20 per cent
of the balance in one-year notes, and
an additional 90 per cent in Is
| months notes.
SINCERITY WINS THE DAY
In short, he was boldly Offering
those who did not care for preferred
stock, 10 cents cash and 40 cents in
notes of the American Motor Car
Sales Company. There was an up
roar. Again John WHY'S called into
play his genius for selling. All his
cloqucnce, his sincerity, his mistaken
faith in the future of the motor car
he poured out into telling arguments
Again he won the day. A majority
of the claims were settled for pre-.
ferrcd stock and the balance WHY'S
was glad to liquidate for 10 cents
cash and 40 cents notes on the dol
lar.
Early in 1908, the organization was
completed, with John N. WHY'S pres
ident, treasurer, general manager
sales manager, purchasing agent
everything. He moved, with his fam
ily,. to Indianapolis and flung him
self into his job with joyous aban
don. Here was his long dreamed o.
chancc--a product which he coult
trademark with his own name ant
sell to the wide, wide world. MINI
months later, on Sept. %, 1908, tn
Overland Company made a statcnen
to r. G. Dun & Co. which showed
465 cars built and sold, and ne
worth of $4,000.
In 1909, the company built an,
sold 1000 cars, did gross bushes
of over 100000, showed a net prof
|
900 cash in the bank.
"And that" said WHY'S, with
reminiscent smile, "was the creates
year l ever had in, my life!"
CANNOT REST ON OARS
Many a man--many straight
thinking man, too! would have rest
ed on his oars, content to make
million or so a year out of $3.50
borrowed money and sheet-iro
shed full of shopworn machiner
But not one with the vision of job
N. WHY'S. The Pope Toledo plan
up in Toledo, was vacant. 1t was
big plant-a very big plant accordin
to the standard of the day. But nj
so big but what WHY'S could NJ
:. see it teeming with workmen built
ing WHY'S Overland cars. With 1885
900 of the 100000 cash, he purcha!
ed the plant in May, 1909, and mac
a million dollars the day he bougi
it," according to his own belief.
e. Of course, they all told him he VIZ
crazy-how could he ever fin
v enough customers to keep so big
factory busy? He smiled. An
WHY'S Overland moved to Toledo
for which the city of Toledo shoul
rise up on is hind feet and gi,
t eternal thanks. Yes, WHY'S wa
l crazy-crazy like fox. So muc
) so, that before the snow flew, he we
t putting up an assembly building &C
feet long, 80 feet wide, and thre
( stories high, and in such hurry
| get it finished that the contract We
let on the bonus forfeit plan.
OFFERED $SO,OO0,O 900 FOR Con
| PANY
Through the next seven or eigl
, years John N. WHY'S was as busy ;
: any man has a right to be-from
: in the morning until midnight ar
: after was the daily stint he eXtrac
/. ed from himself Building aftt
building leaped into the air. Pr
= duction scared. Into the far corner
!. of the earth the Willys-Overlan
sales organization penetrated. TT
: instructive salesman, he authorize
the investment of millions for adve
tising, and saw that investment CON
to fruition several-fold. Every morl
ing he woke to find himself $25,0(
richer than he had been the nlgl
before-for in 1915 he was Offere
$SO,000,000 for his company. Banker
manufacturers and inventors came
him by scores with propositions
invest and to obtain with his capt.;
his uncanny genius in promotir
business success.
Under his banner came q score {
companies, such as Auto-Life, Els
Rubber, Curtiss Aeroplane Compan
Federal Rubber, New Process Gea
u. S. l.. Battery, and others. Mo-
than $4,000 men were finding on
ployment directly and indirectly
Willys's enterprises.
;, In 1914 came a master stroke
S Willys's genius. Charles Y. knlgh
0 an American, had invented tf
o Knight type motor with its slmp
sleeve valves. Having been rebuffe
S by every American manufacturer
/, whom he had offered it, he was for
: ed to go to Europe, where the FLOW
0 err 'of European motordom mat
e haste to accept his invention-Dain
e Ter, Panhafd, Peugeot, Voisin. Me
cedes, Minerva and others. 81
/; Europe products motor cars on abo'
S the same scale as she produced catl
0 edrals---one every so often. Al
o Knight knew that he could not Ell
t joy the fullest, financial reward Vi
d less his engine were adopted by .
e American manufacturer and one
e the leaders at that.
On a Mediterranean vessel he el
countered WHY'S, who, at the impe