The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-03-18
BY c. B. WHITLEY
Service Engineer For The Intcrna
tiOnal Harvester Company In
Bismarck

In looking back over a period from
1912 to the present date. there comes
to my mind numerous changes in the
automobile industry. I have seen.
during that time, the number of au-
tomobiles owned In the Bismarck area
grow from possibly 80 al to well
into the thousands.
In those early days 1 personally
knew nearly every automobile owner
In or near Bismarck and was familiar
with the make of car he was driving.
This statement does not apply to the
present time, for the car owners have
increased 70 rapidly that / am now
acquainted with only a small minor
ity of them and the autos they drive.
At the time I came to Bismarck to
assume the position of shop foreman
for the Lahr Motor Sales, the auto
mobile industry was just emerging
from the one and two-cy1inder stage.
The Lahr company at that time had
just taken on the agency for the
Willys-O Overland line, though they
had been handling cars for some
three years previous.
In 1912 the four-cylinder motor was
in its early stages as applied to pop
ular-priced cars. There were a few
makes using six-cylindered motors,
but these we're in the high price range.
Even the Cadillac was at that time
and until 1914 q four cylinder job.
Block Casting New
r.. hl>~ ~~~%{s,~ ~ f1>D yrA4tN. vsyo e
in its experimental stages, most Of
the cars having the cylinders cast
singly or in pairs. There was at that
time a wide difference Of opinion as
to which was the better type OF cylin-
der casting-the L-head, T-head, or
valve In the head. The T-head type
was popular In those days, but now is
practically obsolete.
The clutches on those early cars
were rether crude affairs, compared
with the present type. They always
had a tendency to engage rather
suddenly, and it was worth the price
Of admission to watch the average
car owner start his car. He and the
other occupants Of the car would
brace themselves; q strained express
sion would spread itself over the
drivers countenance; then he would
try to engage the clutch as easily as
possible, with the invariable result
that the car would lunge forward and
possibly kill the motor. Then the
driver would do it all over again. and
perhaps several times. before they fl
nally got going.
Well, this was quite q strain on the
occupants Of the car and on the rear
axle Of the car itself; in fact. 1t made
business good for the repair depart
ment.
There also was much discussion as
to the proper place for the transmits
sion. some of the cars having them
mounted amidships and the others on
the rear exile. Each manufacturer
claimed III type Of mounting was the
best. However, the rear axle mount
ing OF the transmission Is now obso-
lete, due mainly to the fact that II
produced too much inspiring weight
making 1t shorten the lives OF int
tires.
Touring bodies we're the only types
that could be sold In those days, anc
not before 1917 was there much Of
any demand for the enclosed types
When you bought one Of those early
cars 1t was priced stripped. Tops
wtndshields, lamps. horn, ETC., vert
extras. This was done to get the ad.
vertised price Of the q low enough
to appeal to the prospective pur'
Tires Caused Trpuble
Tires on those cars were another
source Of trouble. II IN owner go'