Evening star., 1933-01-29
AUTOMOBILE SHOW
NOW 33 YEARS OLD
Exhibition Came Before In
dustry Had Mass Pro-
duction.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
The National Automobile Show
which has become as much part OF
the motor car industry as has mass
production, has marked its 33d birth
day anniversary.
The show, however, came to the in
dustry before mass production, al
though a few of the sponsors OF the
first show enWsioned volume output
and won for themselves the ridicule not
only Of potential motorists. but Of many
Of their associates as well.
First Auto Show.
"The week following January 20,
1900" was the period set aside for
the first automobile exhibition, but 1t
was announced rather as Cycle and
Automobile Show" and the uncertainty
that was felt as to the future of the
motor car may be seen in the fact that
"cycle" was given precedence over
Opportunity will be given for the
frst time" the announcements said,
Ito see a complete line Of automobiles
under one roof"
1t was less than decade after the
first American-built automobile had
made its appearance and a little more
than two years after the first sale OF
an automobile by producer to consumer.
Alexander Winton was the first pro-
ducer to make a sale to an individual
outside the small group of pioneers who
were founding an industry that ultl-
mately would measure the value OF its
product in the billions of dollars.
The aggregate production of the au-
tomobile manufacturers OF 1900 was
4,l92 passenger cars and no trucks.
Trucks made their appearance first in
1904.
Old Prices High.
It is interesting to note that the pro-
ducers of the 1900 model motor car
placed a relatively high price, meas
ured by present-day standards, upon
their product. The 4192 cars were
given a total valuation of s4,S99 ,443.
In 1929 the industry produced $751;
IT'S passenger cars and trucks and
valued them at s3,576,645,8 ,881.
The automobile show Of 1900 was
frankly an experiment, its sponsors
were not sure they ever would hold
another. They brought to the exhibit
ton floor the best types Of automobiles
the knowledge of the time could pro-
duce. They faced, however, the prob
lem of overcoming a prejudice which
seemed at the time to present a task
even greater than perfection OF the
self-propelled vehicle.
The prejudice probably was not
wholly without basis, for the motor cars
Of 1900, some of which will be seen as
contrasting exhibits at the 1888 shows,
lacked almost every essential to riding
comfort and driving ease. Potential
buyers not only were skeptical, but
many were hostile.
Early Uncertainties.
One incident that comes down from
the handmade era of the automobile
to illustrate the uncertainty OF the
early producer as well as the owner IS
given in correspondence between man
ufacturer and buyer not long after the
first automobile show was held.
II hear rumors,' the owner wrote,
that you are planning to bring out
soon a four cylinder model to replace
the present two-cylinder type. Please
advise me if this is true, for should not
want to invest in another car at pres
ent If an improved model is planned.
1t was one of the earliest manifesto
tions to the effect Of new model ru-
mors upon the retail market for auto
mobiles. The producer, however, dis
posed Of it in direct-to-the- point
reply:
ANY automobile owner or manufac-
turer can tell you he wrote, that
cause trouble enough. We are not
planning to add to these troubles by
producing four cylinder model"