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HALF-TONE
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The Omaha
unday Bee.
The paper that goes to the
homes brings advertisers the
best returns.
VOL. XXXIX NO.
36.
OMAIIA, SUNDAY MOUSING, FEBRUARY 20, 1910.
SINGLE COPY FIVE CENTS.
JPIONEERS AND PROMOTERS OF AUTOMOBILE BUSINESS
Men Who Blazed the Way for the Gasoline Oar and Then Pushed the Developed Machine Into Its Present Hiffh Position in the Favor of the Publio
T
v.
HE Fifth Annual Automo
bile show, which will he
held this week at the
Auditorium, will show
1 most forcibly the
growth of this industry in the
west, and especially in Omaha,
which is the distributing center,
for the entire western country. It
will show that Omaha has grown
from a city which twelve years
ago boasted one second-hand au
tomobile" to an automobile center
with 700 cars owned by individu
als and a large list of cars in the
garage for sale. The second-hand
car of twelve years ago was worth
about $750, while today there are
cars in dally use in Omaha which
cost $7,600.
Omaha may well be proud of Its transition from the horse
Jrlven vehicle period to the present when motor vehicles have prac
tically supplanted the horse for family purposes and when the com
mercial autos are making fast Inroads against the heavy Percheron's
which draw the drays through the city. The growth of the industry
has been sure and certain and not marked by any such flurry as
was witnessed when the bicycle became so popular that everyone
had to have one. The bicycle craze soon died away, but it seems
as though the automobile was destined to a longer life.
Automobile owners seem to be a skeptical lot and because of
the cost of the machines, they study the problem and after looking
around, buy something to suit them. Thus It seems that the auto
mobile la coming to stay as few who ever owned one seem to be
willing to give them up and do without.
H. E. Fredrlckson was the pioneer la the automobile business.
He owned the first second hand car and has been pioneering in the
field ever since. Fredrlckson was the first who had the nerve to
buy one of the large high-priced cars and all thought he bad gone
,razy, as it was thought that no one in Omaha would be willing to
pay $3,000 for a car. Fredrlckson claimed he knew better and his
judgment proved sound because he not only sold that car, but has
been selling as high priced cars as he is able to get hold of ever since.
Clarke O. Powell followed in the business and he combined
automobiles with buggies. He soon saw the demand for automobiles
and sold his stock of buggies tq devote all his 'time to the auto
mobile business. The business grew and Powell was the pioneer to
establish his business on Automobile row. He has two large build
ings, now occupied by Fredrlckson, built for his use. Powell, after
a few years thought he saw a better field in the automobile supply
business, so he sold all his cars and has been engaged In the acces
sory business ever since.
Colonel J. J. Deright was the next to take up automobiles. The
colonel was engaged In the safe, business and carried automobiles
simply as a side line for several years, until he saw the possibilities
of the business, he broadened out and secured the services of Ed
Estill as manager and now has one of the largest garages In the city.
From thlssmall beginning the business has grown until there
are now thirty-six automobiles dealers In Omaha and five dealers In
accessories. The dealers and the cars they handle arc:
Atlantic Automobile company, Premier, Ford.
Atlantic Automobile company.
Apperson Sales agency, Apperson.
Avery company, Tractors.
Baum Iron company, accessories.
Bergers Automobile company, E.-M.-F., Flanders.
Capron-Wrlght Auto company. Speedwell, Moline.
J. I. Case Plow company, Ohio.
Central Tire and Rubber company, accessories.
Colt Automobile company, Rambler, Mitchell.
J. J. Deright company, Locomobile, Matheson, Stoddard-Dayton,'
Regal, Waverly.
John Deere Plow company, Velie.
Drummond Carriage and Auto company, White Steamer, White
Gasoline, Woods Electric.
Electrio Garage company, Packard, Baker, Rauch & Lang, De
troit. Ford Motor company, Ford.
H. E. Fredrlckson Automobile company, Hudson, Chalmers
Detroit, Pierce-Arrow, Thomas.
Freeland Bros. & Ashley, Maeou, Midland, Maytag.
W. L. Huffman Automobile company, Inter-State, Anhut.
Tamble, Hupraoblle.
R. R. Kimball, Stevens Duryea, Babcock, Cadillac, Stanley
Steamer.
International Harvester company, International. ,
Kissel Automobile company. Kissel Kar.
Brick P. Kuhn. Duer.
Llnlnger Implement company, Oakland, Gleason, Staver, Welch.
C. F. Louk, Marmon, Haynes, Fal, Halladay, Empire.
Maxwell-Brlscoe-Omaha company, Maxwell.
Mid-West Auto company, Cole "SO."
Andrew Murphy & Sons, Frayer-Mlller, Randolph Trucks.
Nebraska Puncture Proof Tire company, Tires.
Nebraska Bulck Automobile company, Bulck, OlilstuobUe.
T. O. Northwall company. Brush. k
Olds Gas Engine Power company, Reliance.
Omaha Motor Car company, Catter car.
Omaha Rubber company, accessories,
Omaha Automobile company, Auburn, Rider Lewie.
Powell Supply company, accessories.
Paxton-Mltchell company.
Guy I Smith, Franklin, Peerless. '
Raclne-Sattley company, Firestone, Columbus.
Standard Automobile company. National. Badger. Standard Six.
6weet-Edwards Automobile company. Moon, American Traveler,
Parry.
Standard Oil company, oils, greases.
Van Brunt Automobile company, Pope-Hartford, Overland,
Marlon.
Veils Automobile company, Velle. Columbus, Wlkox Trucks.
Wallace Automobile company. Stearns.
Western Automobile company, Great Webtern, Sohacht.
Western Automobile Supply company, accessories.
The Omaha Automobile club ia one of the active Institutions of
tbe city in the summer time and its life is practically contemporane
ous with the history of the automobile Industry in Omaha. When
Omaha waa the proud possessor of four automobiles a club was
formed and out of that has grown tbe present Omaha Automobile
club, which has done such valient service on several occasions, nota
bly ta the entertainment of the women who accompanied the dele-
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gates to the National Eagles' con
vention to Omaha last August and
in the entertainment of many vis
itors. When the Glidden tour
passed through Omaha the Omaha
Automobile club joined in the en
tertainment, although tbe visitors
stopped over night at Council
Bluffs. When Kansas City sent
its road race through Omaha the
Omaha Automobile, club acted as
host for the evening.
When there were but two gar
ages in Omaha they were located
at Fifteenth and Capitol avenue.
Now that there are thlrty-slx deal
ers, they are all trying to locate
on "Automobile Row," which Is
the name given to Farnam street
from Eighteenth to Twenty-fourth
streets. Clarke Powell was the
pioneer and since that time there
has been a continual scramble to
get a location along Farnam street. Large tenement houses
have been elevated and garages built under them. New
garages too numerous to count have been built during the
last year and others are under way.
R. R. Kimball built what was considered the finest ga
rage in the entire west two years ago, but now It Is entirely
too small and he has- prepared plans to build one twice
as large across the street. This will provide a permanent
home for the Stanley Steamer and will enable Mr. Kimball
to have his salesroom In an entirely separate build
ing from his workshop. The building will have some architectural
pretensions, as the Farnam street front will be worked out In the
Doric order, with triglyphs and details a3 entablature decoration.
The ample and striking entrances are provided and effectively
flanked by flambeaux, the wall veil between being given up to plate
glass and spectacular show windows. The structure is to be fire
proof and the floor space so arranged that two model show rooms
with offices and other accessories are provided on Farnam street,
while In the rear space Is left for the Stanley garage and machine
shops and a commodious elevator service to the storehouse on the
second floor. In general apeparance the building will match the
Kimball garage across the street.
The Omaha Automobile company will move Into its new garage
at 1910 Farnam street soon, where the new firoproor building will
provide a splendid salesroom. The present quarters at 216 South
Nlnteenth etrcet will be retained as a storeroom.
Tbe Western Automobile Supply company has doubled the si;;e
of its place of business during the last few weeks by securing the ad
joining Btroeroom at 1920 Farnam street. This firm has met with
reat success since locuting here last August and the necessity for Row, between Nineteenth and
more room forced them to secure additional quarters.
Denii-e Barkalow, manager of the Electric Garage company, who
last fall built a large commodious structure on Automobile Row, has
also found his room insufficient nnd has plans drawn for adding an
other story to his present building, which is 68 by 125 feet.
Guy L. Smith, a pioneer with Clarke O. Powell in the business,
who some time ago opened for himself in the old Christian church on
Nineteenth street and who last year moved into his new garage on
Automobile Row, has also seen the necessity for more room and will
add 100 feet to the rear of his present structure.
The Nebraska Puucturo Proof company has moved from 706
North Sixteenth street to 2201 Farnam street, on Automobile Row.
Alterations were made In the building to suit the new tenant.
The Sweet-Edwards company Is a new firm, with one of the
finest salesrooms la the west. The design for the new building was are now building garages, while others hare sites in view. Gould
made by Ernest Sweet, who is quite a builder of houses. A new Diets is building a garage for the Mclntyre Automobile company on
feature is the overhead skylights and also the front windows, which the lot adjoining Guy Smith on the east.
extend to the floor. The building is one of the best lighted In the Every dealer in Omaha has prepared to exhibit his cars and ac
country. cessorles at the coming show, which will without doubt far surpass
C. F. Louk has a new home for his automobiles on Automobile r.nv of its predecessors, both in the number of cars exhibited and
Row and will be located in time to show visitors to the show in his also in the beauty of the show. Eastern shows have demonstrated
new quarters. The salesroom
is distinct from the garage and
workshop and away from the
noise of hammers and incom
ing machines.
The Nebraska Bukk company
has one of the largest sales
rooms and garages In Omaha.
It Is located on Automobile
Twentieth streets, and houses a
host of cars, as Manager Huff
has a large territory to keep
supplied with cars.
H. H. Van Brunt of Council
Bluffs has seen the advantages
of Omaha as an automobile
center and is building a large
garage on Automobile Row.
He had expected to have the
building done in time for the show, but tbe severe winter kept back
the work of building the basement and delayed the work all around.
Mr. Van Brunt will put in a full line of well known cars.
Numerous other dealers are established on the Row and others
a. ml
that people are anxious to see what tbe year 1810 has to offer in the
way of new cars and both the New York and the Chicago shows were
packed from the time tbe shows opened until the doors closed. It
la said that the Omaha show will equal the Chicago show In every
way, and some even say it will surpass it in beauty and in the ability
of the visitors to see the cars.
The Auditorium was given over to the association last evening
and today an army of artisans Is at work Installing the cars and dec
orating the building. The work in the basement had been don be
fore, as that was not la use. Tbe management assures all that every
thing will be ready for the opening Monday.