The Omaha
Sunday
Bee
AUTOMOBILE
AUTOMOBILE
SECTION
SECTION
VOL, XLIV NO. 16.
Motoring'
HIL.E the importance of Omaha as a
jobbing center, aa a butter market, as
a retail center, as a manufacturing
center, as a railroad center, as the
locality of large stock yards and aa
' a city of more than ordinary com
mercial consequence has been given
widespread publicity by boosting Omahans for
many years,-a relatively new industry has blos
somed and Is rapidly extending Itself until It now
has become one of the most significant factors In
this city's welfare and prosperity. That Industry
i? the automobile business, and Omaha, from the
standpoint of the motor car manufacturer, is one
of the most important distributing points in the
United States.
A few short years ago, when the flT6t motor
ear was placed on the market, a few firms opened
their doors in Omaha and offered the sale of the
new article of transportation. ' Their locations
were scattered and were well downtown. A. year
rr two later five of the firms colloborated and gave
the first automobile show here. That was just
nine years ago. Since then an autombbile show
has been given each year, and the Increase in the
size of those shows is an excellent manifestation of
the advance In the automobile Industry In Omaha.
Locate on Farnam Street
While the motor car was atlll a doubtful Inven
tion, the first firms began to move their garages
and salesrooms uptown, locating near Twentieth
and Farnam streets. Then as new firms entered
the field and as new cars were manufactured the
agencies opened ' on Farnam street and Farnam
street was called auto row. Now it Is in reality
an auto row and nearly every business house on
Farnam from Twentieth to Twenty-sixth is an au
tomobile house.
The first garages were little more than sheds.
Built perhaps of brick and cement, but essentially
nothing more than automobile barns. Now large
structures four stories In height and with full base
ments are to be found. All of the buildings are
practically fireproof and several are absolutely de
void of eombastable amterial.
Included in the number of bouses here can be
found factory branches. These branches are dis
tributers for dealers . as far west as the Pacific
coast. Their business runs well Into hundreds of
thousands of dollars yearly. Their payroll Is
large and their shipments out of here accenuate
treatly the volume of business for Omaha.
Nearly every American make of car Is handled
In Omaha. Any person in the market for a ma
chine will find no difficulties In making a selection
In Omaha.' for be has an opportunity to see demon
strations of aU standard ears and does cot have to
w
1 v' --v ' i;
V
over the splendid Nebraska roads is one of the delights of Omaha motorists who thus seek recreation and pleasure nearly all the year
around enjoying the delightful climate for which this state is noted.
take the word of an agent as to the efficiency and
power of the various models.
The territory reached by Omaha dealers
stretches over the entire state of Nebraska, the
western half of Iowa, South Dakota and parts of
Kansas, . Colorado and Wyoming. Dealers In the
smaller towns of these state conduct their business
direct with the factory. Deliveries to dealers are
made from here and oftentimes pergonal deliveries
to customers are made from Omaha.
In view of the fact that the larger automobile
concerns, have by educational advertising schooled
the agricultural population to the uses and pleas
ures of the motor car, the biggest business today is
with the farmer. The farmer Is the man with tha
money. He can pay cash for his car. And he
does pay cash for his car. He is the most desira
ble type to sell to. And the auto salesman recog
nizes that fact. The farmer Is his best prospect.
And the farmer being his best prospect, Omaha Is
the place to find the prospect.
Dest Automobile States
Iowa and Nebraska are the two best automobile
states in the union. Per capita population more
motor cars are sold la these two states than In any
other two states In the country. Thus a large per
centage of attention Is directed toward Omaha by
automobile manufacturers.
- Whenever an agent suspends business here no
time is lost In selecting another agent, for the loss
of an agency, even be it for the shortest possible
length of time, means a loss In the volume of busi
ness of that company, so unfortunate as to lose the
representation.
Business in Omaha Is consistent to a marked
degree. In many parts of the country business
booms for a brief period, then It suddenly drops to
nothing, then another boom. But In Omaha sales
are constantly made, winter and summer, spring
and fall. No matter what the business depression
cn other cities, representatives in Omaha are con
iident of their success in making sales.
For Instance, in the south at the present time
the lack of a market for cotton has rendered the
motor car Industry practically nil. The planters
cannot make purchases and everybody Is suffering
from hard times. In the east the war scare has
been equally discouraging to the automobile game.
Money Is tight and motor cars are a dreg on the
market.
To Break Sale IWords
Rut In Omaha and In other cities of the middle
west manufacturers are preparing to break all
sales records. There is no business depression,
everybody Is optimistic, the war has cut little fig
ure and the farmer will be In to buy the latest car
model.
Each and every - tire manufacturer has Its
OMAHA, SUNDAY MOKXIXG, OCTOBER 4,
branch here. Express and freight shipments are
of more than ordinary volume. Accessory dealers
are among the largest in the country and their sup
plies are the most complete.
It Is estimated that approximately J25.000.000
will be spent this year by auto purchasers In Ne
braska. That is a figure that any other industry
would be proud to boast. There are about 40,000
cars In this state.
As an example of the extent of the automobile
business It Is only necessary to point to the annual
automobile shows held here. Nine shows have
been held and each has been larger than the pre
vious one. Every factory has several agents In
attendance and those agents are unanimous In their
praise of Omaha and Nebraska. The New York
and Chicago shows alone surpass Omaha In the
estimation of the factory men and they visit every
bhow In every city and should be authority.
Automobile Center of the West
Omaha has truly earned Its title of "the auto
mobile center of the middle west." It la the ob
jective point for prospective buyers within a radius
reaching 200 miles north and south and 100 miles
east and 600 miles west. That Is for retail buy
ing; for wholesale buying the radius is longer In
every direction.
Omaha is practically the central point on the
transcontinental Lincoln highway. The Lincoln
highway Is the most prominent motor road in the
United States. It has been completely marked and
the road Is maintained at every point. Travel on
the highway and through Omaha is the heaviest In
the country and it Is necessary that Omaha be a
city with well equipped service stations for the
accomodation of the cross-country travelers.
The Omaha-Lincoln-Denver road is another
highway known by all motorists. It is heavily
traveled and many parties pass through here on
their way to Colorado.
New Crs Announced.
With the current announcements of the latent
models and designs business along the row has
been greatly accentuated during the last month
and the difficulties encountered by local dealers,
not In selling machines, but in making deliveries,
due to factory delinquencies, has been responsible
for visits here by a large percentage of the leading
officials of the leading manufacturing concerns of
the country. These visiting officials find it hard
to grasp the true situation here. While reports
from many quarters are pessimistic and full of
pleading for assistance, Omaha dealers are optimis
tic and howling lustily for machines.
Contracts have been signed by Omaha mm call
ing for as many as 1,000 deliveries during the year
of 1914-15. This to the factory men is surprising,
1014.
but nevertheless encouraging. And it means that
every single official will return to his factory bub
bling, over with enthusiasm for Omaha and that
enthusiasm will find a place on the record book,
and when that factory intends to open a branch
in the middle west Omaha will find Itself first
choice.
While other cities are falling off, Omaha Is
gaining. Agents have surrendered their agencies
in many cities, but in Omaha new agencies are
opening for business with a confidence that assures
success.
All Old Models Hold.
The new fall lines of cars are more thaii
abundant. And the Omaha representatives are ob
taining every new car possible. Not a firm In
Omaha has a 1914 model on the floor. And few
have a 1915 model, as no sooner does a carload
come In than each machine Is delivered to a cus
tomer. It takes anywhere from ten to thirty days
to procure a machine after signing an order here.
The result is that the row is a beehive of industry.
Shipments are constantly arriving, but are con
stantly going out.
Several - new firms have entered the field in
Omaha of recent date. These concerns have en
tered into the spirit of business with a vim and are
enjoying pleasing success.
So great Is the quantity of business carried on
In Omaha by some firms that It has been found
recessary to maintain two houses, one for whole
sale distribution and one for retail sales. Such a
movement Is truly Indicative of Omaha's Import
ance as an automobile distributing center.
Salesrooms Are Irg.
Another illustrative fact which proves Omaha's
significance Is the size of the garages and sales
rooms. In cities far larger than this motor car
houses are but one-story affairs, in likeness to a
fched. But In Omaha ran be found garages of two,
three and four stories in height.
From the standpoint of service, stations In
Omaha cannot be exceeded anywhere. No matter
hat make of car, be It of American or foreign de
sign, the up-to-date repair shops can remedy the
defects. New parts of every kind of car are to be
had. Exclusive manufacturers who make but one
part of a motor, for instance the magneto, main
tain service stations here. A Khort time ago an
Omaha supply man received a rush order from
Stockton, Cal. Tbe order was for a minute part
of an American car which is handled by an agency
here, but has no branch. In an Francisco that
manufacturer maintains a branch house. Hut In
'Frisco It was found impossible to supply the part.
The branch bouse failed to have It. Hut the Omaha
eupply bouse had It and sent it west. An incident
SIXdLE COPY FtVK CKXTS.
which proves conclusively the assertion tha
Omaha Is second to none as a service point.
Secure Good Service Here.
Overland travelers, passing over Lincoln way
or other highways, are unanimous in their ap
proval of Omaha. They have found that they may
obtain any service they wish and at prices that are
really reasonable. The Powell Supply company
and the Western Auto Supply company, two of
Omaha's leading supply houses, are recognized as
two of the most modern and up-to-date firms of
their kind In the country. Their reputations are
countrywide and they have satisfied many a dis
gruntled car owner who was traveling through
Omaha.
To show In Just what light the Cadlllao com
pany regards the importance of Omaha, George
Helm, tbe local agent, was called to Detroit to pass
his Judgment on the eight-cylinder machine, Just
announced, before It was definitely settled that it
should be placed on the market. Relm rendered
his verdict on the eight car after carefully examin
ing It and giving a special model a test over fifty
miles of road.
When tbe . national announcement was made
Peim followed with a local announcement and was
one of the first dealers to receive a demonstrator.
He will also receive cars on the first delivery ship
ments. The manner in which Omaha has taken to the
eight-cylinder machine Is demonstrative of the
progresslveness here. An Innovation In this coun
try, although tried with more or less success in
Europe, Omahans interested In automoblling have
been heard to discuss the eight-cylinder proposi
tion with more than casual interest. The consen
sus of opinion seems to be that the eight cylinder
will prove a success and that other manufacturers
will soon fall in line with similar advancements.
But all 1915 cars show Improvements, and the
Cadillac Is nqt the only car on the row which is
creating a sensutlon. Any number of tbe light six
machines are selling at such low prices for such
sturdy cars that It seems impossible. It would be
a hard job to make a 1915 selection, and only ex
pert salesmanship or prejudice decrees car-buying
these days, for all cars are good cars.
That Is one of the advantages of the Omaha
market. Some factories slip a cog once in a while
and turn out an inferior car or two. Those In
ferior machines are sold In cities where the dealers
are not as scrupulous as 'bey should be. Hut in
Omaha not an agent would touch a poor car. He
will innpect all deliveries to him before acceptance,
and any car which shows symptoms of inferiority
will be sent back to the factory as quickly as it
came