echoes from an auto exhibition

7/21/2019 Echoes From an Auto Exhibition

1/11

Echoes from an Auto Exhibition

Author(s): Evelyn Marie StuartSource: Fine Arts Journal, Vol. 30, No. 3 (Mar., 1914), pp. 147-156Published by:Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25587237.

Accessed: 14/10/2014 13:30

Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at.http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp

.JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of

content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new formsof scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].

.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 193.226.34.226 on Tue, 14 Oct 2014 13:30:56 PMAll use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
http://www.jstor.org/stable/25587237?origin=JSTOR-pdfhttp://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsphttp://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsphttp://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsphttp://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsphttp://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsphttp://www.jstor.org/stable/25587237?origin=JSTOR-pdf


2/11

_~~~A

'

n

.

77

WIIITE

"SIX"

BERLINE

LlTIOUSINE-Typifying

the

luxury,

beauty

and

per

fect mechanical

construction

of

the

high-grade

moder

n car.

An

ar-isto

cr-atic vehicle

in

an

appropriate

setting.

Echoes

from

an

Auto

Exhibition

By

EVELYN

MARIE STUART

Q:E

FALL

the

interestingr

nd

beautiful

exhibits

at the

Coliseum

during

the

winter

showv

season

the

Auto

mobile

Show

awakens

the

liveliest

interest

in the popular heart. For deep in the secret

chamber

of

that mysterious

organ

every

one cherishes,

if not

an

expectation

at least

a

hope,

of owninlg

a car some

day.

WVe

are

a

lulxuriouis

anid

a

prosperouis

people;

opti

mism

is

the philosophy

of

the day,

and

while

the

cost

of

living

may

be high

among

us

it

is

worth

it, and

nobodcy

begtrudges

the expenditure

necessary

for

enjoying

to

the

full

fruits

of

otur civilization.

So

the

Automobile

Show

with

its

be

wNildering display of carriages, wNhose deep

cushionied

luxury

and

speed

of

the

winds

were impossible

to

the kings

of yesterday.

is

essentially

the exhibition

of

our day

and

our

democracy, typical

of its

activity,

its

prosperity, its science, its bouinty, its love

of life,

and of

all that makes

life

worth

living.

Nor

is it

inappropriate

that an

ex

hibition

of vehicles

should

be thus

regarded

as an

index

to the

life

and

progress

of

a

period

and a people,

for, after

all,

trans

portation

has

alway s been a:

factor

of prime

importance,

if not

the deciding

factor

in

the

advance

of

civilization,

and the promo

tioln of good

will and comradeship

among

miien.

This is

so

for

the

reason that anv

thilng hich inicreases speed diminishes

http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsphttp://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsphttp://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp


3/11

1

4

8

ECoI ES

FROM11

AX

AUTO

ENXI

B

ITIO\

distance anid

so brings, closer

together in

dividuals

and

commlilunities,

fostering

a

muttual

understandingt,

ancl strengthenilln

the ties of interest and friendship.

A

car inideed miiakes

for

sociability,

civic

pride,

a greater appreciatioln

of

nature,

good roads

and

good lhealtlh throtugh

more

time

spent

in

the fresh

air.

all of

which

tlhinigs are mtuch

to be desired

anid en

couraged.

To

keep

in touclh

wzith one's

friends

nowadavs.

to really know one's

home

city it is almlost

necessary to own

a

car,

and

vitlh

the

acquisition

of this

de

sirable

bit of

property

comes

muore otutdoor

life and an interest in all public improve

ments, particularly,

of the

highways. Before

the

advent of

the auito,

cities and

the

couin

try

were alike muore

lonely. Now neighbors

and

friends are never more

thani

a

fex

minutes

away,

wN-hile drivinig about

and

greeting otlhers

who

are

otut

for a

walk or

a

spin

gives

to the largest

city

that

friendly

and

familiar aspect

of a village.

It wvotild be

hlar-d to

say which

holds

the

most

initerest

for

the student

of affairs

at

the

Auto

Show,

the

cars

or t'le

crowds.

for

both are ftill of the story of

life

today.

Ior the

rich mani

there are

wN-oniderftl

roomy1v

imilotusines, eemingly

as large

as

a

fair-sized

cottage,

dazzling, externally

in

the

glittering,

mirror-like

stirfaces

of

their

deep

varnishes

and

plate

glass,

tufted

in

side

wvith

tipholster-

as soft

as the

favorite

arm-clhair

of

a

Britislh

earl,

and worth

as

miuclh

mone)

as

a- good

home

or a

prosper

Otis little

business.

Theni

there

are

less

magnificent

but equally

well appointed

and

efficient vehicles for those of more modest

mleanis-

smiiall

cars

that

mzake

us

marvel

how

so

much

may

be

had

for

so little,

suited

to the

needs

of

those

of

still less

affltience

or greater

economy,

and

motor

cycles

for those to whom

a car

is

an

un

necessary

or

uniattainable

luxtirv.

There are dignified

cars

full

of the

com

placeiit

conservatisni

of the

secure

of

for

RAUCH

&

LANG ELECTRTC-A

standlaird

type

of lhe

highest

class,

renow-ned for the soundniess of its mechaniical r nciples and the taste anid

dignity

of its

design.



4/11

ECHOES

FROMJI

AN\ AUTO

EXHIBITIOX

149

_~~~~~~~~~~~~Q

CADILLAC

INSIDE DRIVE LIMOUSINE-Characteirized

by

easy,

gr-aceful

linies.

This is the

car

purchased

b, 'Mr.

Percy

Rockefeller,

at the

opening

of

the New

Yoik

Automobile Show.

PACKAFRD

SIX

PASSENG3EP

LIMOUSIN,E-With

left-drive contr-ol

boardl

oni the steering colum-n containingi thie igniitioni s\\itch, light bottlom, car

buretor

contr'ol anid

Klaxtor-

horni

buitton.



5/11

150

ECHOES B

ROIL

H.\

N

AUL'TO

EXHIBI

T

I

ON

BAKER1

ELE-,CTR"IC

BROUGHAMl-ltleconinenderd

for

flexibilitv

of

conitiol

a-nd low

curr,ent,

consrlII)tionl.

Paul 'Puiret's

decorative

color-

schemes

o

olive

-green

wNithi

olden

brown.

naywith scarlet, attracted

mu1Lch

ttenitioni.

#~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

rrrr '

1PIFRCI

Al

POW

-1914

seven

passenger

touriug car-.

Onie

of

thle

la-test,

models;

of

afnio

atis ott

t.

at hiomie amlid

luxu 1 ;ins sroirius



6/11

ECHOES

FRO.1/

.A

.-4(

1T(, EXHIBITION

151

'WOODS

ELECTI'IC-First

presentation

:

a

191.5

mo(iel:

bttery

hoods

merging inito

body

design:;

new

chassis

consti

uction

of

sub-frame,

carrying

batteriies

antd

motor:

r

dius

r

ds atttac

hed to

r

ar axle

suppor'tinig

rear

SJ)r

ngls g,ix

ni

lever

age

wh-liel

makes

easy-

rid:ng.

PEERLESS-A

quality

to good

to be commoni: the

uitmiiost

in

eleganit

beaUty

and(1 r-efinerneilt-a

1914 inodel seven-passenger

toiuing-

car.



7/11

132

EAC

QES FROM

A

AUTO

EXHIBITION

tune;

inodest

cars

bespeaking

the

unpre

tentious dignity

and good taste

of

the

un

assuming;

rakish

cars for "joy

riders";

smart cars and plain,

and wonderful

elec

trics

for indolent city

folks

and

lovely

ladies.

In the crowd

are all kinds

of people

looking

at all

kinds of

cars,

seeking

or

yearning

tow rd

an affinity

in

vehicles.

Here

one may see financiers

and farmers,

merchants

and

lmechanics,

gamblers and

prizefighters,

doctors and

even ministers

w.Nith

dames

of all degrees to

correspond,

adding

the

brightness

of bright eyes,

an

occasional flash of jewels and the elegance

of furs

and feathers

to the brilliance

of

the

scenie-the women-folk

of those wlho

will

put money into or take

money otut of the

Show,

wrhich

is truly

a

little wvorld,

mod

ern

Vanity

Fair.

Lights

and

music,

gay

streamers,

decora

tions

and

banners,

shifting,

murmuring,

onward

ruslhing

crowds

and

glittering,

cars

are

not, however,

the only features

of

the

show to

interest the

student

of

human

nature

or economics

and draw

forth

obser

vations from the philosopher.

Not the

least

part

of

the

exhibition

are

the

men

who

make

and

sell

the cars. They

are alert and

intelligent,

prosperous

and

sleek, keen of

eye, smooth

of tongue, ingratiating of

man

ner, and,

for the most part, young;

good

thatches

of

blonde

or

black,

brown

or

brindle, being

much

in

the

majority,

with

a

slight sprinkling

of bald pates

and an

occasional good silver top, eveni the veter

ans of the craft

possessing

a

youthful

alert

ness

and activity.

Here, indeed,

is

a

young

industry,

built

and

carried forward

by the

bold

brains and

firm

hands,

the energy and

enthusiasm

of

young

men,

again

typifying

an

age

which

is

said to be

the

day of

young

men. Each

and

every other of the

older

trades

and

crafts

has

contributed

to

this

new arrival

a

little

of

its

brightest

and its

best, so that a wide variety of former occu

pations

are

represented

in the

personnel

of

this

great

neuv

ilndustry

which

has

also

developed

some stupendous

geniuses

all

its

own.

Many

are

the

romances to be

gleaned

about

the show.

Stories

of this one

or

that

who

didn't

have

a

dollar

when he

started

and

now

has

some few millions of

them.

We

listen with

interest

to

tales

of

inventors

wvith

a faith and

courage,

such -as

uphel(d

the

early

Christian

martyrs, rising

supreme

*above continued

defeat

to

final

triumph.

We are touched

by pitiftul

tales

of.the

big

brained

dreamer, who,

out

of the very

opulence

of

hiis

nature,

gives

awav,

or.

through bitter need of the immediate brea(l

and butter,

sells

for

a song,

the great ideal

that makes

a score

of

lesser,

but

mo r

e

shrewdly-minded

men, prosperous

or

affltu

ent for

life;

and by

stories

of

men who

lhave

made money

and of

men who

have

lost

it

in

the

business, until

one wonders

how much

of success is wisdom

and

how

mnuch luck.

-

More bewildering

than all the

glitter and

hurry of the physical, or the humor and

pathos

of the

psychological

side

of the

Show is.its

mechanical

aspect

to

an

average

mnind

which

is

honest enough

not to

simu

late

an insight

into the

mysteries

of

en

gineering.

Every

booth

presents

marvels

of smoothly working

machinery,

and

specialties

and

accessories have

been pro

duced

in

such

variety

that it

would seem

as

though

devices for doing

nearly every

thinga save

think

and act independently

of

human

control have

been perfected

to add

to the amazing

proficiency

of

modern cars.

Automobiling

like

sailing or

golf has

a

language

all

its

own,

and,

unfortunately,

not

every

one

who essays

to speak it

really

understands

it

any

too well.. This,

perhaps.

is why

really

efficient specialties,

after

a

few seasons

of

independent.

promotion

direct

to

the

consumer,

come in time

to be

inclulded

in

standard equipment.

It is

easier

to show

an

engineer

the

desirability

of

something

which

can be

demonstrated

to



8/11

ECHOES

FROM

AN-

\NT

UTO

EXHIBITION

153

.~~

~ ~ ~

..t

WINTON "SIX"-1914

model;

six

passengei;

a

commodious

and

luxurious

car, possessing every

appointment

for comfort and

efficiency.

CHICAGO ELECTRIC-Five

passenger

limousine driven

from fiont

seat;

selected by prominent Chicagoans foi- pi esentation to Pope Pius. WXhite

upholstery,

curtain.s

of r-are

lace and

decorations

of the

papa

cr-est

sugg,-est

its

destiny.



9/11

1

5

4

ECHOES

FROM11

AYN

AUTO

EXHIBITIO0N

his

undertanding

thani

it is

to

elucidate its

theory

to

the

general

public.

This year cars are practically all equipped

with

self-starters.

Next

year

no

doubt will

add

the

throttally

controlled gasoline

economizers

now

being put

to

the test of

individual

use;

for

even

the

most

lutxury

loving,

of

us

are

as

much

interested

in

sav

ing

money

and

gasoline

Nwhere

we

can,

as

we

are

in

saving

energy

and

time.

The

latest

and

best

devices

guarantee a

conser

vation

of

at

least

twventy

er

cent

which

no

ow,ner,

however affluent,

will despise.

Cer

tainly

anything which

makes for

economy

hielps to defeat the one argument against

owning

a car, and should be wv\elcomed

as

\widening

the

field of industry and the

pos

sibilities of

enjoyment.

After all, howrever,

the mone)T

spent

in

the purchase

and up

keep of one of these

wonderful

modern

vehicles of pleasture

and convenience

is

in

deed xvell

spent and

if

one must

economize

there are

a great

mnany

other things

that it

were better

to do w-ithout.

DETROIT

FLECTIIC-One

of six

1914 models

driven

wvithout using foot

l)edals

for

stopping.

star ting

or

r-e

versing.

I-Toirizontal

coultrol

perimits

these

oper'ations

w-ithout

remiov

ing hanids

from lever.

This content downloaded from 193.226.34.226 on Tue, 14 Oct 2014 13:30:56 PM
http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp


10/11

tr

LUXURIOUSTEWVVNS-DURYEA-Forearsast,lmilostinceheirstawnif henotoiianidurelyonhisountiyteast,healmle

Stevens-Duryeaa^.slwaysxpiessedLaultlesstandardferfection.ntsechanicalonistiction.otnlylo,utfateearheoml-plete

carasxprssedheastorniixuiiiyfppointment,-itiaslwayseenlhatihotuldeescrlibedsnssenitiallyleverar-iomtarto

finiislh.

Its, oreover,arn hichorehan)hetveraglerogressaseeniisceinibleiomIearoear.ohatowtsnotxaggertiollo

sayiiatteallytandsnlassytselforhe-easonihattmbodiesorefrin'alityfiacticehannytlieiar.

Thisear'shangesreewei-nLuimberhaiistual,hehieffhemeinghentiocluctionfombinedelf-startingndlectricightinginit

wvhichiakeshisnotable'.atmoimechlanicallyfficienthanver.niinuLsuLallyomfoiableeatingositionaseenrrang.ledorheperatort

theeft,liletrikinglylevetrrangementfheperatingontrolsddsnmmeasurialeoa:elndafetynperation.

Theuildinigfhearompletetheomelantakiesossiblehearryingtutfheesignier'sdealssLniit.hehassissesignednid

builtiotustsmechanicalunningear,eitheisheodyuiltulstsassenigeiompartment;tsesignedoaronizeithheapering

oodhichoversheonderfullylexibleix-cylinderotor,nidnhislendingflhatnheastaseenecognizedswoeparatenginering

f'eats, the resUlt is onie of complete haImony. The wlheel guards in

thei'

arri

anigemiienit

assist

fatulrfhetevens-Duryearacticeor-umbeifeairs.irrheelst-ehownnheoulrngarodel,ndhearompletentandardi

e(ltlipmelntsistsor95,000.



11/11

136

ECH-IOIES

FROM11

A-

4

[UT

EXHIBITIO\

ARGO

ELECTRIC BROUGHA-M-Notable

for

beauty

of

design.

efficiency

and economy of

operation.

roominess

and

comfolt,

luxury-

and

refirnement of

appoinitments

and

dependability

of

mechanism.

BORLAND ELECTRIC SEVTEN PASSENGER LIMOUSINE-With chauf

feur's

compar-tment

outside.

all

batteries

In

front

and

u-nder, driver s

seat.

Decidedly

distinctive and

extremely

useful.

echoes from an auto exhibition

Documents