Archive for the ‘Automobile’ Category

28
Oct

Just Purchased Auto; Runs Into Valuable Horse

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: Oct. 28, 1912

Just Purchased Auto; Runs Into Valuable Horse

Running his newly purchased auto for the first time, B.F. Kortz of the Prusia Hardware company ran into a valuable horse belonging to E. Gannon this morning on First avenue north. The shoulder of the animal was broken and it was necessary to have him shot. The horse was in the street in front of the new Wahkonsa school house where he is used in hoisting the material to the top of the building. It is asserted that the animal at one time was a very valuable one and that he had captured a number of prizes at different fairs.

The Fort Dodge Chronicle: July 1, 1907

Automobile Driver is Assessed Second Fine

I.R. Campbell, Fined for Exceeding Speed Limit, Will Carry Case to District Court

I.R. Campbell, of the Campbell Automobile Co., was fined $25 (about $577 today) this morning by Mayor Duncombe on charges of exceeding the city speed limit on Saturday and Sunday evenings. He was also unfortunate enough to run over another dog, as on the former time he was fined for driving his puff wagon too fast.

Mr. Campbell refused to plead to the charge and the fine was assessed upon the complaint of the officers and without the taking of further evidence, although Mr. and Mrs. Charles Fisher were present in the court room to testify against him. He maintained he was not running at 25 to 30 miles an hour as reported by the officers, and not even going faster than the city ordinance allows, and for this reason will carry the case to the district court.

1
Feb

Automobile Garage in Fort Dodge

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: Feb. 1, 1906

Automobile Garage in Fort Dodge

Cadillac Machines Will Be Sold – Autos Rented and Repaired.

H.B. Grove Has The Agency

Leases Garmoe Building on North 6th Street, Formerly Rented by M.Q. Daley – Will Open The New Concern March 1st.

H.B. Groves has leased the Garmoe building on North Sixth street, formerly rented by M.Q. Daley, and will open an automobile garage about March first. He has the exclusive agency for the Cadillac Motorcar company, of Detroit, Michigan, whose machines he will sell. This agency extends over eleven counties of Iowa, through which he will probably station sub agents.

Mr. Groves has resided in Fort Dodge for less than a year, having lived in Sioux City previous to his removal here. During that time he has won a great many friends who will be pleased to learn of his location here. He is the owner of a $1,000 Cadillac which he had drive across country on several trips. Besides handling the machines for sale, he will rent and repair machines and expects to carry a fine line of accessories. A thoroughly experienced machinist will arrive about the middle of February.

The sport of automobiling has not progressed very rapidly in Fort Dodge. Machines have not found much favor with the residents who seem to prefer their horses. The advent of an automobile enthusiast with a good line of machines means the formation of a club which will eventually join the ranks of the other sporting clubs in the city.

28
Sep

New Auto on the Market

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 28, 1906

New Auto on the Market

International Harvest Co. Making and Selling Autos

The International Harvest Company has entered the automobile field and is now making a very low priced automobile. The design of the machine is very unusual for an automobile but it is said to be good looking. It has the appearance of an ordinary one seated buggy with wooden wheels and hard rubber tires with the motor under the seat and the radiator in front of the dashboard. The engine is rated at eight horse power and has been found to go thru mud which others autos could not go thru. The price has been fixed at between two and three hundred and dollars and a strong sale is already being felt. One has been ordered by a local party while a Sac City businessman has ordered one. It is expected that later the company will start to manufacture surreys. This vehicle will be very popular with the farmers, many of whom are now using gasoline engines on their farms.

22
Sep

The Siren Auto Horn

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 22, 1906

The Siren Auto Horn

Description of the “Horn  That Startled the Mayor” – is in Favor With Autoists.

The suit of the city of Fort Dodge against Ed Rank in the effort to make him lay aside the siren horn on his auto, which holds the record for strange suits in this state for some years past is for trial at the next term of the district court. In view of this face a description of the horn that caused the trouble and in the words of big headlines in leading dailies all over the country, “startled the mayor” will no doubt be interesting to many.

The horn was invented by a Frenchman about two years ago and at once took a popular place. It is operated automatically by the pressing of a lever. The sound is produced by a revolving mechanism in the front of the horn and stars (sic) with a slight whir-louder (sic). The principle is the same as in the small “Devil Whistles” much in favor with small boys. The lever presses a bulb against the fly wheel which turns the “buzz mechanism” in the front part of the horn and starts the sound. A special copy right cable from Paris to the New York World on the siron (sic) horn has some interesting points on the matter. It is as follows:

Paris, Sept. 21. – Sirens instead of ordinary horns are growing in use among automobilists. This warning apparatus, which makes a noise like the wail of a lost soul, is much more effective as a frightener than any common tooter. A cart driver asleep in the bottom of his vehicle is not easily roused by the sound of an ordinary auto horn because he long since has become accustomed to it, but the siren’s song awakens him to the danger and the necessity of giving a portion of the route.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: Sept. 8, 1906

Peculiar Tangle in Mayor’s Court

Ed Rank Arrested for Sounding Weird Siren Horn on His Auto.

Fined; But Appeals the Case

Mayor Says Horn Sounds Like Dying Wail And Scares Women and Children – Rank Says it is Necessary to Make People Get Out of Way.

Fort Dodge is noted for its peculiar legal tangles, but what seems to be the strangest yet arose this morning in the mayor’s court when Ed Rank appeared charged with disturbing the peace by sounding a weird siren horn on his auto about the streets.

Mr. Rank bought the horn which has caused all the trouble in Omaha during a trip there a few weeks ago. It was invented about a year ago and has become very popular in the east on account of the effective warning it gives.

It has a strangely weird sound, starting with a wail and ending in a wild shriek, and if given full force, can be heard for blocks. To one who does not know what it is or is of a nervous temperament, it undoubtedly has a terrifying sound.

When Mr. Rank first appeared here with it on his auto, Mr. Bennett, through his police, warned him not to use it. He continued, however, feeling that if care was used not to sound it with full force all would go well. Continual complaints to the mayor caused him to notify Mr. Rank last night to appear before him this morning to stand trial.

At the trial Mr. Rank and H.B. Groves, proprietor of one of the local garages, testified for the defendant, stating that such a horn was a great benefit to the autoist and to pedestrians, because it gave such a good warning of the auto’s approach. They stated that the ordinary horns were paid but little attention and something to carry far was almost necessary.

Mayor Bennett held that the horn was a nuisance. He stated that its sound caused people to run to the windows in dismay, wondering what had happened, or to hide themselves in terror; that it carried a sound which was like the shhriek of a dying man or the wail of a lost soul and that numbers of prominent people of the city (naming them) had earnestly requested that, as chief executive of the ctiy, he should take steps to abate it. In the end the fine named was levied. Maurice O’Connor appeared for Mr. Rank and the case was conducted for the city by City Solicitor M.J. Mitchell. Immediately after the close of the trial an appeal to the district court was taken by the attorney for the defendant. the appeal bond was fixed at $100. It was immediately given.

A peculiar feature of the case is that the city’s right to hold Mr. Rank is based on an ordinance that specifically defines what shall constitute disturbing the peace. Among other things it says that the blowing of horns of an unusual kind shall be disturbing the peace. This ordinance was passed back in 1869, before an automobile was built in the world. What was in view at the time that it was passed seems hard to get at, yet taking the strict construction of the provision, it fits the present case to a nicety.

It was reported that Mr. Rank had sent word to Judge Richard at Webster City asking for an injunction restraining the city from interfering with him in blowing his horn. This is untrue.

13
Aug

Arrested For Speeding Auto

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 13, 1906

Arrested For Speeding Auto

T.F. Taff Files Information Against H.B. Groves, Fine Assessed.

On information sworn by T.F. Taff, the Central avenue grocer, H.B. Groves was arrested this morning for auto speeding. It was claimed that Groves drove his auto up north 10th street Sunday afternoon at a furious pace narrowly missing an accident or two.

In a trial held before Justice of the Peace James Martin immediately after the arrest Groves was fined five dollars ($120 today) and costs. Notice of appeal has been filed by him.

13
Jul

Women Thrown Into Street

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: July 13, 1904

Women Thrown Into Street

Mrs. Herman Rose and Mother in a Runaway.

Horse Became Frightened at an Automobile and Upsets Buggy Throw in (sic) Out Occupants.

The third accident which has occurred during the past week as a result of a horse becoming frightened at an automobile, took place Monday night at the corner of Twelfth street and Second avenue south, when Mrs. Herman Rose and mother, Mrs. Nedderman, while driving, were thrown from the carriage to the street. While not seriously injured they were all badly bruised. Mrs. Rose has a bruised elbow and shoulder and Mrs. Nedderman’s face and shoulders are lacerated. The horse also received several cuts.

When the auto, which is owned by Mrs. Johanna Hyde, first loomed up, the horse at once began to rear. Mrs. Hyde slowed up the machine which caused it to emit a grinding noise which so badly frightened the animal that it leaped across the curbing, upsetting the buggy and throwing the occupants intot he street. Considering its age, the escape of the babe is miraculous. Fortunately passers by quickly picked up the injured people and stopped the horse before it had gone far enough to do further harm.

(Editor’s note: I have to confess, this account leaves me puzzled. In the last paragraph, this sentence: “Considering its age, the escape of the babe is miraculous” seems to come out of nowhere. What babe? Was there a child in the buggy? It is the only reference to anyone other than Mrs. Rose and Mrs. Nedderman in the carriage.)

2
Jul

New Auto Co. Decides to Build

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: July 2, 1903

New Auto Co. Decides to Build

Has Purchased Site 200 by 160 Feet, West of Great Western Round House.

Start Work at Once.

Plans Are Now Being Prepared and Work on Machine Shop Will Commence Next Week – Four Buildings Are Contemplated.

The DeLaura Auto Manufacturing company will at once begin the erection of its plant in Fort Dodge on a site just west of the Great Western round house, where a piece of land 200 by 160 feet has been purchased. A side track will be run to the site of the new factory by the railroad company.

Final arrangements regarding the purchase of the site were made at a meeting of the board of directors of the new company held on Wednesday evening, at which Mr. DeLaura was present.

The buildings which will ultimately comprise the plant are a machine shop and boiler room, a paint shop, a blacksmith and wood working shop and a foundry. The first two will be erected at once. The machine shop will be 35 by 100 feet in dimensions, with an addition for the boiler room and the pain shop will be 35 by 60 feet.

Work on the plant will be hurried along as fast as possible. Plans are now being prepared, and it is hoped that it will be possible to commence work on the machine shop which will first be erected by next week, and that the factory can begin operations within five or six weeks.

(Editor’s note: This company was first mentioned on June 19, 1903.)

12
Jun

And Still They Come

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 12, 1906

And Still They Come

Two Automobiles Have Been Bought by Local Men – A Cadillac and a Thomas.

The ranks of the local automobilists have been swelled by the arrival of two cars in the city. Ed Rank arrived Saturday night in his new Thomas heavy touring car. This machine is one of the best built in this country, and has a fifty horse power gasoline engine with the cylinders cast separately. It seats seven with comfort, having in the back, two revolving seats besides those ordinarily found in touring cars. The body is painted a rosewood finish while the running gear is red. The car is very long, as it has 114 inches wheel base. It cost its owner $3,500 and is guaranteed to make a speed of sixty miles per hour by the makers.

Another of the doctors of the city have purchased a machine. Dr. Dorr, who has bought a Cadillac runabout from the local agency. There are now four doctors of the city who make their rounds in machines and all of them think them more to their advantage than the using of horses.