Locomobile in the news

[prewarnut]

Thanks, nice to see so much photo documentation on one race. It would seem this could give justification to restore a battered example sans body into a speedster like the ALF ones.

Edited September 27, 2022 by prewarnut (see edit history)

[alsfarms]

I like your thoughts.  Anyway to save an early Locomobile from the junk pile is great.

Al

[prewarnut]

   A depiction of Locomobile dealers from their 1915 truck catalogue:

 

[locoman]

The Chicago branch building still stands.

 

[George K]

On 9/25/2022 at 2:56 PM, alsfarms said:

I like your thoughts.  Anyway to save an early Locomobile from the junk pile is great.

Al

Not many junk piles around today as they have become out of fashion. It’s great to see the recent two Locomobile cars that were posted from collectors or the heirs. Problem is the collector base has shifted the focus to cars the saw in their youth. That makes what we drove everyday are now antique cars. Takes a lifetime to understand the difference between greatness and mass production. 

[alsfarms]

How many of the early Locomobile buildings are still standing?  Does anyone know?

Al

[prewarnut]

   Here's the addresses. I checked a few. Boston: no (B.U. owns the block now), Chicago: yes (still says Locomobile on top!), San Fancisco: no (some silly city hall is sitting there....), Philadelphia: yes (no large sign on top...located one building over from the intersection though), New York: yes (we covered that in the Hares discussion).

Edited September 27, 2022 by prewarnut (see edit history)

[prewarnut]

   Here's a grainy announcement on Mr. Riker joining the U.S. Naval board. With his credentials in the SAE I could see his talent transferring into other arenas. The second article shows where this became an opening for Locomobile to supply materiel for the substantial government contracts for WWI.

AZ Republican 11/17/15 and Bridgeport Evening Farmer 3/8/16:

[alsfarms]

Thanks for posting these articles.  I often wondered just how it worked in America to get geared up to support the WW1 effort on a National level.  It makes me feel a note of patriotic emotion even though this historical summary took place over a hundred years ago.

Al

[prewarnut]

Al,

   Hi, since you mention that I went back to an article I saw this morning. It shows the depth of patriotism going on even though the U.S. wasn't yet involved in this (mostly) European war and we really didn't yet have a great precedent for getting involved in other abroad issues (unless we started it or were directly attacked - like the war of 1812). Halfway down on the left column it mentions Mr. Riker's daughter was volunteering.

  From the Bridgeport Evening Farmer 3/21/17:

 

 

[alsfarms]

I can only guess at the emotion that was felt in America during the wind up to WW1.  Particularly when America, from its begining, was a melting pot of Nationalities.  Even for Riker. I assume that he is of Germanic ancestry, but was proud to be called "American".  I feel the same way, though I am of English ancestry I am proud to consider myself American.  Those of European heritage, I hope you feel the same way. It is most interesting that Rikers daughter was also active in the ramp up to WW1.  On another note, I see where a WW1 U-boat has been located not far off the US East Coast.  Besides, Locomobile, I suppose that many other makes were utilized in military support.  Dodge Bros. and Cadillac certainly come to mind.

Al

[prewarnut]

    I saw somewhere that A.L. Riker's family has been here since the 1600's. If so he may be dutch. I was wondering if he was related to those whom Riker's Island in NY is named. That is an Angelicized Dutch name of Ryckers or Rycken.

[George K]

[alsfarms]

That Riker family history provides a very good sketch and overview of said family.  Now we are able to know more of  Andrew Riker as well as his family.  If I can ask, what is the origin of this Riker family dissertation?  Thanks for posting.

Al

Edited October 3, 2022 by alsfarms
Spelling (see edit history)

[prewarnut]

   I'm not sure if anyone has seen this, in addition to the usual tool kit, spare bulbs, etc, Locomobile supplied spare engine valves - just in case.

From the NY Sun 11/16/19:

 

 

[George K]

[George K]

Looked like a good time to buy a used Locomobile.

[alsfarms]

What year was the Exchange ad placed?  I wonder how many Locomobile's were sold for $60,000?  This looks like it was sanctioned by teh New York City dealer on Broadway.

Al

[prewarnut]

Al, I've seen a few such ads in the late teens I believe mostly out of the NY papers. There's an early article from 1905 (maybe) when they built the Manhattan dealership building and it described the design for each floor. I forget but believe it may have been the top floor which was used for reconditioning used Locos. They probably had a used program in mind for awhile. I find this strategy interesting as I'm not sure if other makes such as Packard or Cadillac or such would bother to requisition and sell used models but Loco did it, at least semi-officially for awhile. It is somewhat like a modern dealer (especially during COVID) trying to resell used cars but here the "factory" would at least weigh in to make sure the cars were in-spec. It sounds somewhat like "certified pre-owned" that Mercedes or BMW uses now-a-days. Anyhow it seems to always be called an "exchange sale" in the ads and always would have Locomobile of America as the sanctioning body, not a 3rd party.

[Walt G]

The majority of the new vehicles shipped overseas during the "Great War' of 1914-1918 went out via the port of New York. Most arrived in NY City via train in freight cars - this was an era before "interstate highways", that occurred in the Eisenhower administration decades later. Packard Motor Car Company of NY had a special truck division that handled their truck sales that were significant before the USA got into the war in Europe. Many Packard trucks were sold and were transported via ship to Europe. That is a whole story in itself and about who was in charge of their sales staff for that. Yet another story that really hasn't been told .

[George K]

[prewarnut]

6 hours ago, Walt G said:

and about who was in charge of their sales staff for that. Yet another story that really hasn't been told .

 

Walt,

   I was waiting to drop this and now is a good time. I noticed quite a few ads in Hawaii for Locomobile. Most were on Oahu where the port for Honolulu is. Here is a notice from the local 1910 paper on Maui showing that out of just over 100 cars on that island at the time 3 were Locomobiles!. Loco must have had an interesting and far reaching sales network. Notice who you don't see (as examples): Packard, Pierce, Pope, Thomas - at the high end, or Hupmobile, Chevrolet, Overland at the modest end of the range (unless they were mixed under "other"). I find it amazing that as a luxury brand eventually building 4 cars a day that Locomobile operated in a manner to obtain market exposure far and wide - and succeeded in doing so in their first decade of operation.

 

[Walt G]

Locomobile is a another story that I am working on , here on the forums I posted a photo of the circa 1915 hard bound dealer's showroom album for NY City. Photos are huge and mounted on linen, they used glass plate negatives at the time for the car portraits and that is what was used in the prints in the album. Since I am into coach builders/design the story will cover the 1914-1929 era.

Thanks so much for this information about cars shipped to Hawaii! WOW so very very cool. The NY dealer had a lot of influence on how to promote Locomobiles his story alone is just so fascinating. Yes, cars shipped by rail  in box cars chained to the floor of the box car they were in, once in California then they went into the hold of a ship to get to Hawaii.

Thanks again for sharing this.

Walt

[alsfarms]

Now the talk of Hawaii having a "concentration" of early Locomobiles makes the best of us daydream.  I would imagine that in  1910 roads were more like trails, but some astute folks must have been able to afford the top of the market.  It would be interesting to know if ownership could be traced for these early Locomobile owners and that story told.  It is very possible that steam could have been a component of this subject.  Sadly, with the high humidity and rainfall, in Hawaii, the survival rate for these early automobiles must certainly be low to none.

Al

[George K]

Saw this and waited for a good time to post.

[alsfarms]

What a significant fashion statement for the Royal family of Japan.  I am confused, was this Locomobile used by the Royal family in Japan or utilized by the Japanese Ambassador in Washington DC? These are very interesting reads about just far and wide the prestige of Locomobile can be found.

Al

[George K]

9 minutes ago, alsfarms said:

What a significant fashion statement for the Royal family of Japan.  I am confused, was this Locomobile used by the Royal family in Japan or utilized by the Japanese Ambassador in Washington DC? These are very interesting reads about just far and wide the prestige of Locomobile can be found.

Al

Last sentence states it was shipped to His Imperial Highness. That would be to Japan.

[alsfarms]

For some reason, the Japanese Ambassador in DC must have been the ordering agent.  I can see the protcol of the jump seats facing back.  I am surprised not more high end cars were equiped that way.

Al

[prewarnut]

   A word for the wise, anyone researching earjy Locomobiles should realize that the term "locomobile" was used for an automated vehicle, possible steam powered (as they were initially), but not necessarily reflecting a product of the Locomobile of America company. As example from 1902 in Hawaii:

 

 

Edited October 15, 2022 by prewarnut (see edit history)

[prewarnut]

   Yet, Locomobiles did populate Hawaii early on. Here is an ad from 1900:

 

 

[prewarnut]

   ...and from the San Francisco Call, 3/24/13:

 

 

[Grimy]

13 minutes ago, prewarnut said:

   ...and from the San Francisco Call, 3/24/13:

 

 

A tough job in that location, but somebody had to do it.....  🙂

[George K]

1 hour ago, Grimy said:

A tough job in that location, but somebody had to do it.....  🙂

Looks like they wrote home. 

[prewarnut]

   As a slight diversion, A.L. Riker was noted in the local news for his interest in sailing and racing, being a member of the Pootatuck Yacht club. His sailboat Ocoloqua was raced and I believe the Mystic Seaport Museum has photos although not accessible online it seems. He also had a motor yacht by another name for cruising more reliably. I'm not sure if it is the same here but early in 1909 he was noted in a boat design publication for commissioning a 62 foot motor yacht. I'm not sure how well it reproduces here.

 

Edited October 20, 2022 by prewarnut (see edit history)

[George K]

Thought this was fitting to the topic.

[Ittenbacher Frank]

8 hours ago, prewarnut said:

   As a slight diversion, A.L. Riker was noted in the local news for his interest in sailing and racing, being a member of the Pootatuck Yacht club. His sailboat Ocoloqua was raced and I believe the Mystic Seaport Museum has photos although not accessible online it seems. He also had a motor yacht by another name for cruising more reliably. I'm not sure if it is the same here but early in 1909 he was noted in a boat design publication for commissioning a 62 foot motor yacht. I'm not sure how well it reproduces here.

 

Sorry, but we like to see the opposite page of your book as well. The text shown above is about Rikers 62 feet yacht, the drawing right side of the shown page refers to the next ship, a twin screw cruiser. Rikers cruiser hat just one engine, a 40HP four cylinder Locomobile.

[prewarnut]

...oops I knew I forgot something.

 

[prewarnut]

   I was looking around online. He might have upgraded a couple years later with a 6 cylinder powered engine:

 

 

[prewarnut]

    Here's a Bridgeport news article on a Locomobile accident. This is likely a car out on a test given the license plate number which was assigned to test vehicles. Whether experimental or a completed production vehicle is not known.

From the Bridgeport Evening Farmer 10/15/15:

 

[George K]

Those roadsters appear to be dangerous.