|
DECATUR narrowly missed
being a center for the automobile industry. Hieronymus
Mueller, who brought the first car the Decatur in 1895, had in his
mind the idea of starting the manufacture of automobiles, an idea
which now doubt he would have carried out if he had lived. He
did much successful experimenting along that line before his death,
which occurred in 1900, five years after he had brought that first
car to the city. It was a great wonder - that first automobile in
Decatur. It happened also to be the first one in this section
of the country outside of Chicago. At that time there were
scarcely a dozen in the entire country. Mr. Mueller's car, a Benz
motor wagon, was imported from Mannheim, Germany. It arrived
in Decatur Friday, April 25, 1895. It was announced in the
newspapers that day that "Mr. Mueller will take a ride in the motor
wagon on Sunday". When the car appeared Sunday, streets were
lined with spectators to see the sight of a horseless carriage.
[INSERT PICTURE HERE]
MUELLER'S BENZ MOTOR WAGON Mr. Mueller
exhibited the car at the state fair in Springfield that fall, and
made a trip to that city in "only five hours". The speed was
considered amazing. It was stated that if necessary the motor
wagon could make the astonishing record of fifteen miles an hour!
On that trip to Springfield men went ahead to warn drivers of horses
as to what was coming, and to help hold the frightened animals. In
November Mr. Mueller entered his motor wagon in the automobile
contest held in Chicago by the Times-Herald. In that contest
the line-up of entries was as follows: Duryea Motor Wagon company,
Springfield, Mass., gasoline machine, representing "American type."
De La Vergne Refrigerating Machine Company, New York, gasoline
machine with German motor. Morris and Salmon, Philadelphia,
electric machine. H. Mueller & Company, Decatur, Ill., gasoline
machine imported from Mannheim, Germany. R. H. Macy Company, New
York, gasoline machine of German make, with American improvements.
Sturgis Electric Motorcycle Company, Chicago, electric machine.
The run was from Chicago to Evanston and back. First to finish
was the Duryea car. Its average speed for the trip was 7 1/2
miles an hour. The first prize was $2,000 and a gold medal.
The Mueller car, Oscar Mueller driving, was second, and the Macy car
third. Mr. Mueller finished only 1 hour and thirty-five minutes
behind the winner. These three cars were the only ones which
finished the course. The next car to come to Decatur was a
Locomobile steamer belonging to Frank Shlaudeman. Other early
owners of cars were Frank Faries, Robert Faries and W. O. McNabb.
All had Olds runabouts. E. P. Irving had a White steamer.
John Van Gundy and D. B. Folrath were the first purchasers of
Rambler cars. Johnson & Landis took the agency in the year 1903
for the Rambler car. That was the first regularly established
automobile agency here, though a number of cars had been sold in
Decatur before that time. The first car load shipment from
Kenosha, Wisconsin for Johnson and Landis, containing three cars,
was made in May, 1904. Though H. Mueller did not live to carry out
his plan to manufacture cars, Decatur did not lack in individuals
who made their own cars. Paul Hiekisch, who made the first
bicycle that was made in Decatur, also made the first steam
automobile, according to report. George A. Henderson and
others also made their own cars. In the Wayne carriage
factory, W. J. Wayne worked for months on a design for a body for an
automobile. [INSERT
PICTURE HERE]
D. B. FOLRATH'S RAMBLER
Will Landis and D. B. Folrath in front;
George E. Johnson and a friend in back. "Do you boys expect
that there will ever be enough automobiles in Decatur to fill that
place?" said a prominent business man one day to George E.
Johnson of the Johnson and Landis firm, as they watched the
construction work on the first garage erected in Decatur. It
was at the northeast corner of State of Wood streets. After the
business man had received an affirmative reply, he went on to say:
"You're crazy. You've got wheels in your head. You boys
have made a little money, and now you are fixing to waste it.
Don't do it." That was in 1904. That first garage isn't
lonesome now. It has plenty of company. And they all seem to
be having their share of business. In the early days of the
automobile a trip to Springfield was a big undertaking.
Preparations for the momentous event were made days in advance.
Bright and early on the day of departure, the would be travelers
arose, and the start was made "with our hearts in our boots", as one
man described it. "If the trip was a success, we were proudly
conscious of it, and came back with our faces wreathed in smiles.
If it wasn't a success, we made excuses." No one then would
venture such a trip alone. He must have plenty of help along.
It took all of one man's attention to run the car. Another was
needed every time a horse and driver were met on the way. At
such times the auto was stopped, while the man led the frightened
animal (and driver, too) past the danger. It did not take
long for that day to pass, however. Now the 1930 model car
gets not even a look from the 1930 model horse.
[INSERT PICTURE HERE]
WHEN AUTOS WERE YOUNG AND ROADS UNPAVED.
<PREVIOUS> <NEXT>
<CLICK
HERE TO RETURN TO TABLE OF CONTENTS>
|
