Transportation and Roads
Transportation businesses
Contents
American Motor Truck Company
In 1911, following a 300-mile road test of a vehicle prototype topping speeds of 13 miles per hour on bad roads, the owners of the Newark Machine Works decided to change the direction of their company to manufacture direct-drive trucks designed by mechanic Frank M. Blair. Although their company’s location remained at the northwest side of the intersection of S. 21st Street and the railroad tracks, the manufacturing changes prompted them to change the name of their firm to the Blair Manufacturing Co.
Despite having a rather unorthodox appearance and design, most notably, no cab for the driver—only seats on each side of the engine, the unusual vehicle was built with preassembled components—except for the frames and bodies. Those were made onsite. The company performed well until after the advent of World War I when improvements in the technology of automobile design again forced more changes.
In 1918, the control of the company was acquired by the R. L. Dollings Company and the American Motor Truck Company was born. Although the new, more traditionally designed vehicle with a cab behind the engine was also manufactured with preassembled units including a four-cylinder engine, it had a new name, the Ace. The Ace trademark resembled the ace of spades. Once again bodies and frames were manufactured in Newark. Unfortunately, the Ace was not manufactured steadily due to a lack of dealer networks. Orders were shipped directly from the factory to the buyer. Again, most of the bodies were built in Newark.
The company suffered from several major problems. Production was unsteady, generally dependent on the orders received directly from customers. At its peak, American Motor Truck Company manufactured up to 250 to 300 vehicles annually. However, layoffs were frequent, prompting rumors of shutdown. Customer financing through the company was based on a buyer’s promise that was often left unfulfilled. Ace trucks were well made with quality components. However, records of which manufacturer’s parts were used in each unit were rare—making repair of the vehicles very difficult. These issues made the truck line less profitable and difficult to sell.
In an effort to improve its position, the company began manufacturing buses. Craftsmen and workers, who recently had vacated the failing Jewett streetcar plant nearby, brought their skills to manufacture the best remembered product of the company.
The buses were sold throughout the eastern United States and in Newark. However, partially due to selling only through the company and not being backed by dealers, the company fell into receivership and later closed in 1927. [1]
K.W.
Halladay Motor Company
In January 1920, the Halladay Motors Corporation announced plans to open a manufacturing plant in Newark. The Halladay car, the brainchild of the company’s owner, L. P. Halladay, was not a new vehicle, as plants in Illinois and Ohio had been turning out the vehicle for 15 years. The company had started in Illinois, opened another plant in 1917 in Mansfield, and in 1920 was seeking investors to operate a plant on the east side of Newark.
The budding Newark operation needed to raise money through stock sales. They used the success of investors in other manufacturers like Pharis Tire and Rubber Co. and Elgin Motor Co. to entice new investors to buy stock in the Halladay car and profit from this new local manufacturer. To increase the excitement, the president of the company, Mr. T. E. Huth, drove to Newark on January 7, 1920 and displayed his Halladay vehicle in the arcade, no doubt to attract attention and investors.
After securing the required funding to begin the process, the Halladay Motors Corporation began purchasing the parts to piece together their cars. Halladay cars were pieced-together vehicles, albeit from parts sourced through disparate manufacturers specializing in each piece. They stocked up on these parts to put together Halladay, but found they needed even more parts to complete the vehicle. They raised more money through stock sales, but then discovered that buyers were unable to buy an expensive vehicle in the recession of 1920.
The company tried to make a less expensive car in 1922 called the Falcon and the financial backing for this new model did not arrive. The Falcon line also failed to sell enough cars to save the company.
In 1922, after an unsuccessful attempt to raise more funds locally through more stock sales, Halladay Motors Corporation failed and was placed into the hands of an appointed receiver.[2]
K.W.
Jewett Car Company
The Jewett Car Company was founded in 1897 in Jewett, Ohio. In 1900, the Newark Board of Trade became interested in the prospect of bringing the trolley car factory to Newark. The Board of Trade offered the Jewett Car Company a free factory site along South Williams Street and allotted $8,000 to help them move.[3]
After a decade of business, the Jewett Car Company became known nationally, selling trolley cars all over the country. The company was headed by William Shrewsburg Wright, who was the company’s president. Despite their national acclaim, however, the Jewett Car Company went into receivership in 1918 due to lack of operating capital.[4]
A portion of the Jewett Car Company’s factory still remains along the railroad tracks on South Williams Street.
M.J.
Pharis Tire and Rubber Company
information
Rugg Motors
information
References
- ↑ L. Brough, “When Newark Was a Detroit,” The Columbus Dispatch Magazine, January 29, 1978, 14-27.
- ↑ Brough, Larry. “Halladay Car Once Gave Newark Spot in Auto World.” Newark Advocate (Newark, OH), Jan. 8, 1970. 10.
- ↑ 1 Phil Payne, “An Interurban Car Returns to Licking County,” Licking County Historical Society Newsletter, Spring 1996.
- ↑ Payne, “An Interurban Car Returns to Licking County.”
