Another story involving a "Ford six". The "Empire City Quartette" use a Model K to visit a tuberculosis hospital in Colorado. This is a "feel good" piece, where a well known group perform while on tour.
I've collected well over 1,000 period articles with Ford Model Ks involved and I'm still surprised at the number of instances where the "big Ford" is intertwined in everyday life throughout the U.S.. With only about 1,000 cars produced, it seems the Model K shows up frequently in the news, racing, transporting famous American's (President Taft to name one) or just every day life, the car seems to have been well known in it's day.
Regardless if one believes that Henry Ford "hated" the Model K, I suspect Ford Motor Company welcomed the media coverage involving the car. All in all, a fascinating aspect of pre T Ford history (to me ).
Recording by Mayo and Tally
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=C4rSVCs8uD0&app=m
my opinions,
Rob
When you make a Cd of those 1,000 articles I will be the first one to buy it. Autographed of course!
Gary,
When I put something together, anyone who is interested may have copies (it will be electronic if I'm able to put something coherent together). As I said earlier, it's surprising the amount of information "out there" regarding early Ford history. We're fortunate to live in the digital age where so many resources are available at the stroke of a key.
Another "Colorado" Model K story. This involves the same owner as the story above, Charles J. Hendy. Now he's driving a Model K touring car, and passes several cars at night while returning to Denver from a Colorado University/Denver University football game in Boulder:
"The performance of the Ford is one that will stand for endurance in the annals of Colorado motor history."
Newspaper articles need to be taken with a grain of salt.
Read the 1919 biography of Charles Hendy, Jr. of Denver, Colorado.
He had a vested interest in having a story like that published in the newspaper. It may have been written by him, one of his employees or the Ford Motor Company publicity department and submitted to the the newspaper as a "please use" article.
Hope this link works.
http://books.google.com/books?id=P-hYAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA440&lpg=PA440&dq=%22charles+h endy%22+denver&source=bl&ots=QX25f6PYrr&sig=MLlcIJGEA_1topi9w33mIaxCELY&hl=en&sa =X&ei=Bf6fUvy7DcecyQG4w4CgCQ&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22charles%20hendy%22%2 0denver&f=false
Erik,
That's some good detective work! It certainly shines some light on the situation.
Erik,
Yes, Charles was a Ford representative (that's why he was driving both a touring and roadster in the two articles). You found quite an interesting story concerning him, thank you.
He served under John "Black Jack" Pershing while at Nebraska, and graduated from the University of Nebraska, really interesting to me (being from Nebraska). On a side note, General Pershing was in command of the U.S. Expeditionary Forces during WW I, and several landmarks in Lincoln are named after him.
From your link, Charles Hendy:
The Ford Model K had a significant and notorious history in Colorado. I'll attach a few more articles tomorrow,
Rob
"Ford representative" is putting it rather mildly.
Another account of the drive back by Hendy appeared in the post game recap written by Denver Post writer H. S. Miller:
Game article:
Portion of the article including the description of Hendy's return drive:
Erik,
I wasn't concerned with the contents of the story, just thought it interesting and good PR for Ford Motor Company. However, due to your followup, I did find another version of the story that backs up the first. This one, with the newspaper writer listed, seems to corroborate that Hendy did return from the game, in the dark, using a searchlight, no small task between Boulder and Denver in November. and in what I assume were less than great roads. And, both versions seem to agree he passed a number of other cars on the way back.
I don't believe there's a need to question the voracity of the story because Hendy is a Ford Agent. Regardless, that's not the point of the post.
Rob
As long as we're on Charles Hendy (that's how these searches frequently go, off on tangents), he's doing the same thing a few weeks later, racing to games passing other motorists. Only now, it's in a "new model Ford".
So, we had at least one pre number 309 or earlier, two pedal two pedal Model T in Denver as of early December 1908.
The Nov. 23 story does not corroborate the Nov. 15 story, it only elaborately repeats it. We do not know how the writer obtained the details of the motor trip, details that only Mr. Hendy or the passengers could have provided.
The Dec. 6 story corroborates the Nov. 15 story as now we have evidence on how the Post received its information regarding the motor trip on Nov. 14. We now know that Post staff (which I presume included the writer of the Nov. 15 article) were passengers on Nov. 14. in the Model K. That is how the writer knew the details such as passing 29 cars.
My assessment: the shrewd Mr. Hendy twice provides a favor (transportation) for the newspaper staff and receives free publicity three times in return.
Yes, "the shrewd" Ford manager gets articles with photos printed in the Denver Post, increasing exposure for Ford.
Meanwhile, we learn about cars used, places travelled, and events that occurred 100 plus years ago. It's what are called today, and were called "fluff pieces". No official times, records or anything official, still a record that tells us these Fords were in Denver and widely used.
It's similar to the publicity stunt Toyota pulled a few years ago by paying celebrities like Al Gore and Leo DiCaprio to have their limos park at a remote lot and then having each of them dropped off at the Oscars in a new Prius. Ford would say or do anything to get ink in a newspaper article.
It's fun to read but you have to realize that it is a staged, scripted event.
I don't think anyone disputes the fact that some of these are publicity stunts... nothing new.
I think the point being made is the time table of when Ford and other autos appeared at events and were news worthy.
It's an automotive time table not the event that we are recording.
Royce,
I hope you weren't involved in those "stunts" when you were with Toyota.
Dennis,
Just like today, I'm sure businesses enjoyed most publicity they didn't have to pay for (and that doesn't appear to be "advertising"). Any publicity is good publicity?
Thanks to Erik's digging, it appears Charles Hendy Jr. had quite a remarkable career with Ford Motor Company. In addition the the pieces above, he became involved with the Ocean to Ocean Race, running ahead of the Ford cars from Denver on, and even sitting in on the first Shawmut hearing contesting the race, immediately following the race. To read some of the stories, click on the link below. Following are a few excerpts from the stories.
Maybe some of the Colorado forum members have more information about Mr. Hendy's tenure with Ford. He seems like an interesting man intimately involved with Ford at quite a transitional period in Ford history.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/no6lezwz1dyo14q/Charles%20Hendy%20and%20Ocean%20to%20Ocean%20Race.pdf
This article appeared in the Denver paper as the racers approached Denver. Charles Hendy is quoted about the race:
Ford car passes Baker. Hendy now running ahead of the Ford cars by rail to assist:
And, Charles Hendy attends the first Shawmut trial hearing. Henry Ford expected to arrive soon. Hendy is in the middle of the controversy, having travelled with the Ford cars from Denver, and checking stamped parts with the race originator, Robert Guggenheim:
Also on the link above, Charles Hendy wrote an "oped" for the Denver Post, describing the race for readers. While not a good copy, it's an interesting read.
Rob
Just turned on my computer.
Last night when I was casually researching Hendy, I found out that not only did he manage the Denver assembly plant but in 1919 he moved and managed the Chicago assembly plant in 1919 and 1920. He left Ford Motor Company in 1920 - he purchased stock in the Simplex Corporation (lock manufacturer) and became vice president and general manager.
Some if this may be open to interpretation as the terms agency, plant and division are used interchangeably depending on the article.
Rob - examples of Google searches that will yield more information for you:
"Charles Hendy, Jr." (using quotes)
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=charles+hendy+ford+chicago&i e=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8#q=%22charles+hendy%2C+jr.%22&rls=en
Charles Hendy Jr. Ford (no comma, no quotes)
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=charles+hendy+ford+chicago&i e=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8#q=charles+hendy+jr+ford&rls=en
"Charles Hendy" Ford
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=charles+hendy+ford+chicago&i e=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8#q=%22charles+hendy%22+ford&rls=en
Erik,
Thanks. Quite an interesting and accomplished fellow (especially for a native Nebraskan )
What do you know of the Selden Patent?
(I'm starting a thread on it now)
Rob