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Born in 1882, Albert (Adalbert) G. Bela was a Slovakian national who
emigrated to the United States sometime prior to the turn of the Century.
It's more than likely that his first name was actually Adalbert, the
Slovakian version of Albert. Little is known about the man prior to 1905
when he was amongst the organizers of the Pettingell Machine Co.
The Pettingell Machine Co. was named after its founder, Charles Franklin
Pettingell, who established an Amesbury, Massachusetts machine shop in the
early 1870s that specialized in the manufacture of carriage and
wheel-building apparatus.
Charles Franklin Pettingell was born on February 12, 1847 at Salisbury,
Massachusetts (now Amesbury) to Amos (b. Jun 15, 1817-d. Mar. 27, 1883) and
Mary (Lawton) Pettingell, a local contractor and builder.
At the time Amesbury was one of the top three carriage-building centers
in the United States, the others being Cincinnati, Ohio and New York City.
Between 1870 and 1890, the industry transitioned from producing completely
hand-made vehicles built to order to mass-produced conveyances whose
components (wheels, carriage gear, dashes, etc.) were built in large
factories by mostly unskilled labor using machines tools supplied by
Pettingell and others.
By 1873 Pettingell had established his own machine shop and business must
have been good as he married S. Ellen Bartlett, the 20-year-old daughter of
W.H. and Louise Bartlett on December 16, 1874.
Pettingell licensed wheel-making equipment from local carriage-makers
such as Joseph Richardson Locke of Locke & Jewell (manufacturers of the
Warner patent wheel) in addition to devising his own time-saving appliances.
(Although Locke's patents were not specifically assigned, he apparently
licensed his designs to Pettingell as the machines are nearly identical.)
Pettingell was soon advertising the Locke-based C.F. Pettingell Rim and
Felloe Rounding Machine to the carriage industry in the popular carriage
trades.
A circa 1880 description of Locke & Jewell's business follows:
"The wheel factory of Locke & Jewell at Patten's Hollow was established
in 1867 and is doing a large business in manufacturing wheels and carriage
parts, and have recently added to their other branches the manufacture of
carriages. The whole amount of business for 1880 was $100,000, and the
number of workmen employed was fifty-two. During the year they have
manufactured six hundred carriages."
The Draft-book of Centennial Carriages displayed in Philadelphia at the
International exhibition of 1876, has the following entry:
"C. F. Pettingell, of Amesbury, Mass., makes a specialty of
carriage-wheel machinery, to which he has given his attention for several
years past, and has produced a large and valuable assortment—so large,
indeed, that it would be quite useless to attempt to describe them in this
connection; but we present below a list of the principal kinds, which he
either keeps in stock, or is prepared to make to order:
"Patent rim planing machine. Hub mortising-machine, with cutter or cones.
Polishing-machine for polishing spokes. Polishing-machine for polishing
carriage-parts. Polishing-machine, for polishing rims. Rim-rounder. Rim
boring-machine. Round tenoning-machine. Spoke tenoning-machine. Lathes, with
or without centering-machine. Spoke smutting-machine, or re-tenoner. Spoke
facing-machine. Surface-planer for rims. Polishing-machine, for
carriage-woodwork. Surface-planer for rims. Polishing-machine, for carriage
woodwork. Power mortising-machine. Foot-power mortising-machine. Surface
planers. Dressing-machines. Rabbeting-machines. Saw tenoning-machines.
Rounding-machines. Boring-machines."
In 1887, one year before Amesbury's legendary "Carriage Hill Fire" of
Maundy Thursday - April 5, 1888 - a much smaller blaze heavily damaged C. F.
Pettingell's machine shop and the adjoining Locke & Jewell carriage and
wheel works which were located on Mechanics Row. Both firms rebuilt and
remained in business throughout 1888 when most of their competition was busy
rebuilding.
Although Pettingell was spared in the famous 1888 blaze, a much smaller
blaze that occurred on October 10, 1891 severely damaged both Locke &
Jewell's and the adjacent Pettingell manufactories which were both located
on Mechanics Row, adjacent to Patten's Pond.
The fire was mentioned in the October 11, 1891 Utica Daily News (Utica,
NY) as follows:
"In Amesbury Mass., the carriage manufactory of Locke & Jewell and
several surrounding buildings, were burned yesterday. Loss $125,000."
Both firms rebuilt but by 1897 only Pettingell remained in business,
Locke & Jewell had retired and sold off their assets to their neighbor.
The business section of the August 21, 1894 Boston Globe included a small
item concerning the firm:
"ORDERS COMING IN: Business is Looking Up In Amesbury and Merrimac.
"AMESBURY, Aug 20 — The settlement of the tariff question has caused
business here to boom. Today the Pettingell Machine Works, one of the best
known concerns in the country, started up after a two months' shut-down."
Existing advertisements reveal that by that time Pettingell offered
approximately thirty different labor-saving machines for the
carriage-building industry. Products included tenoners, tilting arbor bevel
saws (table saws) and irregular template dressers for wooden working plus
friction cutters and rolling formers for sheet metal fabrication and their
ever-popular rim and Felloe rounding machines.
The Twentieth Century brought a steady decline in Pettingell's wheel and
woodworking machine business. In mid-1905 a group of Amesbury businessmen
and Pettingell employees headed by Albert G. Bela (the subject of this
write-up) purchased the failing business from Pettingell for pennies on the
dollar, reorganizing it on November 14, 1905 as the Pettingell Machine Co.
Bela and his backers felt the firm's machine shops could be re-purposed
to turn out the new metal-finishing machines needed by Amesbury's burgeoning
automobile body builders and set about designing new machines that greatly
reduced the amount of time needed to turn out a metal-skinned composite
automobile body.
Their most successful invention was the Pettingell Automatic Hammer which
was thoroughly tested at Amesbury's numerous auto body factories before
being marketed to the nation's composite automobile body manufacturers. US
Patent Office assignments reveal that some of Pettingell’s metal-working
machines were designed by Amesbury resident George L. Knights, a former
bicycle manufacturer.
The firm's numerous metal working machines were the perfect companions to
their woodworking offerings, and new composite body-building enterprises
often ordered the bulk of their equipment straight out of the Pettingell
catalog (highlights of which are presented in the left margin).
The Pettingell Machine Co. was dissolved in 1915 (according to the General
Court of Mass. proceedings 1917 edition.) and reorganized. Although he had stayed on as
a junior partner in the firm bearing his name, Charles I. Pettingell,
Charles Franklin Pettingell’s son, left the firm and went to work for the
Walker-Wells Body Co., one of Amesbury’s large production body builders.
Concurrent with the 1915 bankruptcy of the Pettengell Machine Co. its
former president, Albert G. Bela, began supplying bodies in the white for
the Winton Motor Carriage Co of Cleveland, Ohio.
When completed the bodies were transported across town to Biddle & Smart
where they were finished, painted, and trimmed after which they were
transported via rail to Winton's Cleveland assembly plants. Production
bodies soon followed for Winton's neighbor, the White Motor Co., and
Syracuse, New York's Franklin Automobile Company.
Bela also built small numbers of full-custom bodies for Boston's
automobile dealers. Bela-bodied Liberty, Lenox and National chassis were
displayed at Mechanics Hall during the 1917 Boston Auto Show and the firm is
known to have built coachwork on Cole, Marmon, Mercer, Packard, Peerless and
Simplex chassis.
By mid-1916 orders were sufficient to require additional manufacturing
capacity and a vacant factory in nearby Framingham was purchased from the
Standard Woven Fabric Co. in order to keep up the demand. Subassemblies
built in Amesbury were transported to the new Framingham plant for final
assembly, painting and trimming.
The purchase of the Framingham plant was mentioned in the September 1916
issue of the Hub:
"The Standard Woven Fabric Co., which recently moved to Walpole, Mass.,
has sold its plant at Framingham and it is to be occupied by the Bela Body
Co., of Amesbury, who will operate the whole property for the production of
automobile bodies. The main building is of modern concrete construction, 53
by 224, three stories, having about 40,000 ft. of manufacturing space, and
an attached fireproof boiler house, all equipped with sprinkler system and
other modern conveniences. There is 108,720 ft. of land bordering on the
railroad. Town assessment places $43,550 on the building and $7,570 on the
land, making a total of $51,120."
The purchase was funded by an initial stock offering of $600,000 which
was shortly followed by an additional offering of $300,000 shares via the
following prospectus, published in the March 17, 1917 issue of the Boston
Globe:
"TAX FREE IN MASSACHUSETTS
$300,000 BELA BODY COMPANY 7% Cumulative Preferred Stock (Closed Issue).
Transfer Agent—Metropolitan Trust Company, Boston, Mass.
Dividends Payable Quarterly, December 1st, etc.
"CAPITALIZATION:
| |
Authorized |
Issued |
|
7% Cumulative Preferred Stock |
$300,000 |
$300,000 |
|
Common |
$500,000 |
$600,000 |
"This company builds at its plants in Amesbury and Framingham the highest
grade, one piece, aluminum, custom bodies, and has placed them on many
chasses, including the following:
PACKARD, SIMPLEX, MARMON, MERCER, PEERLESS, COLE.
Large orders have been taken from the following companies direct:
FRANKLIN, WHITE, WlNTON.
At the Boston Auto Show bodies built by this company may be seen on the
LIBERTY, LENOX, NATIONAL.
Three-fourths of the stock has been sold. Circular and Price on
Application.
"EARNEST E. SMITH, Inc. Specialist in New England Investments, 68
Devonshire St., Boston."
The following display ad appeared in the March, 1917 issue of The Hub:
"New and Distinctive High Grade Closed Auto Bodies of Aluminum
"ANNOUNCEMENT!—The Bela Body Company, of Framingham, Mass. (recently
organized under Massachusetts laws), have purchased one of the finest
manufacturing plants in the east, and arc completely equipping it for every
detail of fine Automobile Body work.
"OUR SPECIALTY—We specialize in High Grade Closed Bodies of new styles
and types. Already a number of the large automobile manufacturers have had
us design and build Special Fine Closed Bodies
"OUR EXPERTS—Our Mr. Bela, the first man in the U. S. to use an Automatic
Metal Bumping Machine, is recognized as the most expert Sheet Aluminum
Worker in this country. Many of the best operators owe their success to his
personal instruction. Each of the men associated with Mr. Bela is a master
workman—all are experts in the various departments of body building.
"LEADING MANUFACTURERS in the trade are turning to us for exclusive
designs and strikingly distinctive high class bodies. They realize the sales
value that such bodies give to their cars, for no one denies that Bela
Bodies Show "Class"
"HIGH RECOGNITION—When the leading automobile manufacturers in the
country buy bodies from us—comment is unnecessary. Note the Liberty Brougham
shown above. The body of this stylish Town Car or Ladies' Shopping Brougham
made an instant hit. It is causing more favorable comment and selling better
than any other style body for years. It is unquestionably one of the
lightest, strongest and most attractive bodies ever built. Observe its
compactness, its clean cut graceful lines, its handsome appearance.
"ONE-PIECE CONSTRUCTION—Particular attention is called to the fact that
this unique body is made entirely of Aluminum, without any seams or belt
line irons (belt line rolled in). Not a seam or a joint to open or crack.
The roof, sides, back—everything being without seam. This construction
eliminates much weight in the belt line irons and fasteners, as it does away
with these entirely.
"Our Paint Department, shown opposite, is the lightest and best in the
country. Our Trimming Department is a model manufacturing building. The
entire building is fire-proof. LOCATION—On the main line of two railroads,
within easy reach of Boston, New York, Springfield, Worcester and
Providence, via state roads or railroad. When you want BODIES that will help
SELL YOUR CARS—let us build them.
"THE BELA BODY CO., Framingham, Mass., U. S. A."
Display ad from the June, 1917 issue of The Hub:
"Distinctive Bodies For Landaulets, Limousines, Sedans, Coupes,
Roadsters, Touring Cars.
"Limousine Body on Packard chassis. Note the pleasing effect of the
special streamline cowl.
"The Home of Bela Bodies
"The above is one view of our Framingham factory which is used for
painting, trimming and assembling of our bodies.
"Our new 150 x 200 ft. building is under construction now and will be
ready for use in the very near future. In this shop our bodies will be built
in the white. Both buildings will be equipped with the most modern machinery
and every facility for turning out the highest grade of work will be used.
"We shall have our own spur track connecting with the N.Y., N.H. & H.R.R.
the B.& A.R.R. where we will load our bodies direct. Our shipping facilities
are the very best.
"BELA BODY COMPANY, FRAMINGHAM, MASS. AMESBURY, MASS."
The June 19, 1917 issue of the Boston Evening Transcript reported:
"BELA BODY CO. Plant Enlarged.
"Framingham, June 9—The Bela Body Co. has completed its new concrete
building, covering 40,000 square feet of land. The company now has one of
the largest factories for the production of high grade aluminum automobile
bodies in New England."
The following display ad is from the July, 1917 issue of The Hub:
"Distinctive Motor Bodies For Touring Cars, Landaulets, Limousines, Town
Cars, Sedans, etc.
"Seven Passenger Town Car Mounted on White Chassis.
"Our New Plant at Framingham, Massachusetts
"This new up-to-date factory is used for the painting and trimming of our
Bela Bodies, also for the final assembling and mounting. Our new addition to
this plant, 150 x 200 ft., will take care of our metal and woodworking
departments, and there will be a full force of body builders in it in about
three weeks. The shipping facilities are ideal, being able to load our
finished work on our own track on the B. & A.R.R. and the N.Y., N.H. &
H.R.R. The whole plant is designed and built to give SERVICE and QUALITY
WORK.
"BELA BODY COMPANY, FRAMINGHAM, MASS. AMESBURY, MASS."
The August 25, 1917 issue of the Boston Globe announced the election of
Boston Franklin dealer and H.H. Franklin Mfg. Co. board member Otto A.
Lawton as Treasurer of the Bela Body Co.:
"OTTO A. LAWTON ELECTED TREASURER OF BELA
BODY CO.
"Otto A. Lawton has been elected treasurer
and a director of the Bela Body Company. The company has secured an
additional contract to build bodies for the Franklin Company that will
require the erection of a new building having about 20,000 feet floor space.
The company has enough business on its books to keep the
plant operating at capacity until the middle of next Spring. Mr. Lawton is a
director of the H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company, makers of the Franklin automobile."
Lawton, the president and treasurer of the Franklin Motor Car Company of
Boston, was originally sent to Boston in 1906 by the H.H. Franklin Mfg. Co.
to serve as the factory branch's auditor. He was appointed manager of the
concern in 1908, and two years later purchased a controlling interest in the
firm. As owner of one of Franklin's largest distributors, Long was
subsequently elected to the H.H. Franklin Mfg. Co. board of directors, a
position he held into the 1930s.
The 1918 SAE Directory listing for Lawton follows:
"Lawton, Otto A., owner, manager, Franklin Motor Car Co., Boston,
Mass.; president, Franklin Motor Car Co., Portland, Maine; treasurer,
director, Bela Body Co., Framingham, Mass.; director, Back Bay National
Bank, Boston, Mass.; director, H. H. Franklin Mfg. Co., Syracuse, N. Y."
Within a year of the 1917 stock offering, Bela's board of directors
accepted an offer to purchase the firm from Framingham, Massachusetts shoe
manufacturer, Richard H. Long.
Richard Henry Long (b. Sep. 4, 1865-d. Apr. 16, 1957) was the son of a
prominent Massachusetts shoe manufacturer who took over the family business
upon the death of his father, John, in 1889. Originally located in South
Weymouth, Long relocated the factory to Belchertown during the early 1890s
and by 1896 employed 50 hands. At the turn of the century Long moved into
larger quarters in Springfield and in 1902 purchased an existing factory in
South Framingham for the manufacture of his popular line of men's footwear.
Located on Fountain St., halfway between Farm Pond and Waverly St. (Route
135), the wooden structure remained a local landmark until it was torn down
a few decades ago.
The shoe business grew and in November of 1904 Long leased a Boston
factory formerly occupied by L. Prang & Co. for the manufacture of a new
line of women's shoes. A second building was added to the Framingham complex
in 1908 and all shoe manufacturing operations were consolidated there.
During the early stages of the First World War Long supplied the British
government with various canvas and leather goods used to outfit the British
troops. When the United States entered the conflict Long supplied the US
Army with harnesses and other leather products.
His son (Richard F. Long) later stated that at the height of the War, his
father's firm held $24 million worth of government supply contracts. However
US Government documents reveal that although Richard F. Long (R.H. Long's
eldest son) stated that the US government ordered 5 million gas mask
knapsacks to congressional investigators, the actual order was for only 1
million knapsacks, and with a cost of roughly 50 cents each, that specific
contract actually amounted to a little more than half a million dollars.
Regardless, Long clearly needed additional manufacturing capacity and in
mid-1918 purchased the Framingham factory of the Bela Body Company. Auto
sales had suffered a steep decline with the entry of the United States into
the European conflict and A.G. Bela and his partners were anxious to unload
their automotive holdings.
The sale of the business was announced in the August 16, 1918 issue of
the Boston Globe:
"Ernest B. Smith & Co. announce the sale of
the Bela Body Company at Framingham to Richard H. Long of Framingham. The
Bela Body Company has been producing for the last two years high grade
aluminum bodies for automobiles, but it is understood that the new owner
will change the character of the business, idling the plant for the
manufacture of war materials."
Just shy of the three-month anniversary of the Bela Body Co. sale the
Armistice was signed and Long's multi-million-dollar contracts were abruptly
canceled.
When Long purchased the business he assumed whatever contracts Bela Body
was in the process of fulfilling and with the end of the War, they resumed
the manufacture of Franklin body sections. In 1919 Long closed down the
Amesbury body plant and moved all body-building operations into Bela's
Framingham buildings where he commenced the manufacture of entire sedan
bodies for Franklin.
A walkout by Bela Body workers was reported in the December 2, 1919 issue
of the Boston Globe:
"WORKERS WALK OUT AT TWO LONG PLANTS
Ask Time and a Half for Increase in Hours;
Bela Body Employees Given Longer Schedule - More Production Desired
"Special Dispatch to the Globe
"FRAMINGHAM, Dec 1—A disagreement arising
between employees of the Bela Body Company, manufacturers of automobile
bodies, and the company over a weekly schedule, the men, including metal
workers, painters and upholsterers, left their benches today. The men in the
Clark St. works were the first to go out. They were followed later in the
day by the employees in the Fountain St. factory.
"The men had been on a five-day week
schedule of 45 hours since early in the Summer. It being stated at the time
the rule went into effect by the R. H. Long interests, which operate the
Bela Body Company plants, that the plan would be tried out for a few months,
probably until October. There was an extension until November, however.
"The company last week informed its
employees that owing to the large number of orders the factories would be
operated on a 48-hour week schedule to increase production, the operatives
to be granted an increase in wages for the three extra hours, as well as
time and a half for all over 48 hours.
"It is understood the operatives insisted on
time and a half for all above 45 hours, hence the disagreement. It is
further said that the operatives are displeased over the discharge of some
of their fellow workmen.
"Last week machinists of the R. H. Long
Machinery Company, who were also enjoying the 45-hour weekly schedule, won’t
out on strike when requested to work three additional hours. Their demand
was similar to that made by the Bela Body workers, time and a half for the
three hours, to which the company would not agree.
"It was reported that many of the striking
machinists resumed work, accepting the company's offer. It was said that
others had also made application for their old jobs."
Although Long was a well-known businessman, his political career remains
his lasting legacy.
Long first ran for public office in 1912 as the unsuccessful Democratic
candidate for Lieutenant Governor. A wealthy man, he reasoned that if he
owned a newspaper, his chances of winning an election might increase so soon
afterwards he purchased a controlling interest in the Boston Telegram. Tales
of successful "boy cobblers" within its pages helped him garner the
Democratic nomination for Governor of Massachusetts in the 1918 and 1919
elections.
The September 25, 1918 Boston Daily Globe reported:
"Long Wins Over Gaston by 2700, Barry Is Third.
"Richard H. Long of Framingham was nominated as the Democratic candidate
for Governor of Massachusetts in the primary election yesterday. His
plurality over Col William A. Gaston, who ran second, was about 2700.
Ex-Lieut. Gov. Edward P. Barry was about 4500 votes behind Col Gaston.
"The vote for Governor on the Democratic ticket, with 11 towns and
Quincy, Everett and New Bedford missing, but with their votes estimated on
the basis of the rest of the State and of previous votes in those places,
was: Long, 23,454; Gaston, 20,761; Barry, 10,335.
"The early returns indicated that Col. Gaston had been nominated. He
carried Boston by a plurality of 2267 over Mr. Barry, who was second in this
city. Mr. Long was 1528 votes behind Mr. Barry in Boston. As the figures
from the rest of the State came in, however, Col Gaston's
apparent plurality was gradually wiped out ; the other cities went, for
the most part, for Mr. Long: and he quickly went from third to first place.
He carried Worcester by about 1000, Lynn by 800, Holyoke by 775, Springfield
by 700, Fall River by 400, Marlboro by 275, Lawrence by 200, Fitchburg by
150 and Lowell and Chicopee by about 100 each.
"The towns, especially those in the middle and western parts of the
State, also went for Mr. Long, and his nomination was soon made certain. The
result was a surprise except to Mr. Long and his closest supporters, who have maintained from the beginning that
he would be nominated.
"The vote of Boston for Governor was: Gaston, 12,111; Barry, 9854; Long,
8326. Barry carried Wards 9, 10 find 11 his own section of the city, but
every other Boston ward went for Gaston. Ward 5, the home of Martin
Lomasney, gave Gaston 1313 votes, Barry 640, and Long 125."
Long lost the November 4, 1918 election to the Republican favorite Calvin
Coolidge, by a margin of 16,773 votes, The official 1919 (Nov. 4, 1918)
Massachusetts Governor's election results follow:
"From an examination of the returns, it appears that votes were cast as
follows: —
"For Governor.
|
Calvin Coolidge of Northampton has |
214,863 |
votes |
|
Richard H. Long of Framingham has |
197,828 |
votes |
|
Sylvester J. McBride of Watertown has |
7,757 |
votes |
|
Ingvar Paulsen of Boston has |
1,913 |
votes |
|
All others |
9 |
votes |
"And Calvin Coolidge is elected"
Due to his narrow defeat in 1918, Long was easily nominated to represent
the Democratic party in the November 4, 1919 election.
The August 15, 1919 Boston Globe announced his candidacy:
"RICHARD H. LONG FILES HIS PAPERS - Democratic Nomination for Governor
Sought
"Richard H. Long of Framingham yesterday filed papers as candidate for
the Democratic nomination for Governor with the Secretary of State. Mr. Long
was the candidate of his party last year. His papers, as filed yesterday,
contained 1222 signatures, 203 from Hampden County, 266 from Essex. 340 from
Middlesex and 353 from Worcester."
Long faced the same opponent as in 1918, Calvin Coolidge, but this time
the incumbent Governor Coolidge defeated him in a landslide victory. The
main reason for the defeat was due to the public's approval of how he
(Coolidge) handled the bloody 1919 Boston Police strike where 80% of the
city's policemen went on strike after the police commissioner refused to
allow them to unionize.
Widespread crime and rioting ensued requiring the intervention of the
State militia, which resulted in the tragic deaths of two rioters. Coolidge
criticized the striker's actions in a much-publicized telegram sent on
September 14, 1919, to Samuel Gompers, President of the American Federation
of Labor. A transcription of that telegram follows:
"Mr. Samuel Gompers
President American Federation of Labor
New York City, N.Y.
"Replying to your telegram, I have already refused to remove the Police
Commissioner of Boston. I did not appoint him. He can assume no position
which the courts would uphold except what the people have by the authority
of their law vested in him. He speaks only with their voice. The right of
the police of Boston to affiliate has always been questioned, never granted,
is now prohibited. The suggestion of President Wilson to Washington does not
apply to Boston. There the police have remained on duty. Here the
Policemen's Union left their duty, an action which President Wilson
characterized as a crime against civilization. Your assertion that the
Commissioner was wrong cannot justify the wrong of leaving the city
unguarded. That furnished the opportunity, the criminal element furnished
the action. There is no right to strike against the public safety by
anybody, anywhere, any time. You ask that the public safety again be placed
in the hands of these same policemen while they continue in disobedience to
the laws of Massachusetts and in their refusal to obey the orders of the
Police Department. Nineteen men have been tried and removed. Others having
abandoned their duty, their places have, under the law, been declared vacant
on the opinion of the Attorney General. I can suggest no authority outside
the courts to take further action. I wish to join and assist in taking a
broad view of every situation. A grave responsibility rests on all of us.
You can depend on me to support you in every legal action and sound policy.
I am equally determined to defend the sovereignty of Massachusetts and to
maintain the authority and jurisdiction over her public officers where it
has been placed by the Constitution and law of her people.
"Calvin Coolidge
Governor of Massachusetts"
By Election Day it would have taken a miracle to defeat the
immensely-popular Governor and Long was soundly defeated by 125,101 votes -
317,774 to 192,673 - more than seven times Coolidge's margin of victory in
the previous election.
After suffering an embarrassing defeat in the 1920 Democratic
Gubernatorial primary Long decided to retire from politics and return to
business. During the Spring of 1920 Long announced the construction of a
million dollar manufacturing facility in Worcester, which was carried by the
Boston Globe in its April 2, 1920 edition:
"TO BUILD $1,000,000 PLANT AT WORCESTER
"Richard H. Long Said to Be Head of Auto Concern
"Special Dispatch to the Globe
"WORCESTER. April 1— Negotiations for the purchase of a large tract of
land in the North End of Worcester as the site for a $1,000,000 plant to
manufacture automobile bodies were practically completed today and it is
expected, the papers will be passed tomorrow.
"It is reported that the plant will give employment to 4,500 hands and
homes for many of them are to be erected on land surrounding the shop.
"Richard H Long of Framingham is said to be at the head of the concern.
The deal for the purchase of the land has been made by Worcester men."
The death of his wife, Mabel H.L. Long, in a nationally covered July 10,
1920 plane crash put the project on hold for the next few months but
construction commenced at the end of March, 1921 as recorded by the New York
Times in its March 26, 1921 issue:
"R.H. Long begins erection of new factory in Worcester, Mass."
The April 1, 1921 issue of Lumber announced:
"NEW AUTO BODY PLANT
"Worcester, Mass., March 28. – Richard H. Long of Framingham, has
announced plans for building a large factory here for the manufacture of
automobile bodies. Operation will begin early next Fall with a force of
2,000 men and, ultimately, expects to employ about 10,000."
Another magazine that carried the announcement was April 16, 1921 issue
of Boot and Shoe Recorder, "the magazine of fashion footwear":
"Worcester, Mass.—Richard H. Long of Framingham started the erection of a
five-story building, which will accommodate 10,000 employees and will be
devoted to manufacture of automobile bodies."
The construction of the Worcester plant coincided with a reorganization
of the Bela Body Co. as the Richard H. Long Co. From 1921 on all third party
bodybuilding activity would be handled by the Long Company. The last mention
of Bela Body Co. was in relation to the firm supplying coachwork for the
Amesbury/Framingham-built Temple-Westcott automobile, an assembled 6-
cylinder mid-priced car which was built in very small numbers (approximately
20) starting in 1921. The History of the Temple-Wescott firm is scarce at
best. The firm's entry in Kimes & Clarke's Standard Catalog of American Cars
1805-1942 follows:
"TEMPLE-WESTCOTT — Framingham, Massachusetts — (1921-1922) —
Temple-Westcott is a conundrum. Apparently the car, which was a six, was
built in the shops of the Bela Body Company in Framingham. A total
production of both ten and twenty Temple-Westcotts has been reported, but
for whom were the cars built? That remains a mystery. The possibility that
the vehicles were produced on special order for a Temple Westcott dealership
in the area seemed likely, but alas there were no dealerships during the
early Twenties in Boston, Framingham or Amesbury that carried the name of
either Temple or Westcott. And there was no relationship between this car
and the Westcott then being built in Ohio. When the Bela Body Co.
subsequently moved to Amesbury, the Bela plant in which the Temple-Westcotts
had been built was acquired by the Dennison Company."
Kimes & Clark have the Bela Body chronology backwards, but I can add that
I also could not locate any additional information on the Temple-Wescott,
nor its incorporators or distributors. However, the Jackmann-Jameson Co.,
910 Commonwealth Ave., Boston (coincidentally the former Hume Carriage Co.
building) were listed as the New England distributors of the Ohio-built
Westcott and may somehow be connected.
To keep himself busy after his wife was killed in an aircraft accident in
1920, Richard H. Long decided to start making automobiles. In an address
made on March 10, 1922, Long stated that planning for the Bay State
commenced one year previous, March 10, 1921.
He hired Herbert C. Snow (1884-1974), a former Winton engineer who was
between jobs, to design the chassis. Snow is remembered today for his work
as Auburn's chief engineer where he worked on such legendary vehicles as the
Cord L-29, Auburn Speedster, and Cord 810/812. Even before one sketch was
drawn Long had a name for his car, Bay State. It was made in Massachusetts,
the Bay State, and it was going to be sold only in Massachusetts.
Long formed a new firm, the Bay State Automobile Co. and slowly began
production of the Bay State automobile in the former Bela Body plant that he
had acquired in August of 1918. In 1920 Long acquired the services of
Fredrick Howe Clark as chief engineer of his various manufacturing
facilities. Clark moved to Worcester in 1921 to oversee construction of the
firm's new (67) Millbrook Street factory.
August 14, 1921 Boston Globe:
"BAY STATE CAR MADE BY RICHARD H. LONG
"The Bay State motor car made its first appearance here Friday, when a
number of friends of Richard H. Long, the Framingham shoe manufacturer who
is building it, were invited to inspect and ride in it from the Courthouse.
It is a sedan, and Mr. Long proposes to sell it at a low figure. He is going
to cater first to the New England trade and later increase production and
sell elsewhere. His plans now call for the delivering the car free at any
point in New England, driving it over the road to customers.
"The new car is attractive, substantially built and rides easily. It has
a six-cylinder Red Seal Continental motor, 3 ¼ x 4 ½, with Delco ignition
and a wheelbase of 121 inches. Equipment is complete. The body was built in
Mr. Long's factory at Framingham. He is just finishing another plant at
Worcester, 600 feet long by 75 wide, of six stories. The first unit of
several such structures where he proposes to turn out a number of cars.
"For the present the cars will be sedans and touring models. Later on
other models will be added to the line. He has equipment for making his own
parts in the near future. The first cars will be ready for delivery this
Fall. He has secured Mr. Snow of Cleveland, formerly with Winton, to work
with his own engineering department.
"Richard F. Long, the oldest son, also has charge of the automobile body
plant, where bodies for other cars have been turned out for some time, will
be active in the management of the motor car production."
The preview was also covered in the August 24, 1921 issue of Motor World:
"NEW LONG MOTOR CAR IS VIEWED IN BOSTON
"BOSTON, Aug. 22—The Bay State motor car has made its first appearance on
the streets of Boston. A number of friends of Richard H. Long the Framingham
shoe manufacturer, were invited to inspect and ride in it from the
courthouse. It is a sedan and Long proposes to sell it for $2,500. He is
going to cater first to the New England trade, and later increase production
and sell elsewhere. His plans now call for delivering the car free at any
point in New England, driving it over the road to the customers.
"The new car has a six cylinder Red Seal Continental motor 3 ¼ x 4 ½ with
Delco ignition and a wheelbase of 121 inches. The body was built in Long's
factory at Framingham. He is just finishing another plant at Worcester 600
feet long by 75 feet wide of six stories, the first unit of several such
structures where he proposes to turn out a number of cars. For the present
the cars will be sedans and touring models. Later on other models will be
added to the line. He has equipment for making his own parts in the near
future. The first cars will be ready for delivery this fall. An engineer has
been obtained."
The Bay State was revealed to the nation on the mezzanine of the Hotel
Commodore in during the January 1922 New York Automobile Show. The
Long-built aluminum-skinned sedan body of the Bay State was a masterpiece
and featured "Nineteen coats of filler, varnish and paint" according to
sales literature. Built on two wheelbases, 121" and 128", The Bay State's
initial offerings included a touring, roadster coupe and sedan priced from
$1,800-$2,500. Soon afterwards new body styles were added which included a
brougham, phaeton, sport sedan, sport touring, and a seven-passenger sedan,
which was offered at $2,750.
The January 26, 1922 issue of Printers Ink contained the following:
"Bay State Pleasure Car Advertised
"Newspaper advertising is being used by the R.H. Long Company, Framingham
and Worcester, Mass., to advertise the Bay State Pleasure Car. The
advertising is handled by Chambers & Wiswell, Inc., Boston advertising
agency. The car is manufactured by the same interests that control the R.H.
Long Shoe Company."
During 1922 coach-building activities for third-party firms (Franklin,
Hudson, Temple-Wescott, and others) continued alongside production of the
Bay State but increased sales of the Long-built automobile soon found the
firm short on space forcing Long to temporarily purchase coachwork from
another New England coachbuilder, the Woonsocket Mfg Co. of Woonsocket and
Providence, Rhode Island.
March 12, 1922 Boston Globe:
"BAY STATE MAKES REAL IMPRESSION
"Automobile dealers throughout the country are watching with interest the
strides made by Richard H. Long of Framingham in the manufacture of
automobiles. Mr. Long, previous to the War, was engaged exclusively in the manufacture of shoes. He is now
producing the Bay State car, an automobile of high quality in every detail
of material and workmanship.
"During the World War the R.H. Long Company's corps of skilled engineers
and mechanics produced for the Nation a great variety of goods, many of
which had never before been manufactured in this section of the country.
"Among these productions was the manufacture of high-grade automobile
bodies.
"After completion of war-time activities a rigid, intelligent
investigation resulted in Mr. Long's determination to manufacture a car
having appearances and performance of exclusive, high-priced cars, but
selling within the reach of the great middle class.
"The same efficient war-time organization with an additional number of
the company's best automobile experts, were retained to manufacture the Bay
State car.
"Mr. Long has been actively engaged m the manufacture of automobiles for
about one year. Far-extending research work has been conducted and severe
experiments have been made over a much longer period. The untiring efforts on the part of his organization
have been rewarded by the Bay State car.
"The leading feature of the Bay State automobile is the even balance of
the car. That is the reason that it runs smoothly and uses such a small
amount of gasoline and is so easy on tires. The Bay State car is expected by
many automobile experts to make many friends in the great middle class."
An October 1922 advertisement in the Boston Herald lists the addresses of
the Bay State' distributors:
"R. H. LONG MOTORS CO.
846 Commonwealth Ave., Boston Tel. Brook. 8553-6336
"Factory Branches, Salesrooms and Service Stations:
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WORCESTER |
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130 Mechanic Street |
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HAVERHILL |
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87 Portland Street |
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CLINTON |
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480 High Street |
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SPRINGFIELD |
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S. Main St., cor. Park |
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LOWELL |
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107 Market Street |
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FRAMINGHAM |
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Fountain Street |
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NEW BEDFORD |
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415 Acushnet Ave |
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FALL RIVER |
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886 N. Main Street |
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BROCKTON |
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810 Main Street |
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MANCHESTER, N.H. |
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70 Bridge Street |
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. |
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314 Broad Street |
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NEW HAVEN, CONN. |
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802 Whalley Ave. |
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PORTLAND, ME. |
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880 Congress Street |
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WATERBURY, CONN. |
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445 Meadow Street |
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BRIDGEPORT, CONN. |
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178 Stamford Ave. |
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HARTFORD. CONN. |
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294 Pearl Street |
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BROOKLYN, N.Y. |
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1309 Bedford Ave. |
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NEW YORK, N.Y. |
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Circle Bldg,. 1837 Broadway |
"FACTORIES WORCESTER AND FRAMINGHAM, MASS.
Long Motors Co. 846 Commonwealth, Boston, Mass."
In early 1923 Long's contract with Franklin expired and along with it the
firm's production body building business. For a short time sales of the Bay
State expanded to regions outside of Massachusetts with distributors as far
away as Chicago.
However by late 1923 R.H. Long's automotive holdings were in serious
trouble, so much so that he organized a new firm, R.H. Long Motors Co., to
protect his assets. The news was announced in a late 1923 issue of Steam
magazine:
"The R.H. Long Motors Co., Framingham, Mass., has been incorporated under
State laws with capital of $1,500,000 to take over and operate the plants of
the R.H. Long Co. at Framingham and Worcester, specializing in the
production of a six-cylinder car.
"Arrangements been perfected for the establishment of a factory branch at
252 Central Avenue, Newark, NJ. Richard H. Long is president and treasurer."
Details of the proceedings were contained in the December 3rd, 1923
issue of The Automobile:
"3 Creditors Petition Long Bankruptcy: Charge Preferential Payments Were
Made Where Company Was Insolvent.
"Boston, Dec 3 – An involuntary petition in bankruptcy has been filed in
the United State District court against the R.H. Long Co. The petitioners
are three creditors with small claims, who charge preferential payments last
November, when, they allege, the company was insolvent.
"Two Committees Were Named
"Boston, Dec. 1 – Following a meeting held at one of the larger banking
houses here a few days ago, plans were made for handling the affairs of the
R.H. Long Motors Co., the R.H. Long Co. and the R.H. Long Shoe Co., all of
Framingham, through two committees.
"One is composed of Wilbur W. Higgins of the Old Colony Trust Co., George
E Pierce of the National Shawmut Bank, both of Boston, and John W Bargefrede
of the First National Bank, Brooklyn, N.Y. to act for the secured creditors.
The other is made up of G.L. Margeson, B.F. Goodrich Co.; TM Regan, the
American Credit Indemnity Co. of Boston, and one other to be selected later
to look after the unsecured creditors. The appointment of these committees
is the aftermath of meetings held during the last few days by Robert M.
Falkenau of the Irving Bank-Columbia Trust Co., Brooklyn, NY, and WW Shepard
of the Worcester Bank & Trust Co. and Higgins.
"The business has been turned over to the Caswell & Woods Associates,
industrial engineers, as a result of "lack of liquid working capital and a
consequent inability on the part of the companies to meet their current
liabilities." According to the report of the committee of investigation,
Chaswell & Woods estimates the assets of the three companies at about
$1,875,000 and the direct liabilities as about $1,200,000 and their
contingent liabilities at approximately $800,000."
"Builds Bay State Car
"The principal business of the Longs companies is the building of
automobiles known as the Bay State. This work was undertaken several years
ago when the R.H. Long Co. had completed its Government work. Long
previously had done some body building for automobile making concerns. He
sent to Cleveland and secured a designer formerly with Winton, and the Bay
State was placed on the market, its closed models — the first produced —
selling at $2500. Salesrooms were opened in Boston and other cities, and a
plant was secured at Worcester in addition to the one at Framingham. Long
has not operated the shoe plant since Sept. 1, last.
"He and his family practically control the shares of stock of all three
companies. The creditors committee is optimistic over the possibilities of
straightening out the difficulties. In its report it says: The R.H. Long Co. is the
parent company. Substantially all the stock is owned by Richard H. Long and
members of the Long family. The R.H. Long Motors Co. owns the principal
manufacturing plant at Framingham, the Worcester factory erected last year,
the inventory of the finished Bay State automobiles and materials for their
manufacture, and the equipment contained in the plant at Framingham.
"The R.H. Long Shoe Co. owns the inventory, machinery and accounts
appertaining to the manufacture of shoes. The R.H. Long Co. owns the stock
of the two subsidiary companies, a considerable amount of land in
Framingham, upon which are located a large wooden shoe factory, several
brick buildings for the manufacture of shoe machinery and certain dwelling
houses and farm buildings, together with inventory which includes ware
materials believed to have substantial value.
"It did own a large tract of land adjacent to the new factory building in
Worcester. This land has been transferred to R H. Long as trustee for the RH
Long Company. The principal business of the companies today is the
manufacture of automobiles. The RH Long Motors Co. does the manufacturing
and the RH Long Co. the selling. The RH Long Shoe Co. has not been operated
since Sept. 1, 1923. Its inventory has been substantially liquidated.
"Government Claims Pending
"The assets and liabilities figures listed by the Bureau of Internal
Revenue suggest an additional tax liability of possibly $1,400,000. Mr.
Long, however, expresses the belief that additional taxes, if any, will be
very small. The tax situation, however, calls for immediate and careful
study.
"The report quotes Caswell & Woods with saying:
"'With the advance of the comparatively small amount of cash reserves,
the liquidation of the companies investments and, with careful supervision
over such liquidation by representatives of the creditors, creditors may
more reasonably expect to receive substantially full payment of their claims
that would be the case if court proceedings would now intervene and compel
an immediate conversion of asserts into cash at a forced sale.'
"They have also advised your committee that in their opinion the
appointment of a receiver at the present time would jeopardize the chances
of satisfactorily disposing of the tax situation."
The Associated Press covered the bankruptcy in a December 6, 1923
wire story:
"LONG MOTORS CO. IN BANKRUPTCY
"BOSTON, Dec. 6 (By Associated Press)—The R.H. Long Motors Co, with
factories in Framingham and Worcester, was petitioned into bankruptcy in the
federal district court today, "
"The petitioning creditors, who allege preferential payment to other
creditors, are the Federal National Bank of Boston, with a claim of $27,600
on a promissory note: Bay State National bank, Lawrence, $12,000 on notes; Manufacturers National bank, Lewiston,
Me., $12,000 on a note, and Chambers & Wiswell, Boston, $2,908 for
advertising.
"A petition in bankruptcy recently was filed against the R. H. Long Co.,
parent company of the R.H. Long Motors Co. and the R.H. Long Shoe Co., after
a creditors' committee had reported that the concern was embarrassed by lack
of liquid assets. Richard H. Long of Framingham, former Democratic candidate
for governor, heads the R. H. Long Co.
In the months immediately preceding the bankruptcy announcement the Long
organization sought out tenants for its idle factories. The Luxor Cab
Manufacturing Corp., a Manhattan-based cab distributor owned by Allie S.
Freed began building taxicabs in one of the former Bay State plants under
the watchful eye of Morris Heit, Luxor's manufacturing supervisor.
Coincidentally, Luxor had recently begun manufacturing taxicabs in the
Hagerstown, Maryland plant of the Moller Motor Car Co., the manufacturer of
the Crawford Automobile. Unlike the R. H. Long enterprise, Moller was
well-financed, built their own high-quality coachwork, and was conveniently
located near Freed’s current and potential customers.
The following article appeared in the January 28, 1924 Hagerstown Morning
Herald:
"IN PERMANENT HOME
"Luxor Taxicabs Being Made On Third Floor Of Building.
"The Moller Motor Car Co., which recently purchased the old Crawford
Bicycle Works, later the Maryland Pressed Steel Co. and the Poole
Engineering Co., has moved the Luxor taxicab factory to the third floor
which will be the permanent place for the manufacture of these taxicabs. The
Moller Motor Car Co. is also making its line of goods in other parts of the
building. This plant is destined to be one of the busy factories in
Hagerstown."
Freed had his own design and management team that not only designed the
vehicles but also oversaw their production. A skilled delineator named
Wehrle did all the design and engineering work while Heit took care of the
manufacturing end. The pair made regular trips between Framingham, New York
City and Hagerstown, and occupied their own offices in all three cities.
Like the Crawford, the Luxor was an assembled vehicle, and was built
using a heavy-duty 114-inch wheelbase chassis equipped with Budd disc
wheels, Brown-Lipe transmission and a 4-cylinder Buda light truck engine.
The Luxor’s heavy-duty fenders were stamped out of sturdy sheet steel and
its Moller-built limousine and landaulet taxicab bodies were painted cream
and light blue with red striped black moldings. The same spherical
illuminated radiator caps found on the Dagmar were employed as were
bi-lateral colored carriage lamps housed under a nickel-plated lion’s head.
The leather-upholstered interiors were of a quality not normally seen in
a taxi and the sturdily built taxicabs had a suggest list price of close to
$3,000. When given a choice, the typical cab customer would choose to ride
in a Luxor over any of its competitors.
Apparently Luxor's Framingham operations were going smoothly as the May
14, 1924 issue of the Automobile reported the sale of the former Bay State
factory to Luxor:
"Main Factory of Long Acquired by Luxor Cab
"FRAMINGHAM, MASS., May 14— Guy Murchie, receiver for the R.H. Long Co.,
maker of the Bay State car, has been given authority by Judge Morton of the
Federal court to sell the main factory of the company here to the Luxor Cab
Manufacturing Corp. of Hagerstown, Md. The price is to be $250,000. The
Luxor company plans to build cabs in the plant. And open sales rooms in
Boston shortly for the sale of its cabs."
During much of 1924 Luxor cabs were manufactured on the production line
formerly used to produce the Bay State. Luxor also utilized unused Bay State
components for their taxicabs, and close examination of the two vehicles
reveals that the Luxor and Bay State shared the same chassis, drivetrain and
coachwork, most of which was supplied by the Woonsocket Mfg Co.
Despite the fact that Bay State's main assembly plant had been sold off
to Luxor, the firm's creditors elected to keep the remaining plant open as
reported by the August 21, 1924 issue of Motor Age:
"Creditors Vote To Continue Bay State Car Production
"Boston Mass., August 18th, 1924 – The Bay State Car is to be continued
in production contingent upon court approval, under a plan worked out by the
creditors of all the R.H. Long companies. It was voted to form a corporation
to take control of the affairs of the companies and under the plan of a
three years extension of credit operated them, paying off one-third of the
indebtedness each year.
"The creditors will have control but working with them will be R.H. Long,
and some of the other identified with the company. This plan will be placed
before the court that appointed a receiver some time ago under which the
companies were being operated. Guy D. Murchie, receiver, will make his
report and then the plan will be acted upon favorably because the creditors
see in this move a chance to prevent the R.H. Long companies from going into
bankruptcy. Meanwhile the Luxor Cab Company has taken over part of one of
the R.H. Long factories for building taxicabs."
Even though they were built in two different cities, the Framingham- and
Hagerstown-built Luxors shared the same parts and were nearly identical in
appearance save for slight variations in the coachwork.
In late 1924 Luxor sued another Manhattan cab operator, the Leading Cab
Co., for appropriating the cream and light blue paint scheme of the firm’s
taxicabs. New York State Supreme Court justice Levy ruled in favor of Luxor
and granted them an injunction forbidding Leading Cab et al. from using the
Luxor colors.
Luxor’s vice-president, attorney Joseph Sapinsky, stated:
"The taxicab industry and even some lawyers
who should know better. They seemed to have been of the opinion that a
taxicab manufacturer could acquire no property right on a color combination
and that everyone was free to appropriate a competitor's good will. This
mistaken idea was due to a misreading of the Yellow Cab cases."
The following text is from a 1925 Luxor advertisement:
"The Meaning of LUXOR The Better Taxicab
"To The Taxicab Owner
"Taxicab Transportation has graduated from the converted pleasure car and
"rattle-trap" stage. Now it is a highly specialized business. Experience
proves conclusively that the operation of Taxicabs can be made profitable,
providing equipment of the very highest order is used.
"This equipment must be supplemented by a service that is both economical
and efficient in addition to being courteous. The careful buyer of Taxicab
equipment will find that the selection of LUXOR; The Better Taxicab is the
most logical. The construction of LUXOR and the units built into it are of
the highest order, assuring long life and freedom from mechanical trouble.
"To The Riding Public
"And for the riding public. LUXOR is the most logical selection. Its rich
and dignified appearance, set off by a careful driver in his made-to-fit
uniform will incite and satisfy that desire to ride in Luxury and Comfort.
"One glance will tell you why. LUXOR receives preference over any other
taxicab, especially as the cost is no higher.
"The riding public welcomes LUXOR and gives it their enthusiastic
support. Ownership and Operation of the Better Taxicab proves that it is an
investment of the highest order, and one that will bring large profits and
priceless good-will. Production is being rapidly sold up, we strongly
recommend immediate action in the purchase of The Better Taxicab."
The demand for the Luxor was so great that Freed continued to use both
manufacturing facilities throughout 1924. In fact, Moller’s success with its
recently introduced Dagmar luxury car prompted Freed to announce the pending
production of his own luxury car, the Standish, in the September, 1924 issue
of Autobody:
"The Luxor Cab Manufacturing Co. Framingham,
Mass., builder of the Luxor taxicabs, expects to begin production soon of a
6-cylinder car to be known as the "Standish." The open models will list at
about $2100 and the sedan at $2595. The company occupies the former Long
plant in which the Bay State cars were produced."
A single prototype (possibly two) was produced and, not surprisingly,
eyewitnesses claimed the car looked like a Dagmar with wire wheels and a
Mercedes-style grill. No production Standish’s were forthcoming and after
being used by Freed as a daily driver, the prototype disappeared.
The pending sale of the Bay State Automobile Co.'s assets was announced
in an October 1924 issue of the Automobile:
"Bay State Plant Sold; Production to Continue.
"FRAMINGHAM, MASS., Oct. 1 (1924) — The Bay State Motor Co. has purchased
all the merchandise, machinery, cars, goodwill and other property of the Bay
State Automobile Co. from Guy H. Murchie, the receiver. As a result, the
factories where the Bay State cars were being turned out for the past few
years will resume operations this month when about 500 employees, who have
been out of work for a long time, will be reemployed.
"The new corporation will operate under the direction of Richard H. Long,
who founded the company. No report has been issued as to the price paid to
Mr. Murchie, but the plant alone is valued at more than $600,000.
"The Long Motor Sales Co. is to have charge of the sales of the output."
At that time Long had recently purchased an interest in the Jephson,
Scott Body Co., a small East Orange, New Jersey coachbuilder that produced
production bodies for Crane-Simplex.
Although the Crane-Simplex was a magnificent car, the chassis was
little-changed from its pre-War ancestor and proved to be a financial
disaster. Production was halted during 1923 and the directors of Jephson,
Scott sought additional investors to keep the plant going. An interested
party was located in the form of Richard H. Long, the manufacturer of the
Bay State automobile, and owner of the now defunct Bela Body Co.
At the time one of Long's numerous auto-related businesses, the R.H. Long
Motors Co., was headquartered in Newark at 252 Central Avenue, less than a
mile away from the Jephson-Scott body works. He saw his investment in the
firm as an economical way to get back into the auto body building business
and hoped to use the firm's coachwork on the Bay State if and when
production resumed back in Framingham.
Although J.M. Quinby & Co. - the predecessors of Jephson, Scott - had
withdrawn from business in 1915, the firm's principle owners, William and
Henry Ogden, elected to hold onto the name when they auctioned off what
remained of the firm's assets in 1917. Ernest Kay, Quinby's former
treasurer, negotiated a deal with the Ogdens whereby he and Richard H. Long
would license the name for their new business.
In April 1923 the pair reorganized Jephson-Scott as the J.M. Quinby & Co.
To finance the new enterprise, the pair formed the Long, Kay & Company, a
brokerage house whose sole business was the sales of shares in the “new” J.M
Quinby & Co. Inc. for which they raised $200,000 through a sale of preferred
stock. Although it would be illegal today, the pair pocketed $40 for every
$85 they placed in the Quinby coffers, a practice that was common in the
years before the strict regulations that were made necessary by the stock
market crash of ’29.
The reorganized J.M. Quinby & Co. Inc. prospered for a short period, but
within the year its business took a turn for the worse and Long took over as
president to protect his investment. He reduced the workforce and by the end
of 1925 its outlook had greatly improved. By that time the Bay State had
been out of production for almost two years, however Long found a booming
business in the commercial body field, in particular building bus bodies for
New Jersey's public transit system.
Unfortunately the firm’s output never exceeded 25% of capacity and
dividends were never paid out to its shareholders, so in 1926 they took Long
and Kay to court over the matter.
"Proceeding by Thomas Schroeck and others against J.M. Quinby & Co.,
formerly known as the Jephson, Scott Body Company, Inc., and another, for
mandamus."
The judge found that no wrongdoing had been committed and rejected the
shareholders’ petition. The firm lasted for a couple more years but didn’t
survive the decade, going out of business for good in 1929.
During 1924 and early 1925 Long readied plans to resurrect his failed Bay
State auto manufacturing empire, but a lack of financing caused the deal to
fall through. An Associated Press new article dated August 20, 1926 reveals
he made some attempts to repay his investors:
"BANKRUPT FIRMS WANT TO PAY DEBTS IN FULL
"BOSTON. Aug. 20— (AP) Counsel for the R.H. Long company, the R.H. Long
Shoe company and the R.H. Long Motors company, all of Framingham, which
were petitioned into bankruptcy more than two years ago, today filed with
Referee Robert K. Goodwin a schedule calling for 100 per cent payment to
creditors. As a part of the plan the R.H. Long operating company would issue
three-year promissory notes in part payment to creditors. The plan will be
submitted to the United States court here on Monday."
Most likely the news article was related to his bid to obtain a franchise
from the Cadillac Motor Company, which ultimately succeeded in 1927 when the
R.H. Long Motor Sales Co. opened a Cadillac dealership in Framingham. Strong
sales resulted in the procurement of a GMC franchise in 1929 and a Pontiac
distributorship in 1931.
Although he never again ran for public office, Long remained active in
the state's Democratic Party serving as a Delegate to the Democratic
National Convention in 1928.
Surprisingly the Long Auto Group, a direct descendant of R.H. Long Motor
Sales Co., remains in business today, enjoying the enviable position of
being one of New England's largest GM dealership groups. Its founder,
Richard H. Long, remained at his desk into his early eighties, passing away
at the age of 91 on April 16, 1957.
Long's Worcester plant (67 Millbrook St. ) remains standing in North
Worcester just West of where Interstate 190 merges with Interstate 290.
Popularly known as the old Thom McAn building, the five story, 270,000
square ft. concrete and steel structure was purchased for $3.3 million by
Worcester Millbrook LLC in 1999 and renamed the Worcester Business Center.
"We're proud to own this Worcester landmark property," said John Boynton,
Worcester Millbrook's managing partner at the time of the sale. "It has
played an important role in Worcester's business history from its early days
as a manufacturing facility for the Bay State automobile, and through thirty
years as the headquarters of Thom McAn Shoes. We hope to return it to
prominence once again as the Worcester Business Center."
In 2007 the building was sold for $10.4 million to a Boston-based
investment group, Worcester Business Center LLC.
© 2004 Mark Theobald - coachbuilt.com
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