BRAZOS VALLEY A's
Ray's Rust
Early Ford Automobiles
Noah had whiskers - - In the Ark - - But he wouldn't get by - - On a bench - - In the Park - - Burma Shave
About the time Henry began to build the Model A, good highways and roads were being built to carry all the traffic. At about that same time, Burma Shave, started an advertising campaign to get men to change to their shaving lather in a jar rather than using the "old fashioned" brush and mug method. They became an instant hit with motorists all over the country and here in Texas. Most of us can probably remember them.
Sherry's Model A was built only 32 years after the first Automobile was delivered in Texas. 32 years later, Sherry purchased that Model A. Somehow I think more advancement was made in the first 32 years of the automobile in Texas then the next 32!
The Honorable E. H. E. Green of Terrell, Texas was the first person in Texas to actually own a horseless carriage. He received the car on October 3, 1899. The car was a two cylinder, five horsepower machine.
After puttering around Terrell for a couple of days he decided to take a tour over to Dallas which is approximately 30 miles to the west. He enlisted the aid of a local automobile expert (interesting since the car had only been there for a day or so) and they set off for Dallas at 2:30pm on October 5, 1899.
This was to be an eventful tour. Near Forney, they were forced off the road by a team of horses into a ditch which caused damage to the water tank. They had to find a blacksmith to repair the tank, which also marks the first automobile repair shop. They finally made it to Dallas at about 7:30pm on only two quarts of gasoline.
I calculate this to be 60 miles per gallon. Can you imagine what the citizens of Dallas thought about this beast running up and down Main Street at speeds up to fifteen miles per hour? Cars did not catch on real fast.
Burma Shave This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Ken Koehler.
The folks in Terrell began to notice that the milk production by their cows was declining and they actually sued Mr. Green thinking that his automobile was causing the problem. By the time Henry built the first Model A, there were only 40 cars in Dallas not counting the ones on the dealership floors and they were expecting six more. The Dallas' dealers noted that "there is not a week that passes in which at least one automobile is not sold."
Brother Speeders - - Let's - - Rehearse - - All Together - - "Good morning, nurse!" - - Burma Shave
See you down the road.
Ray Hinnant is a member of the Brazos Valley A's, a vintage Model A Club, located in Bryan-College Station, Texas.
