when ford speaks ... people listen

Ford was the automobile manufacturer that changed the way Americans got around. They dominated the market and the ad space in the old newspapers. I thought it deserved its own page dedicated to the old news ads and articles about the Ford Car Company in early 1900.

 Oscar Ford - Henry Ford's Model A - 1929




New-York tribune, April 30, 1918 

 --Who can say what is a dream and what is a vision? Who could have distinguished the Ford vision from the countless automobile dreams of the last twenty years? Henry Ford, at thirty-four, and James Cousens, at twenty-eight, riding out Woodward Avenue in the sleepy old Detroit of 1902, and anxiously debating whether the company, that was to be formed, with its capital mostly in the form of promissory notes, could stand a salary of $3,000 for Ford as president and $2,500 for Cousens as business manager, were just as likely to be branded get-rich quickers as they were solid producers.
They turned out to be both, with no opprobrium to be attached to the form or automobile news and gossipwhen Cousens and Ford, after twelve years of perfect, harmony, fell out in 1915, because of their widely differing views as to the war in Europe? Fell out so badly that it affected their most intimate relations? Cousens's dividends had already reached more than $5,000.000. The concern wasn't six months old before it was paying fat dividends and, after that, it ran its dividends into such frequency and juiciness that I hesitate to mention them, because of the intoxicating effect they are likely to have on the boys plodding along the good old road of 6 per cent and safety, began With henry ford sues tribune 1919nothing but their idea starting with nothing but an idea and the brains of Cousens and Ford, the property, without aid or consent of banks or bond issues, is now worth more than $250,000,000. Nobody knew it in 1902, but it is now apparent that both Ford and Cousens were exceptional men. Any casual observer can tell you that. But put them both In overalls to-day and smear their faces with soot and nobody would pick them out at first glance as supermen. Evolution has not progressed to a point where our supermen have godlike forms and face. But certainly ordinary men would not let a little question like a war in Europe cause them to fall into disagreements that would separate one of them from about the greatest money-making establishment in the world.
 

 

 New York Tribune July 15, 1919

old ford model f ad from 1906Through reorganization of the Ford Motor Company, now under way, Edsel Ford, president, and his father, Henry Ford, will come into possession of 89 percent of the stock of the corporation, according to an announcement made here to-day by Frank L. Klingensmith, vice-president and general manager. By the transaction the Fords secure the stock held by all minority holders, including the Dodge brothers, except
one, James Cousens, millionaire Mayor of Detroit, who refused to sell his 11 per cent of stock at any price. The Chase Securities Corporation, the Old Colony Trust Company of Boston and the commercial paper firm of Bond & Goodwin have agreed to advance $75,000,000 to aid in acquiring the holdings of the minority stock holders. The total purchase price, it is understood, is approximately $100,000,000, and the remaining $25,000,000, according to report, will be advanced by Henry Ford.

ford challanges the world ad 1908




"The purchase of the minority holdings," said the younger Ford, "is for the purpose of reorganization, although there is not to be any change in the personnel of the officers or in the policy of the company at this time."
Mr. Couzens, who will retain his holdings in the company, left the Ford organization early in the war because of Henry Ford's views on preparedness and pacifism. Up to almost the end of 1915 Mr. Cousens had been general manager and treasurer of the Ford company. He will continue as a director.

 henry fords wonderful recer 1905

New York Daily Tribune – November 6, 1910

Everybody thinks Detroit and automobile at the same time. Verily the City of the ford speed record of 1904Straits is an Industrial miracle of the twentieth century. In Detroit is the heart of the motor world. In 1910 this motor city built 100,000 automobiles and in 1911 there promises to be no let-up. The Ford Motor Company, for instance, which has made more automobiles than any other automobile company, will increase its production to 200,000 during 1911.

Twenty years ago the man who mentioned the feat of 4,000 men making 30,000 perfected machines in one year, each capable of running a mile a minute, of going anywhere a rood can run, of crossing the continent in twenty days, would have been committed to retreat and labeled incurable.Yet this is what is scheduled for just one plant at Detroit. Already the 4,000 have begun work on the first of 30,000 cars for 1911.

The Ford year of 1910 ended with September and showed a production of 20,000 cars, an increase of 10 percent over the business of 1909. The value of the year's business totals 19,000,000. This is more than the paint, pill, stove and freight car industries of Detroit would have amounted to In 1900. This business was conducted through 6,000 salesman, the largest automobile sales force in the world.

 

The new Highland Park plant of this company will turn out 285 cars in one day. It will ship sixty carloads a day. This company, which has has been known throughout the automobile world for Its conservativeness, has made gigantic preparations for business in 1911, based on the general trade outlook and the healthy condition of its own business. The company at the present time has $7,500,000 invested in its business.