Several readers contacted me with comments and questions after last week’s column on the introduction of the automobile into Wellington County. A couple of people were particularly interested in automobile dealers and service stations.
That is a huge subject. In the early years especially there was a rapid turnover of dealers and service facilities. Though there was a growing demand for those businesses, automobile ownership was far from universal in the period before 1920. As well, the majority of motorists stored their vehicles over the winter rather than attempt to cope with unplowed roads and vehicles not equipped with heaters. That reduced the cash flow at automotive businesses in the winter months to almost nil.
Though there were a few car dealers in Wellington by 1912, early automotive enthusiasts often went to the manufacturer’s factory, usually in the United States to pick up their vehicle. Among those doing so were J.W. Lyon and his son, Louis, of Guelph. In 1920, the Lyons owned a pair of Hupmobiles, a car priced in the lower mid-range, and built in Detroit. By then, Lyon and his son had owned at least a half-dozen cars, placing them amongst the most enthusiastic of the early local motorists. In Elora, furniture manufacturer John C. Mundell went to Hamilton, Ohio, to pick up his Republic at the plant.
In 1912, there were roughly 90 motor cars registered in Wellington County, and another 60 or so in Guelph. After that point, the numbers began to rise quickly. Despite the shortages and difficulties of World War I, registrations rose to about 2,500 vehicles for the county and another 1,000 or so in Guelph by 1920. Ownership grew especially fast amongst farmers at the end of the war, when shortages and inflation boosted their incomes.
Though dozens of firms made cars in the years before 1920, the Ford Model T completely dominated the market within a few years of its introduction in 1908. Almost half of the 150 cars in Guelph and Wellington in 1920 were Model Ts.
The Ford company tried to be cautious in selecting dealers, demanding high standards, but even so there was a big turnover of its agents. Local Ford dealers in 1920 included R.G. Fasken, of Elora (who also offered Ford trucks and Fordson tractors), and Bill McConnell, of Harriston, who also sold the Overland, one of the lines made by the Willys Company of Toledo. The Willys firm, in the years before 1920, was the second largest car maker in North America.
In the north, Smith & Sons took over Ford dealerships in Mount Forest, Holstein, and Durham after previous agents proved unsatisfactory.
In 1920, Elora and Fergus had the largest number of businesses dealing exclusively or largely with automobiles, with six each. Altogether, these businesses provided employment to 15 or 20 people in each town. The motor car, in less than a decade, had become significant to the economies of small towns.
Farley’s Garage, in the former Charles Clarke store, and now the home of the Drimmie Florist shop, was the first major garage in Elora. As well as repairs, Farley sold second hand cars and motorcycles. J.E. Thomas advertised as “The Chevrolet Garage,” selling and repairing the popularly-priced General Motors car that was rapidly eclipsing the Ford Model T after the war.
Thomas also repaired Fords, and kept a stock of Ford parts. William Prine offered repairs to all makes, by the hands of his skilled mechanic, Bill Ross, “An A-1 Expert Repair Man.” Prine also kept a stock of Ford parts. D.H. Jones sold the General Motors Chevrolet and Buick lines. Sid Scott specialized in batteries, both sales and repairs. He also stored batteries over the winter, keeping them charged.
In Fergus, Charles Warren was the local dealer for the Gray-Dort, a Canadian brand made in Chatham to designs from the Dort Company of Michigan. J.C. Chapman, in addition to other business interests, sold second hand cars. In May 1920, his lot contained two Chevs, two Model T Fords, two McLaughlins, and a Maxwell.
G.H. Rogers was the Fergus successor to the old-fashioned blacksmith. He offered repairs to any make, assisted by a new innovation, the acetylene torch. Rogers advised potential customers that he could fabricate replacement parts quickly and at less cost than parts from the car maker. He also sold, with little success, the Briscoe motor car, an obscure brand, assembled in Brockville, that left the market in 1923. John Templin and Sons had the Fergus agency for the Willys firm, and specialized in the Overland model. Templin advertised that the 1920 Overland 4 was the “Biggest improvement in automobiles since the pneumatic tire was invented.” Stocks of Goodyear, Dunlop and Dominion tires were also maintained by Templin. An enthusiastic motorist himself, J.C. Templin served for several years as secretary of the Fergus Motor Club, an affiliate of the Canadian Automobile Association.
Tires were the most troublesome item for early motorists. Punctures and blowouts were common, due to the poor qualities of the rubber then in use. A car owner was pleased when he got more than 300 miles from a set of tires before they needed to be replaced or retreaded. As a result, tire repairing became a significant segment of the automotive business. Fergus Tire and Sales was one of several businesses in Wellington to offer tire repairs and retreading. This business even offered service to out-of-town motorists, urging them to ship their tires to Fergus by express for expert attention.
In the north of the county, Mount Forest had the largest automotive sector in 1920. J.P. Noonan was the local dealer for the Overland, and Donald & Donald sold the less-expensive Gray-Dort. J.R. Baird had the Chevrolet dealership, and the largest repair shop in town. In May 1920, he advertised that four second-hand Model T Fords were also on his lot. Smith & Sons Ford dealership swelled the number of Mount Forest car dealers to four. George Cates and Frank Tuckey dealt in tires of various brands, and offered vulcanizing and retreading. They offered to purchase old tires, which they reconditioned for resale. Herleshott Hardware also cultivated the automotive market, with lines of Imperial and Veedol oil, automotive enamels, automotive light bulbs, radiator hose, and Champion spark plugs for 90 cents.
In Arthur, E.W. Brocklebank had the dealership for the Overland and Gray-Dort cars. Nicholson’s Hardware sold Chevrolets as a sideline, offering models beginning at $825 in 1920. W.G. Gorvett also had an agency for the Overland and other Willys models, offering the four-cylinder model Overland for $1,360, and the top-of-the-line Willys-Knight for $2,575. Bueschlin’s Garage claimed “17 years of practical experience with engines of all kinds.” The shop had an acetylene welding outfit, and maintained a stock of Ford parts.
In Guelph, there were at least a half-dozen car dealerships, and a dozen garages offering repairs in 1920. Apart from Drayton, where A.C. Helwig sold Chevrolet cars and light trucks, there were few automotive facilities in the smaller centres in 1920. That would change significantly in the following five or six years.
Much more difficult to compile is a list of the early outlets for gasoline. Many rural general stores added pumps, as did hotels, hardware stores, and other businesses. A few such outlets persisted into the 1960s, but most were long gone by then. Due to soil contamination issues, the compiler of such a list would not make himself popular with the present owners of those properties.
This list of automotive-related businesses in 1920 gives a quick snapshot of the place of the automobile in that year. The industry has changed constantly since then, and at times quite dramatically. Recent announcements that dealer networks would shrink considerably is just the latest development in the history of the automobile in Wellington County.