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Show MOTOR MOTIONS Out of the east comes news of the development develop-ment of a new garage idea that is working out to such splendid advantage that private garages are rapidly becoming passe. The Automobile Club of America established a " garage some time ago in New oiic that was to . be conducted on model lines and the result has been so satisfactory that it is likely it will be continued as a permanent organization. Members of the club only may use the institution and the system on which it is run reduces tne expense to a minimum to car owners. "When a man is elected elec-ted a member of the club and brings a car there for storage purposes it is inspected first by ,i man who is superintendent of the receiving floor. There a careful survey is made of the automobile auto-mobile and the condition of every accessory and x also of the body is looked at carefully. The con- dition of the paint on the body and whether there are any scratches on the frame or fenders, also what kinds of lamps and how many and whether bent or untouched and every accessory there may be is carefully noted down on a forin sheet used for the purpose. The equipment of the building for the washing wash-ing of cars is good and the automobiles are thoroughly washed every day. There is one man to do the washing, another one to do the drying and still another for polishing brass work. Every step as completed is recorded on a card which is countersigned with the initials of the man who does the work. Then this card is countersigned again by the floor superintendent, who turns it in to the general superintendent. Here is a multiplicity mul-tiplicity of detail which naturally could not be attempted or attained in any other garage. In the matter of gasoline the fillers have been instructed to be rather more liberal than under it, so that the members get an extra good supply of gasoline for the gallon. Gasoline, by the way, is the only thing on which the club attempts to make any money, except, of course, in the case of some accessories of very low price, which, if sold at their cost, would naturally result in a number of them being purchased by chauffeurs under one pretext or another and retailed outside. out-side. When the reconstruction of tiie Thomas company com-pany was decided on, four executive heads were selected and put in complete control of the Thomas plant. Each knows the other, so the new E. R. Thomas Motor Car Company starts with an organization or-ganization of proved efficiency. The president of the new company is E. P. Chalfant. E. R. Humpage is vice-president and general manager. The production end is In charge of W. L. Gleason, factory manager, and financial affairs are in the hands of J. J. Ramsey. To strengthen the new organization the company com-pany has got a number of men from, Detroit who have held responsible! positions and who are thoroughly fauiliar with the methods now in force at the Thomas plant. Elmer J. Smith has been appointed general auditor, C. R. Freed takes charge of the specification department and J. W. Bramley steps in as head of the cost and time department. Mr. Gleasorl has chosen as his lieutenants W. J. Birmingham and Roy Graner, while P. A. James has been made head of the experimental ex-perimental department. The sales management of the new Thomas company will be under the direction of George Fitzsimmons, formerly of Atlanta. F. H. Trego has been made chief engineer, with H. M. Jerome as assistant. The head of the purchasing department de-partment is A. L. Lovely, with R. T. Scott as assistant. Both these men worked under Mr. Humpage's direction in Detroit. |