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Show M A Ford Story This is a story of how Henry Ford, nearly a quarter century ago, went into San Francisco and personally assembled four Ford cars and then presented them as gifts to four high ranking officers of the United States navy. Reviewing the story at this time is particularly appropriate because it had its origin during the days of the Panama Pacific International exposition. That was in 1915 when San Francisco, after being stricken by one of history's greatest catastrophies (an earthquake and fire that left the city in smouldering ruins) Challenged the world to come and be the rejuvenated city's guest. . At that time (in 1915) the Fori Motor company had an exhibit on the exposition grounds, the principal princi-pal feature of which was a complete com-plete assembly line. Visitors were able for the first time to observe just how a Ford car was brought into being. Henry Ford's visit made the exhibit an outstanding success. On one day he stood in the assembly line and aided in the building of four cars. He presented pre-sented these cars as gifts -to Rear Admiral Fullam, who was then commander of the Pacific Reserve fleet; Captain Tozer of the U. S. S. South Dakota; Captain Reeves of the historic old Oregon, and Lieutenant Lieu-tenant Kail of the Milwaukee. The story is related that when Mr. Ford presented the new car to Admiral Fuller, he emarked: "We have a rule that anybody taking a car from this building must first learn how to put on a tire. So step up, admiral". And the admiral, ad-miral, nothing loath, seized the tire handed him and soon had " it snugly on the rim. Returning again to San Francisco, Fran-cisco, in this year of our Lord, 1939, Henry Ford has erected the largest commercial exhibit at the Golden Gate International Exposition Exposi-tion on Treasure Island. |