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Generous support from the Ellen Browning Scripps Foundation Winter2019 “The Information Place” Volume 21 # 3 HENRY MARTYN LELAND, 1843-1932 “The Grand Old Man of Detroit” In this article, we delve into and shed multiple awards. light upon the many accomplishments of Leland’s inspiring quest for perfection Henry Martyn Leland. Leland was instru- was developed during his time working mental in the creation of two of the most with firearms manufacturers and sewing recognizable marques in automotive his- machine companies, but like most pio- tory, and both remain synonymous with neers of his time was eventually seduced style and luxury. However, many of his by the challenge of taking on the new- talents lay in the intricate methods of fangled contraptions called motorcars, manufacturing and engineering, and the convinced that he could use the skills he precision with which his machinery was had acquired to build the best one availa- manufactured with dazzled his competi- ble – and did. Leland quickly became tors, earning him worldwide acclaim and recognized as the most knowledgeable and best trained person working with automobiles in the U.S. at the time, and Up Coming Events his name came to represent the highest 2020 standards in quality and precision in the Feb TBT industry worldwide. Annual HCFI Membership Henry Martyn Leland was born in Ver- mont in 1843 to Quaker parents and sev- Meeting. en other siblings. His parents Leander Feb 21-22 and Zylpha were farmers that could bare- BIG3 Parts Exchange, ly eke out a living, but instilled in young Henry the foundations of morality and San Diego, CA religion that forged the lifelong values he March 20-21 held dear and gave him a compass to live Chickasha Swap Meet, by. Though his upbringing was that of him, and he remained a man of faith virtual squalor, and young Henry was throughout his life. Chickasha, OK virtually uneducated (schooling was lim- April 17-18 ited to a few summer months a year), it His parents would inevitably lose the farm they shared, forcing the family to Bakersfield Swap Meet, was simple lessons that guided him to- ward the proper way to live – like a quote move to the city of Worchester to find Bakersfield, CA from his mother he recalled following a gainful employment, which proved suc- April 19 farming mishap: “There is a right way cessful. The entire family found work, and their situation improved dramatically. La Jolla Concourse and a wrong way to do everything - hunt for the right way and go ahead.” Henry found himself work making shoes d’Elegance, La Jolla,CA for southern slaves, personally develop- May 23 At age seven, it was said that Henry ing a system that allowed him to earn as had been awakened from a deep sleep by much as his more mature and experienced American Heritage Car a voice that he thought was his mother’s. coworkers. Later, he would find work at a Show, Escondido, CA The voice told Henry “I want you to al- wheel factory called the Crompton works, May 24 ways be good.” He promised he would, which introduced him to industry and and resumed his slumber. Upon asking Fallbrook Car Show machinery for the first time. He would his mother about the incident the follow- soon become a mechanic’s apprentice. Nov 11 – 14 ing morning, she burst into tears and was Spurred on by the incessant hazing by the NAAM Conference & World convinced that the lord had spoken to her largely English employees, Henry the son. The seemingly supernatural interac- Forum, Naples FL “Yankee” became determined to master tion made an indelible impression on Continue on Page 2 Mac’s Corner…Those of you who are members know that the HCFI finally landing in the gear and cutter de- Library’s daily operations rely solely on the kindness and generosity of partment making tools. He had replaced a members, donors, and friends. It’s because of these generous donations man who had family in management at that we have been able to make incredible strides to better every aspect of the company, and surmised correctly that the Library in the last several years. Thanks to you, we continue to commit he would not receive a warm welcome. ourselves to preserve, protect, promote, and reveal the history of the auto- Never one to shy away from a fight when mobile to new and old participants in the hobby. Your support is critical to he believed to be in the right, his grit and continue our ongoing operations, and I wanted to take the opportunity to thank you all for your generosity. determination would eventually end the tyranny of the troublemakers that sought Having said that, the improvements that we’ve made have revealed further improvements that need addressing – particularly with the need for additional shelving (which is an ongoing out to make his workdays unpleasant. In issue for the Library), which is why I’m using this opportunity to appeal to you during this sea- one instance, the seemingly quiet Chris- son of giving and once again seek your help in getting the library to the next level. tian man dealt with a particularly irksome With your generous donation, we can continue to move forward and pursue our goal of tool room attendant by jumping the tool being the finest automotive research library in the country. Obtaining the tools and supplies that room counter, lifting the man up by his we need to accomplish that starts with you and your donation. Please consider including the lapels, and threatening to throw him out HCFI Library when going through your list of charitable donations this holiday season. of a window by his throat whether the On behalf of all here at the HCFI Library, I want to wish all of you and yours a heartfelt window was open or not if the man gave Happy Holidays and a safe, healthy, and prosperous new year. Again, thanks you all for your him any more trouble. He never did. continued support. See you in 2020! “Mac” When transferred to the screw-machine department of the sewing-machine divi- HENRY MARTYN LELAND now married, took many different jobs to sion, he faced the same kind of obstacles keep moving forward: a wrench company, – this time his work was being rejected by Continued from Page 1 a tool company, and a rifle company to an inspector as inferior and out of spec. name a few. He had also volunteered for Fearing that thousands of screws he per- his craft and become the best mechanic in the Worchester Fire Department, which sonally manufactured were incorrect, he the shop. carried with it a rather violent rivalry with began to inspect the machines that he Despite the outbreak of the Civil War other fire brigades in the area. They used for any problems. When he found which signaled a drop in production, Hen- would compete to get to the fires first, and none, he inspected the inspector’s gauges ry remained in his apprenticeship and vicious, bloody fistfights between bri- and found that they were in fact the rea- eventually became an accomplished me- gades would usually follow. Henry con- son that the specs were off, as they were chanic, and would take on difficult tasks tinued this rough and tumble line of work worn to the point of inaccuracy. When that a master mechanic would have been for five years until a nervous breakdown rechecked with proper gauges, Henry’s doing for the same amount of pay. sidelined him to the farm, where he ran work was approved as meeting all specifi- the saw mill. Although he longed to join the fight to cations. defend his country (Henry being deeply Following his convalescence, he sought After the gauge incident, Leland began patriotic), his mother had gone to the re- work as a police officer, opting to dis- taking a closer look at all of the plant’s cruiting office and made sure that the tance himself from factory work. The stint manufacturing practices, and realized that name of her underage son was removed as constable was short-lived, however, as time and money were being wasted on from the list of eligible men. It would not Henry found himself stretching himself parts being made on a lathe that could be be long after that Henry would be serving too thin – walking his beat at night and made more accurately on a screw machine his country in another way – by building studying law during the day. A visit to his in far less time. His suggestions were tak- tools that were used in government physician confirmed that he wasn’t get- en to the supervisor, who implemented armories. ting enough sleep, and it was time for the changes. So successful were the Henry to take a good, hard look at what The Crompton Works had accepted a changes that, where once Leland was su- he wanted to do with his future to support pervising six machines, he was quickly contract to build the Blanchard lathe, a his family. tool that turned out gun stocks. The job supervising sixty. He was also the first was given to the young apprentice, and it He decided that he wanted to start his person to suggest that, instead of filling was approved after inspection by army own shop, but needed more experience the same order for the same parts day officers from the Springfield Armory. and capital to begin. Leland devised the after day (which he deemed wasteful), Upon completing his apprenticeship, he best course of action to achieve his goal: why not just keep a stock of the items that took a job at the Springfield Armory as an he would seek out the best factory he sold most often? It was a simple observa- expert mechanic helping the war effort. could find to work for, and glean as much tion, but one that would revolutionize the He remained there until the end of the knowledge he could from the experience manufacturing process. war, and upon being discharged, took a to prepare himself - all the while saving It was Henry’s fondness for horses that position at the Colt Revolver Factory in money to open his own shop. He had read began a chain of events that would lead to Hartford, now well-versed in not only in scientific books about the Brown and a revolutionary idea not in the automotive textile machinery, but also firearms manu- Sharpe Manufacturing Company and hav- industry - but oddly enough, in barber facturing. ing worked with their precision tools at shops. An order had come in to Brown the Springfield Armory, he applied for a In order to be closer to the woman he and Sharpe to build horse clippers, and position. Upon being accepted, moved his the order was given to Henry. Having intended to marry, Ellen Hull (whom he family (which now included two children) met in his teens at church) he left the Colt grown up on a farm in New England, he to Providence, Rhode Island to begin the had witnessed the cruelty that horses had Factory and returned to Worchester to first phase of his new life. He arrived on work for a company that made card- endured at the hands of clippers that were his first day at work in the only suit he not properly manufactured, which result- setting machinery for weaving. When owned: his policeman’s uniform. misfortune befell that company, Henry, ed in the horse’s hair being painfully Henry was shuffled around at first, pulled out, leaving them bare and without Continue on Page 3 protection from the cold weather. He flat- gain his strength quicker. He agreed, mov- apprentice at Brown & Sharpe, and would ly refused to fill the order unless he could ing his family to Columbus, Ohio. There become instrumental in the success of the elaborate on the idea until the clippers he gained employment at the Jordan & new shop. The shop became so successful, were so precise as to leave a layer of hair Meeham Roller Caster plant where he by the following year, Henry had to hire after the trim and the horses unharmed. regained his health. The Ohio experiment on almost fifty more men. Henry’s shop The result of his tireless efforts inevitably was short lived, however. The plant where had a hand in the manufacturing of some resulted in the manufacturing of the first he worked burned to the ground, and sent of the world’s most recognizable items: hair clippers for humans, of which Leland Henry scrambling back to Providence, the typewriter, the pencil sharpener, and held the first patent. where he regained employment at Brown the automatic chicken feeder. After being consulted by a supervisor & Sharpe. His methods with “his boys” as he of the crew working in the sewing ma- His new position was not to be in the called his employees, were stern but fair. chine department, he uncovered a problem shop, however. Sharpe and Viall decided He never raised his voice in anger and that needed to be addressed. The lathes that Leland would be a travelling sales- treated his workers with respect instead of being used to grind shafts for the sewing man, representing the entire Midwest. At berating them when a mistake was made – machines were rendering the work output each business, he spoke to employees and unlike the way the English treated him as worthless due to the alignment being de- owners alike, instructing men on the prop- an apprentice (although his perfectionism stroyed by the grinding grit. He figured er use of machinery and tools. On one trip, was viewed as folly by at least two em- out that if the rotation apparatus were re- he found himself at the Westinghouse Air ployees – Horace and John Dodge, who versed (meaning that the spindle remained Brake Company in Pittsburgh where a quit to open their own shop and develop stationary while the shafts or other pieces demonstration of the air brake was taking the Dodge Motorcar). being made could be turned instead), dam- place on a series of railroad cars. After a He preached that “good enough was- age to the work would not occur, and disappointing display where the air brakes n’t,” and that consistently doing a job there would be no loss of calibration to the barely stopped the train, Leland recog- properly the first time was indeed more grinder. He brought the idea to his super- nized that the pistons needed to be ground cost-effective than paying two other work- visor, a Mr. Viall, in hopes that Joseph to fit properly. After convincing the super- ers to fix a job that was done improperly a Brown (The Brown in Brown & Sharpe) intendent at Westinghouse of the process second time. Leland’s fatherly approach to would consider creating a new grinding of grinding the pistons and cylinders, he management earned him the nickname machine. Dubious at first, Brown eventu- took sample castings back to Providence “Uncle Henry” by his men, and it fol- ally designed the new grinder after being with him to prove his theory. Upon return- lowed him throughout his career. pestered by Leland at every turn. It was ing to Pittsburg, the mechanics installed named the Universal Grinder, and was the new parts and repeated the test. The By 1893 Wilfred had returned to Provi- marketed a year later – two months before train stopped immediately. The superin- dence to complete his training at Brown & Brown’s own death. It became the indus- tendent ordered several grinding machines Sharpe, and upon completing his appren- ticeship in a third of the time was able to try standard for the next twenty years, but as a result, but declined Leland’s offer to th Leland was not happy with it, as Brown have Brown & Sharpe employees instruct machine to within 1/1000 of an inch – did not follow Henry’s instructions to the his workers to properly use the machines. just like his father. This standard was ex- letter. He argued that the machine was too Months later, when Henry got word that pected of all of Leland’s employees, and light, because Brown’s designing vision the grinders sat motionless because no- forced his competitors to adjust to meet was that of a man making sewing ma- body know how to use them, he took it the quality of his work. The shop was now chines and repairing watches. A decade upon himself to take a handful of mechan- later with help from Leland, a fellow engi- ics to Pittsburg to demonstrate the proper neer named Charles H. Norton would re- techniques. As a result, the air brake be- design the machine to Henry’s original came a safety device used worldwide. specifications, dubbing it the “No. 1 Sur- Leland became friends with many busi- face Grinder.” Still, Henry was offered a nessmen and potential investors in his promotion to head of the sewing machine Midwest travels. Through them, he department – only six years after his arri- learned that if he could find a like-minded val at Brown & Sharpe. He announced to investor, he could easily start his own the amazement of Mr. Sharpe and Mr. shop by sharing ownership of the shop Viall that he would not take the position with the investor. His dream of beginning unless they met his conditions: abandon his own business was now coming into the contract system and adopt piece work focus. While in Detroit, Henry befriended prices, and allow him to determine the a man named Robert Faulconer. He con- salaries of incoming workers under his vinced Faulconer to invest $40,000 in his supervision. dream shop. He then borrowed $2,000 They resisted at first, but relented. The from Mr. Sharpe of Brown & Sharpe, and result at the end of the year after imple- with his own nest egg of $1,600, he had menting Henry’s new system was an al- the necessary funding. He convinced his most fifty percent reduction in labor costs. coworker and friend Charles Norton to In 1881, he wrote an essay that affected move to Michigan, and the Leland, the entire industrial world for years to Faulconer & Norton Company became a follow entitled “The Art of Manufactur- reality. The only thing missing was his ing.” son Wilfred, whom he summoned from Shortly after, Henry contracted typhoid Brown University studying medicine to fever, and his doctor suggested that a help get the shop up and running. Wilfred himself had spent many summers as an change of scenery might help him to re- Continue on Page 4 Christmas in 1904, Henry Leland became production manager of the Cadillac Motor Company. His son Wilfred was made business manager. By August of the fol- lowing year, they had produced 8,000 cars. The automobile boom in Detroit alerted Leland to the fact that skilled me- chanics were in great demand, and seized the opportunity to help. The Cadillac School of Applied Mechanics opened in May 1907. It was yet another revolution- ary idea from Leland that still exists to this day. Across the pond in England, word of the automobile with interchangeable parts was getting around. One man, Fred Ben- nett, decided to go to America to find out about Henry Leland and his Cadillac. Af- ter meeting with him and being thorough- ly impressed with Leland’s integrity and his creation, and convinced that the car so popular that expansion was in the jected, Henry put the engine back into his was the most reliable in the world, he re- works, and they opened another location. own car and drove away; though he never turned home to the offices of the Royal A year later, Henry had made enough shook the idea that the new engine could Automobile Club to share his findings. money to pay off his debts and buy out be useful somehow. The officers almost laughed him out of the some of his other investors. The result As it turned out, there was a company room when they were told of was the newly reorganized Leland and that was struggling to build their own au- “Interchangeable parts.” Bennet proposed Faulconer Company. This was the compa- tomobile. William Murphy and Lemuel a test. The men concurred, and set upon ny that would usher in change that would Bowen of the Detroit Automobile Compa- drawing up a set of rules and sending reshape automotive industry forever. ny had just changed their name to the them out to the world’s automobile manu- In 1896, the new method that Henry Henry Ford Automobile Company, and its facturers. Only one company responded, had recently developed to grind casehard- namesake – their chief engineer Henry and eight Cadillacs were sent to England ened bicycle gears allowing them to be Ford – had just resigned. The duo, ready for what was named the “World Standard- interchangeable became a springboard to to throw in the towel, contacted Leland to ization Test.” building steam and gasoline engines. That appraise their assets due to his reputation In February, 1908, The Technical Com- same year, Ransom E. Olds had produced for being an honest and fair businessman. mittee of the Royal Automobile Club be- his first gasoline car in Lansing, and He agreed, but upon inspection of the gan their tests. First, they made sure that moved his mass-production facility to plant saw an opportunity to finally put his Detroit. The transmission of his “Curved new engine to good use. He sat the pair Dash Olds” was problematic and noisy, down at a table and explained to them that and Olds had sought counsel from Leland he had completed his appraisal, but to correct the problem. Not only did Hen- thought that going out of business was a ry silence the transmission, he made them mistake. He pitched his new, cheaper, so precisely that they were interchangea- more powerful engine with interchangea- ble. Following a fire that destroyed the ble parts. The men were inspired to con- Olds factory, Olds asked Leland to build tinue, but only on the condition that Le- 2,000 single-cylinder engines. land would join them and reorganize the The partnership made the “L & F” company. He agreed, and they began to company the first to manufacture a contin- brainstorm names for their new venture. uous supply of auto parts that were precise They settled on Cadillac, the name of the within 1/1000th of an inch and inter- French explorer who discovered Detroit. changeable. It set a precedent in the indus- On October 20, 1902, the first Cadillac try that became standard practice. Henry produced at L&F was built. The attention had purchased one of the cars for himself, to precision and quality was paramount, but found the vehicle could be greatly and Leland offered no quarter. He would improved with some work. He put togeth- accept nothing but excellence, and his er a team of engineers, and re-engineered men delivered. the car as a thank you to Olds for his con- At the third annual Detroit Auto Show tract with L & F. In a few months, the the following January, they had produced engine now produced 10.25hp – the most two more models – the Runabout Model powerful engine in the world at the time – A and the Model B, a larger offering. The and they did it cheaper than Olds took to emblems on the vehicles were the Coat of produce his 3hp offering. They immedi- Arms of Antoine Cadillac -the same em- ately presented the motor to the manager blem still adorns every Cadillac that rolls of Olds Motor Works, who refused the off the assembly line to this day. The Ca- motor due to “the cost of re-tooling.” De- dillac was a sensation worldwide, and at Continue on Page 5 three cars were in good running order by In addition to his countless contribu- overwhelmingly by the engineers, and driving them 23 miles to the Brooklands tions to the industry, Leland found time to Henry would again hoist the Dewar Tro- race track they had just built in London. create organizations such as the national phy for the newly dubbed “Delco” light- After running laps at a constant of 34mph, Foundries Association and the American ing system. Always one to share in his the cars were stored inside a garage until Institute of Weights and Measures. He good fortune, he decided to make the elec- the following week. That Monday, me- also served as the president of the Society trical layout public domain so that all oth- chanics arrived and began taking the auto- of Automotive Engineers for five consec- er auto manufacturers could use it without mobiles apart, with no regard for catalog- utive years. With the pressures of the now paying royalties. Today, that system is ing the parts in any way. After two days, burgeoning automotive industry becoming standard because of Henry Leland. the cars were all in heaps of scattered more and more insurmountable, Henry The consumer, however, was not satis- parts. They made three separate piles of decided to sell the Cadillac Motor Compa- fied with all the advancements that had parts – one for each complete car, then ny to William C. Durant of the now mas- come from Cadillac and its engineers. removed 89 parts from each pile. Those sive General Motors Company – with the They wanted bigger, more powerful, en- parts were to be replaced by new parts in caveat that Henry and his son would stay closed cars that were quiet and comforta- Bennett’s stock. The following day, the on to run the company. ble. It was a new problem on Leland’s mechanics descended upon the parts heaps He wrestled with the decision, realiz- plate. His son Wilfred knew this, and tried and began to reassemble the three Cadil- ing he could now retire and spend time on desperately to ease his father’s mind. The lacs. Without Fitting, scraping, or grind- the farm with his growing family, but de- solution came to him in his sleep: he ing, the Cadillacs were reassembled. They cided to stay on board. Shortly after the dreamt of taking two four-cylinder mo- would sit for a week until a 500-mile reli- sale, word had reached Leland of a man tors, combining them together at a 90- ability run upon the Brooklands Track that had been killed coming to the aid of a degree angle, and shortening the crank- distressed female motorist while trying to shaft. The following morning, he excited- crank her Cadillac for her without retard- ly brought his idea to his father, who ing the spark beforehand. As a result, the proudly agreed with him. A team was car backfired, throwing the hand crank brought together to engineer the new idea, backwards and striking the man, who which was to be shrouded in secrecy. would later die in the hospital. This trou- What they came up with was shorter, fifty bled Henry deeply, and he set out to cor- pounds lighter than the traditional Cadil- rect the problem. He assembled his men lac four-cylinder motor, and would not and informed them of the solution, which vibrate. They called it the V-8 engine. would be their top priority. The solution would be a self-starting mechanism, and that their task was to design and build it for Cadillacs, so that no other man would be killed by one of his creations. One of his engineers who had worked for the National Cash Register Company recalled such a contraption created by a man named Charles Kettering. Wilfred imme- diately contacted him by phone, and he arrived the following day to help Cadillac engineers to improve on his idea; he never returned to his old job. Two months later, Kettering had delivered the new motor. It Ever aware of his detractors and their was placed into the engine compartment constant derision of his creations, Leland of a test car and fired immediately. The released an essay in the Saturday Evening self-starter was born. Post at the same time they released the V- was conducted. Convinced that with Kettering’s help, 8 to the public entitled “The Penalty of the Cadillac could be improved even fur- Leadership” - designed to quiet the din The officers were astounded, as all ther, he thought of using the same battery regarding Cadillac’s newest offering. The three Cadillacs completed the 500 miles at that the starter used to power lighting in V-8 engine – brainchild of his son Wilfred the average speed of 34mph. When it the car as opposed to acetylene. Shortly – now sits in the Smithsonian Institute in reached the newspapers the next morning, after that, the Cadillac had an all-electric Washington D.C. Wilfred, who left col- Henry Leland became world famous. As a lighting system. The contract to build lege and gave up a career in medicine to result of the standardization test, Leland’s 5,000 of the starting and lighting systems be at his father’s side, had made history. Cadillac won the Dewar Trophy – the was given to the Dayton Engineering The Cadillac team of engineers celebrated highest honor that could be given to an Company in Kettering’s home state of and rejoiced, unaware that simultaneously automobile engineer. In True Leland Ohio, since their own plant was operating across the sea, a great shadow was being form, Uncle Henry decided to have a sur- at full capacity already. Upon announce- cast from the east, and threatened their prise celebration after receiving the Dewar ment of this new system in August of very existence. trophy. He had booklets printed up for all 1911, the naysayers and competitors came After taking a trip to Europe in 1913, eleven hundred employees that he would out in droves with criticisms and spouting hand deliver with a handshake, thanking Henry was convinced that war between falsehoods. To prove them all wrong, Le- Germany and Britain was inevitable. He them and congratulating them a job well land invited engineers from the General done. The booklet was entitled “To the confided to his closet friends and family, Electric Company to put the system who scoffed at the idea. His prophecy Men in the Shop,” and honored each of through rigorous testing. It was approved them equally. would ring true, and Leland also knew demand that the Lincoln Motor Company turn out 100 engines daily. What aviation officials were asking of them was impos- sible without capital and a new, larger facility to build the engines, but they were persuaded nonetheless. Four months later, they had built an enormous brick factory four stories high and three city blocks long consisting of eight buildings. They had signed a contract with the government to produce six thousand Lib- erty motors. The Packard Motor Compa- ny signed a similar contract, as did the Ford Motor Company. Other companies came on board the war effort as well. that the United States would be thrust into tape in Washington that was wasting pre- Problems presented themselves almost the conflict eventually. Troubled, he cious time. immediately, as skilled mechanics who asked for an audience with President Wil- William Durant had since come to his could produce the quality that Leland son and pleaded with him to begin prepa- senses while all of this was happening, demanded were almost non-existent, and rations to gain air superiority now before and informed the father and son that he to make matters worse, the War Depart- it was too late. President Wilson was una- would allow limited production of en- ment continued to alter the Liberty mo- mused, and flatly told Leland that it was gines at General Motors plants, begging tor’s design – interrupting production not America’s problem, and assured him that the Leland’s return Cadillac, but Hen- constantly. They also kept making chang- that he himself would keep our country ry had made up his mind. He informed es to the contracts, and after three more out of the war. Leland knew better. Four Durant that he was too late, and that for amendments, the Leland’s had signed a years later, when German U-Boats began him, there were no limitations when it modified contract that called for nine attacking American ships, Wilson could came to his freedom being threatened. thousand engines plus an additional eight ignore the public outcry no longer, and Leland found that his patriotism was thousand (if needed) for a total of seven- war was declared on Germany. shared by many of his former colleagues, teen thousand motors – all at $4,000 a Wilfred contacted William Durant in and when they asked to join his efforts, he unit. New York with the proposal that General welcomed them with open arms. While Despite all the setbacks and obstacles, Motors should begin building engines for pondering names for the new company, the Lincoln Motor Company managed to airplanes immediately, but ran into the Henry remembered aloud making guns complete 6,500 Liberty motors at $2,900 same indifference that President Wilson for President Lincoln during the Civil per unit – which was a lower cost and had offered his father. Durant strenuously War, and stated “If this organization hon- higher production rate than any other refused, and insisted that General Motors ors anyone, it would be him – the finest company involved in the war effort. would never work for the government. man who ever lived in America!” From When it was all said and done, and the Furious with Durant’s lack of patriotism, that moment forward, the company would war ended, the Leland’s were persuaded Leland set out to build the engines on his be called the Lincoln Motor Company. by the government to cancel their non- own, not taking into consideration the One of the loyalists that came aboard cancelable Liberty Motor contract. They enormous costs involved. He resigned Lincoln was an engine designer from the reluctantly agreed, and were left deeply in from General Motors on June 18, 1917, Packard motor Company named Jessie G. debt. and departed for Washington to offer his Vincent. He had been developing a race assistance to the U.S. government. The Still, Henry Leland, now 76 years old, car motor that he now selflessly handed was ready to face the future again - and War Department, however, was complete- over to the effort. He had named it the ly unprepared. Henry and Wilfred re- build motorcars once more. He sum- “Liberty Motor,” and soon a small num- moned Wilfred and his other directors and turned to Detroit and began buying up as ber of them were being produced daily in many factory buildings they could to informed them of his plans for a new au- Detroit. The government, still flummoxed tomobile. The Lincoln Motor Car Compa- begin the process and sidestep the red by the gravity of the situation, began to ny was reorganized, and new stock was that morning, only one bid was placed. put up for sale. All told, six and a half Henry Ford’s attorney bid eight million million dollars in Lincoln Motor Compa- dollars for the company, and the gavel ny stock were sold in less than three fell. The company was signed over in the hours. Along with the new Lincoln V-8 presence of Henry and Wilfred Leland, New HCFI Members: engine designed by Wilfred, the second and Henry and Edsel Ford in the lobby of Trevon Richard, Kansas City, KS automobile Leland created was designed the Lincoln Motor Car Company. Henry John Carter, Audubon, NJ by his son-in-law Angus Woodbridge. It Leland officially retired, and the Lincoln was a luxury vehicle that once again Motorcar would go on to be one of the Steve Cook, Hudson, FL would bear the Lincoln name, but this flagships of the Ford Motor Company; Spencer Silverbach, Carmichaels, CA time, Leland was convinced by his boys preferred by Presidents, heads of state, Thomas Hunt, Medford Lakes, NJ to place a stamp upon the engine that celebrities, and even the Pope. The Lin- Thomas Laferriere, Smithfield, RI read “Leland-built.” Only the first year coln remains one of the most popular models bore the engine stamp. luxury vehicles on the road today. Wilford Taylor, III, Canyon, TX Soon, orders and deposits were pour- “Uncle Henry” passed away on March ing in for all makes of the new Lincoln 26, 1932 at the age of 89 from complica- PLATINUM LIFE MEMBERS offering, and the six thousand workers tions of kidney failure, but not before that had been let go following the cancel- earning Honorary Doctorates from the Don & Becky Sable lation of the Liberty engine contract were University of Vermont and the Universi- Nicholas Fintzelberg Ph. D. back on the lines. Things were looking ty of Michigan. His Cadillac is Detroit’s Gordon & Carolyn McGregor up – until a series of setbacks threatened oldest producer of automobiles, and until Gail Garrison to end the new Lincoln’s debut before it recently the automobile that bore the even started. The initial setback was a name of arguably our greatest President – Art & Gail Wilson strike at a material plant in Salem, Ohio, The Lincoln – was the preferred automo- Stan Lucas delaying production. Then the U.S. bile of the White House. The figure his Treasury Department accused the Lin- beloved public dubbed “The Grand Old coln Motor Car Company of owing close Man of Detroit” had left us, but also an Looking for AQ’s? to six million dollars in taxes, forcing undeniable impression on the automobile them to spend precious time fighting to industry. Guided by his faith, his hones- prove that their records were sound. By ty, and his patriotism, he will always be the time they were cleared by the investi- remembered as one of the greatest men in gation of any wrongdoing, it was too late. the long and storied history of the auto- A post-war recession had emerged, and mobile – and our great country. car orders for Lincolns and other makes – Kevin J Parker were being cancelled, with customers demanding deposit refunds. Production in plants all over Detroit put the brakes BIBILIOGRAPHY: on, and thousands of workers’ hours “Cadillac: Standard History of the were scaled back. Even the Ford Motor World / The Complete History,” Hen- Company shut down. dry, Maurice D. / by the Editors of Auto- The Library has many duplicates, Henry Leland had faith, however - mobile Quarterly / E.P. Dutton & Co. even if his advisors didn’t. He was con- 1973 with 2 complete sets of: vinced that his was the finest motorcar “Cadillac: Standard of Excellence,” ever built, and that success was inevita- Editors of Consumer Guide / Castle ble – he just needed to raise enough capi- Books, 1980 aUTOmOBILe tal. Henry and Wilfred set out to find “Henry Leland: The story of the Ver- willing investors, and just when they monter who created Cadillac and Lin- thought they had secured a deal, a crush- coln,” Stoddard, Gloria May / new Eng- Quarterly ing phone call came in with even more land Press, 1986 bad tidings: The U.S. Treasury had just FOR SALE mistakenly sent another tax bill – this “Master of Precision: Henry M. Le- land,” Mrs. Wilfred C. Leland / time, for almost five million dollars, set- And many individual issues Millbrook, Minnie Dubbs / Wayne State ting production back even further. By the University Press, 1966 to fill your collection time the smoke had cleared, the damage could not be undone. Leland’s hopes to PHOTO CREDITS: save Lincoln were crushed, and the final “Henry Leland: The story of the Ver- Next Board Meeting nail in the coffin was hammered in by the monter who created Cadillac and Lin- government he so gallantly assisted in coln,” Stoddard, Gloria May / new Eng- The next Board Meeting will be on their time of most desperate need. It was land Press, 1986 / inner title page, pg. heartbreaking for Leland, and the rest of 77, pg. 83, pg. 85, pg. 94, February 7, 2020 the country – who had been monitoring the financial downturn of the much be- “Master of Precision: Henry M. Le- 9:00AM land,” Mrs. Wilfred C. Leland / loved Leland and sending their prayers. Millbrook, Minnie Dubbs / Wayne State at the Library Office: On February 4, 1922, the Lincoln Mo- University Press, 1966 / pg. 33, pg. 64, 8186 Center Street, Suite F tor Company went up for auction. Out of pg. 65, pg.128, pg.129 La Mesa, CA 91942 the three thousand people that showed up LIBRARY INFORMATION Chronicles of the Automotive Industry in America, For 1940 Production this Year: 3.717,385 passenger cars, 754,901 trucks and buses. Horseless Carriage Foundation Wholesale value of replacement parts and accessories produced this year: 553,004,020 — a 8186 Center Street, Suite F La Mesa, CA 91942 20% increase.

Correspond to: Nash “600” was introduced. PO Box 369, Hudson set 121 m.p.h. A.A.A. record at Bonneville, Utah, as company celebrated 30th La Mesa CA 91944-0369 anniversary. Phone/Fax: 619-464-0301 E-mail: [email protected] William S. Knudsen, President of General Motors, went to Washington at invitation of Web site: www.hcfi.org President Roosevelt to direct production for national defense.

HCFI 2018 Board of Directors Willys Introduced the Americar.

President Roberta Watkins War closed many U.S. automobile branch plants in Europe. Vice-Pres John Wilkinson Packard took contract to build Roll-Royce aircraft engines. Treasurer Gordon McGregor Automotive Committee for Air Defense was established on Oct. 30 to facilitate Secretary John Adams aircraft production. Director Gail Garrison Ford took contract to build Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines. Director Nick Fintzelberg Ph. D. Cadillac discontinued LaSalle, made “Hydra-Matic-Drive” available on all models. Director Greg Long Director Terri Cuthbert Proffer Chevrolet produced a million cars in less than ten working months. Director James Nicoloff “Fluid Drive” became available on Dodge, DeSoto and Chrysler cars, and Chrysler introduced safety-rim wheels. Director Emeritus David Gast Ed. D. Dodge built 20,000 special trucks for U.S. Army. Executive Director D. A. “Mac” MacPherson In March, Col. Arthur W. S. Herrington invited a group of automotive engineers to Fort Ben-

ning to witness demonstration of a small, armed vehicle designed and built by Capt. Newsletter Editors Robert G. Howie. This demonstration resulted in the development of the “Jeep.” D. A. “Mac” MacPherson Innovations: sealed—beam headlights, speed warning light in speedometer. Established 1984 From: A Chronicle of the Automotive Industry in America, Published 1949.

Shedding Light On Automotive Research Library Automotive History of the Horseless Carriage Foundation, Inc. PO Box 369, La Mesa, CA 91944-0369

Horseless Carriage Foundation, Inc. Membership Application or apply online at www.hcfi.org. The Horseless Carriage Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public educational foundation. Please fill out this form and mail it to Automotive Research Library of the HCFI, PO Box 369, La Mesa CA 91944-0369 Please include check or credit card number and expiration date or pay on our secure web site. We accept Mastercard, Discover and Visa.

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