Life, 1903-04-16 · page 2 of 22
Life — April 16, 1903 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire page**—it's a straightforward advertisement for the Columbia Mark XLI, a 24 horsepower gasoline touring car manufactured by the Electric Vehicle Company of Hartford, Connecticut. The page features technical specifications and mechanical diagrams highlighting the car's innovations: a new four-cylinder engine, removable ignition plugs, interchangeable parts, and improved braking and steering systems. Multiple photographs show the vehicle from different angles and detail internal components. The text emphasizes practical advantages—ease of maintenance, efficiency, and reliability—designed to appeal to early automotive buyers circa 1910s. This represents period marketing rather than political or social satire. The page is purely promotional material advertising automobile technology to potential customers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
COPYRIGHT FOR GREAT BRITAIN BY J4MES HENDERSON UNOER THE ACT OF 1801, Ole | rouRING CAR Leading faults of gasoline automobiles hitherto have been noise and excessive vibration in running, and diffi- culty of access to parts in need of repair or adjustment. To overcome these faults and at the same time to gain greater efficiency, reliability and usefulness, have been chief aims in the development of our Mark XLI. Touring Car. Exhaustive practical tests under all conditions of travel have demonstrated the complete attainment of these objects. The engine, of entirely new design, has four 5-inch vertical cylinders and develops 26 actual brake H.P. All lines of strain upon the frame are about the axis of the main shaft. An important feature is the method of taking out and replacing the bodily removable igniting plugs and inlet and exhaust valves. All of the plugs and valves may be removed and replaced in a few moments without use of a wrench or tools of any kind. CHASSIS—SIDE VIEW Operating parts interchangeable. All bolts and screws have standard threads. New Eisemann magneto system and auxiliary battery. Sliding gear transmission. Through drive on high gear. Speeds 4 to 45 miles per hour. Improved clutch; no shock to vehicle or undue friction. Carbureter gives constant mixture for all speeds. New form of steering; perfect control with no lost motion. Two sets of double-acting brakes inter- acting with clutch. . CHASSIS —TOP VIEW Our new catalogue will be mailed on request. In print and in illustration this is the most artistic book of its kind ever issued. The pictures and de- scriptions cover the entire line of Columbia auto- mobiles, including Electric Runabouts, Victorias, Phaetons, Surreys, Tonneaus, Cabriolets, Coupés, Broughams, Hansoms, Busses, Special Service and Delivery Wagons, Trucks, and the 24 H.P. Gasoline Touring Car. THE ENGINE ELECTRIC VEHICLE COMPANY New York Salesroom: 134-136-138 West 39th Street Opposite Metropolitan Opera House HARTFORD, CONN. Boston, 74, 76,78 Stanhope St. Chicago, 1421 Michigan Ave. comicbooks.com