Life, 1908-01-09 · page 22 of 22
Life — January 9, 1908 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **product advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes the Franklin automobile, manufactured in Syracuse, New York, emphasizing its air-cooled engine as superior to competitors' water-cooled engines. The illustration shows two bundled figures driving a Franklin car through snow, visually demonstrating the headline claim: "The Franklin does not stop for cold or snow." The advertisement's argument: water-cooled engines freeze in winter (at 30°) and overheat in summer (boiling at 212°), causing mechanical failure. Franklin's air-cooled engine maintains constant temperature (350°) year-round, offering reliability "365 days in the year." The text includes competitive claims (e.g., Franklin achieved 87 miles on 2 gallons versus a competitor's 48 miles), plus pricing for various models ($1,750–$5,200). This reflects early 20th-century automotive marketing emphasizing engineering advantages during a period when vehicle reliability remained a significant concern for buyers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
January 9, fag The Franklin does not stop for cold or snow. Air-cooled engine—No freezing troubles. Light weight, with strength and high power— Not easily stalled. No water-cooled engine can be as efficient as a Franklin—winter or summer. WATER FREEZES AT 30°. Any minute some-| THE FRANKLIN ENGINE RUNS at a con- thing. may burst. In winter a water-cooled motor | stant flange-temperature of about 350°—It has no is a nuisance, or out of commission. danger-lines—It is-always too low to burn your WATER.-BOILS AND EVAPORATES at 212° When it boils out of a water-cooling jacket, it be- comes a regular ‘‘hot-box.'’ Thetemperature jumps to 450°. The cylinder-oil burns and the pistons stick. You dare not run hot enough for full efficiency. ‘A gas-engine makes power by turning gasoline in- to heat. The hotter you can run it without igniting fuel. h your lubricant, the more power you get out of your, lubticant; always hot enough to get the best possible work out of the gasoline. IN THE GREAT EFFICIENCY CONTEST the Franklin went 87 miles on 2 gallons of gasoline. The nearest competitor (water-cooled) went 48, Franklins have no water-pipes, pump, jacket, tank, radiator or water tolug. They are light-weight all through, combined with strength and high-power. This means: Power that youcan always use. Trouble avoided. Dollarssaved. Reliable automobiling 365 days in the year. H. H. FRANKLIN MFG. CO., Syracuse, N. Y. Member Association Licensed Automobile Manufacturers Write for the handsome and sensible Franklin catalogue. $2850 Four-cylinder Landaulet — - $4000 Six-cylinder Limousine - — - 28 b. p. Touring-car or Runabout - 42. p. Touring-car or Runabout - Prices f. 0. b. Syracuse, N. Y. = S400 + $5200 = $1750 = $1850 16h. p.Runabout - = - 16h. p.Touring-car = = F RA comicbooks.com