Life, 1911-11-02 · page 7 of 56
Life — November 2, 1911 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **primarily an advertisement**, not satirical content. It promotes the Detroit Electric automobile, Model 25, manufactured by the Anderson Electric Car Company of Detroit, Michigan. The ad emphasizes the car's innovative features: a key-start ignition system, hand controls for speed and braking (requiring no foot pedals), and a patented "Chainless Shaft Drive." It highlights the vehicle's aluminum body panels, ease of repair, and available battery options. The appeal targets practical buyers valuing convenience and safety—notably, electric cars were popular among early 1900s consumers, particularly women, as they were quieter and easier to operate than gasoline-powered vehicles. The advertisement's focus on user-friendly controls and mechanical simplicity reflects this market positioning.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
aS PUPP NT gel aeeees JULY Sat a Uy fyb The Detroit Eleceric name on an Electric pleasure car means as much to you as the artist's signature ona Corot, Millet, Rem brandi. or Whistler The car is more than a utility. It represent» a personality and its ‘ownership reveals you discernment of TR elegance and REAL worth. Model 25 One of Ten Beautiful Designs for 1912 HE turn of a key, your hand on the horizontal speed seat room, and you are ready to quietly “‘float”’ JU RU NLL controller which allows full the miles away. A slight movement of the hand—always in a natural, restful position on the horizontal lever— and you have a choice of five speeds. Move it back of neutral position and you apply the hub brakes, without even touching the foot pedals, or you can, also, bring the car to an abrupt stop by one pressure of the foot, which acts on four powerful rear wheel brakes and at the same time instant- ly stops the flow of current,—a double safety device, patented. The instant response of the car to your All body panels are of aluminum. They do not check, slightest wish naturally creates an irresistible greek oF yap. That means long life, continued beauty desire to know about the unseen beauty of its Oh ROHR and Casycepeir. mechanism upon which all depends, You wish Bodies are hung lower but not so extreme that there is danger to vital machinery from insufficient clearance. to know about the storage of electricity, how it Wonderful springs of improved design smooth over any is turned into mechanical power by the motor unevenness of the road. Ball bearing steering knuckles and then carried to the wheels without waste make steering remarkably easy. through the “Chainless’” Shaft Drive—another For 1912 we build one chassis in four sizes—85-inch, patented feature. 90-inch, 96-inch and 112-inch wheel base. Ten stunning . body designs. Explanatory Note—The word ‘Chainless” does ly designs. not refer to the absence of side chains alone, but applied to the shaft drive, means no Shain or beat Batteries—Edison—nickel and steel; Detroit, Ironclad Se eS eee et rie weed ise fener and Exide lead. Edison and Ironclad at additional cost. car. parts than a Shaft Drive constructed with con- cealed chains, a self-evident advantage. All battery cells are ‘‘get-at-able”’ by simply Bont tak raising the piano-hinged hoods, an absolute for any falor necessity for proper inspection and “venting” may desire while on charge. Anderson Electric Car Company 409 Clay Ave., Detroit, Mich. Shaft Prive pow Dorks aes lway at Soth +t; Chicago. Michigan Avenue; os in all Leading Cities Chainless ‘Selling Representat Tires—Pneumatic or Motz Cushion. ccc bs 9 comicbooks.com