Life, 1915-10-21 · page 37 of 52
Life — October 21, 1915 — page 37: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily a **product advertisement**, not a political cartoon. It promotes the Franklin Sedan automobile, manufactured in Syracuse, New York. The ad addresses practical concerns of early 1920s motorists: automobiles required seasonal storage (winterized like horses), and owners debated between open touring cars and enclosed town cars. Franklin's innovation was year-round usability—its air-cooling system eliminated water-freezing problems and offered summer ventilation without the dust exposure of open cars. The text positions the Franklin as solving the era's automobile limitations: no water pumps, anti-freeze mixtures, or seasonal layups needed. At $2,850, it's marketed as combining luxury comfort with practical durability on American roads. This reflects a transitional moment when automobiles shifted from seasonal luxury to practical year-round transportation—a genuine selling point rather than satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
7 lors and mple ) the very The Franklin Sedan The All-Year-Round Car HEN the automobile was new, people used to lay it up for the winter, along with the gladiola bulbs and the garden hose. Next we heard a great deal about the Town Car——a ponderous enclosed vehicle to be run gin- gerly on city streets, blanketed like a horse and kept in a warm stable. Also, their one idea of summer motoring was the Touring Car open to wind and sun and dust. Now, the Franklin Sedan is actually cooler in summer than a Touring Car. It can be so ven- tilated as to afford a continuous free circulation of fresh air—while protecting the occupant from the sun and the dust. As a winter car, the Franklin, with its Direct- Air-Cooling System, can be depended on, no mat- ter where the mercury drops. No water, no pump, no plumbing, no blanket- ing, no antifreezing mixtures. Perfect independence of temperature con- ditions and freedom from cracked water jackets and all freezing troubles. More people every day are beginning to look for solid comfort in an all-the-year-round car. A car that can be run anywhere, any time, on city pavements or country foade—regandless of distance, weather, or the condition of the roads. The Franklin Sedan is built to withstand American roads as no other car. It weighs only 2970 pounds—just 295 pounds more than the Touring Car. , Here, in the Franklin Scientific Light Weight (keeping the chassis free from an overload) is the reason for the solid comfort of the Franklin Sedan on rough roads—its economy in gasoline, in oil, in tires—its low depreciation. Every motorist—and especially the man who does not quite trust enclosed cars in general—should certainly call on the Franklin dealer and ride in the Franklin Sedan over the roughest roads he can find. The experience will show him that one car, at least, has done away with the costs and limitations he fears in an enclosed car, and has made all-the-year touring practical. Price of Franklin Sedan, $2850. Franklin Coupe FRANKLIN AUTOMOBILE COMPANY Franklin Berlin Weight, 2880 poands Price, $2600 SYRACUSE, N. Y. Weight, 3240 pounds Price, $3100 comicbooks.com