Life, 1919-09-11 · page 6 of 48
Life — September 11, 1919 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not satire or a political cartoon**—it's a **vintage advertisement** from *Life* magazine (page 436). The image shows a stern-faced man in a cowboy hat holding what appears to be a tire chain, with raindrops illustrated above. The ad promotes **Weed Tire Chains** manufactured by American Chain Company, Inc., based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The messaging uses dramatic language ("At the First Drop of Rain / Obey that Impulse") to create urgency about purchasing tire chains for wet-weather driving safety. The cowboy imagery and commanding tone suggest authority and reliability. This reflects early 20th-century automotive safety concerns when tire chains were essential equipment for winter and rainy driving conditions. The advertisement targets car owners worried about skidding hazards.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
FAT THE FIRST DROP or RAIN Obey that Impulse Put on Your WEED TIRE CHAINS THE ONLY DEPENDABLE SAFEGUARD AGAINST SKIDDING AMERICAN CHAIN COMPANY, INC., BRIDGEPORT, CONN. In Canada—Dominion Chain Co., Ltd., Niagara Falls, Ontario comicbooks.comal