Century Motor Vehicle Company
Encyclopedia
Century Motor Vehicle Company (1899-1903) was a manufacturer of electric and steam automobiles
in Syracuse, New York
. The company switched to gasoline-fuelled internal combustion engine
-powered automobiles in January 1903, and went out of business later that year.
in 1899. At the very start of the automobile industry's history, a group connected with the Barnes Cycle Company, including bicycle racer and designer, William Van Wagoner
from New Jersey
, began to tinker with automobiles, as did all other bicycle producers of the day. Van Wagoner and partner Charles F. Saul had a prototype ready by 1899 which was named the Van Wagoner
. Founders of the company were Saul, Van Wagoner, Charles Listman, Charles A. Bridgman and Hiram W. Plumb.
Barnes Bicycle Co., whose White Flier sold for $125 or more, was absorbed by the American Bicycle Company in 1900. The next year, the group from Barnes produced a few runabouts and named their car the Century.
In July 1901, the company had such a demand for the output of the factory that the stockholders increased capital and proposed to increase the capacity of the plant in East Water Street.
.
Instead of the usual chain drive, the Century steamer employed shaft drive and a bevel gear drive, a very modern solution.
was manager. The company's machinists went on strike and Van Wagoner made an announcement to The Post-Standard reporter that the firm was going to "shut down immediately" for an indefinite period. He expressed that they were a new company, still in their infancy and could not afford the "new schedule." Fifty men lost their jobs.
The next day, on May 22, Van Wagoner announced that a number of men employed at the factory on East Water Street who were locked out had returned to work, and that the factory would be "running again today." He said that a number of the non-union men had signed an agreement to go out with the union machinists if their demands were not granted. Many of the men had since "asked to be reinstated" and the plant had run the day before with a few of the men working.
The secretary of Machinists Union No. 381 had been notified that the following firms had signed the union's schedule for a nine-hour day and 12.5 percent increase in wages: Onondaga Dynamo Company, E. C. Powell,Frick Brothers, Merrell & Soule Company, George S. Herrick, Syracuse Time Recorder Company, Houser Elevator Company, Sanderson Brothers machine shop, Doyle & Devereaus and M. J. Meyers.
took a trip to Auburn, New York
, in a vehicle he designed that was manufactured by Century Motor Vehicle Company. He was joined on that "unpleasant day" by John Maxwell, casket manufacturer from Oneida, New York
. Van Wagoner's goal was to try for a record of a mile in 58 seconds.
Show in New York City
. The event included 114 firms such as Brennan Motor Manufacturing Company
of Syracuse
, Buckmobile Company of Utica, New York
and H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company
, also of Syracuse
.
In April 1903, the company advertised their latest model, the Century Tourist for $750. The car was described as having a "roomy body, with a wide and comfortable seat, an unusually long wheelbase, complete with the Century spring suspension, on four long and elastic springs." The vehicle was "carefully designed" after years of experience in motor vehicle building and thoroughly tested for months before it was placed upon the market. It had a one-cylinder water-cooled motor of seven-horsepower which "runs with little noise or vibration." The company bragged that the motor "can be started from the ground or seat" and due to a new starting device, a "back kick" was now impossible. The body could be removed from the steel frame by removing eight bolts and the gasoline tank capacity was enough for a run of 175 miles (281.6 km). The box front was entirely designed for luggage and every part in the car was interchangeable. The transmission and power equipment was easily accessible and one level controlled two-speeds forward and reverse. The car also had two double-acting brakes and 28 inches (711.2 mm) artillery wheels and 3 inches (76.2 mm) detachable tires. The engine and body were all built by Century.
, Brooklyn
, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
, Providence, Rhode Island
, New Britain, Connecticut
, Minneapolis, Minnesota
, Buffalo, New York
, Asbury Park, New Jersey
, Central New York
and London, England.
In February 1904, the company was forced into insolvency after a petition in involuntary bankruptcy was filed against them in the United States
court in Utica, New York
following the filing of a judgment by the American Ball Bearing Company of Cleveland, Ohio
in the sum of $4,085. There were a total of 188 creditors whose claims were principally for machine parts. The total liabilities amounted to $70,000, of which about $40,000 was for open accounts. The assets of the company were estimated between $50,000 and $60,000. The firm had been in the hands of the creditors since July 1903, when 200 employees were laid off and the manufacture of automobiles ceased. Some of the largest creditors included Crucible Steel Company of America and Gavin Machine Company of New York City
. According to the local newspaper; "the stockholders were all Syracuse men."
For a few months, there was discussion of Century Motor Vehicle Company merging with J. S. Leggett's, Iroquois Motor Car Company
who manufactured the body for Century, however, that did not occur because Century had too many liabilities.
In the four short years of operation, the firm produced an electric, then a steam and finally a gasoline machine. A magazine article noted that "Century not only had a good reputation, but one well deserved, being of good design, with ample power."
"The company produced an excellent gasoline machine but was unable to swing the amount of business it undertook." This fact, coupled with the impossibility to turn out cars at the price which it was estimated they could be produced, forced the company to go out of business "until matters could be straightened out, the probability being that before the new year is far gone either the Century company or a new concern will be turning out automobiles in East Water Street."
Steam car
A steam car is a light car powered by a steam engine.Steam locomotives, steam engines capable of propelling themselves along either road or rails, developed around one hundred years earlier than internal combustion engine cars although their weight restricted them to agricultural and heavy haulage...
in Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. The company switched to gasoline-fuelled internal combustion engine
Internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
-powered automobiles in January 1903, and went out of business later that year.
History
Century Motor Vehicle Company was founded in Syracuse, New YorkSyracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
in 1899. At the very start of the automobile industry's history, a group connected with the Barnes Cycle Company, including bicycle racer and designer, William Van Wagoner
William Van Wagoner
William H. Van Wagoner was born in New Jersey and was a bicycle racer from 1888 through the mid 1890s who won many competitions throughout the Northeastern United States...
from New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, began to tinker with automobiles, as did all other bicycle producers of the day. Van Wagoner and partner Charles F. Saul had a prototype ready by 1899 which was named the Van Wagoner
Van Wagoner
The Van Wagoner was an American electric automobile manufactured between 1899 and 1903 in Syracuse, New York, by the Syracuse Automobile Company...
. Founders of the company were Saul, Van Wagoner, Charles Listman, Charles A. Bridgman and Hiram W. Plumb.
Barnes Bicycle Co., whose White Flier sold for $125 or more, was absorbed by the American Bicycle Company in 1900. The next year, the group from Barnes produced a few runabouts and named their car the Century.
In July 1901, the company had such a demand for the output of the factory that the stockholders increased capital and proposed to increase the capacity of the plant in East Water Street.
Steam-powered
In the beginning, Century manufactured both an electric and a steam-powered runabout. The steam engine was a two-cylinder vertical marine type that was almost five-horsepower. An incline shaft drive to the rear axle was an unusual feature of the Century, which could maintain 25 miles per hour (11.2 m/s) at 175 psi of steam produced in its water-tube boilerWater-tube boiler
A water tube boiler is a type of boiler in which water circulates in tubes heated externally by the fire. Fuel is burned inside the furnace, creating hot gas which heats water in the steam-generating tubes...
.
Instead of the usual chain drive, the Century steamer employed shaft drive and a bevel gear drive, a very modern solution.
Machinist strike
By May 21, 1901, William Van WagonerWilliam Van Wagoner
William H. Van Wagoner was born in New Jersey and was a bicycle racer from 1888 through the mid 1890s who won many competitions throughout the Northeastern United States...
was manager. The company's machinists went on strike and Van Wagoner made an announcement to The Post-Standard reporter that the firm was going to "shut down immediately" for an indefinite period. He expressed that they were a new company, still in their infancy and could not afford the "new schedule." Fifty men lost their jobs.
The next day, on May 22, Van Wagoner announced that a number of men employed at the factory on East Water Street who were locked out had returned to work, and that the factory would be "running again today." He said that a number of the non-union men had signed an agreement to go out with the union machinists if their demands were not granted. Many of the men had since "asked to be reinstated" and the plant had run the day before with a few of the men working.
The secretary of Machinists Union No. 381 had been notified that the following firms had signed the union's schedule for a nine-hour day and 12.5 percent increase in wages: Onondaga Dynamo Company, E. C. Powell,Frick Brothers, Merrell & Soule Company, George S. Herrick, Syracuse Time Recorder Company, Houser Elevator Company, Sanderson Brothers machine shop, Doyle & Devereaus and M. J. Meyers.
Van Wagoner design
On May 27, 1902, William Van WagonerWilliam Van Wagoner
William H. Van Wagoner was born in New Jersey and was a bicycle racer from 1888 through the mid 1890s who won many competitions throughout the Northeastern United States...
took a trip to Auburn, New York
Auburn, New York
Auburn is a city in Cayuga County, New York, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 27,687...
, in a vehicle he designed that was manufactured by Century Motor Vehicle Company. He was joined on that "unpleasant day" by John Maxwell, casket manufacturer from Oneida, New York
Oneida, New York
Oneida is a city in Madison County located west of Oneida Castle and east of Canastota, New York, United States. The population was 10,987 at the 2000 census. The city, like both Oneida County and the nearby silver and china maker, takes its name from the Oneida tribe...
. Van Wagoner's goal was to try for a record of a mile in 58 seconds.
Auto show
In November 1902, Century was an exhibitor at the Madison Square GardenMadison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
Show in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The event included 114 firms such as Brennan Motor Manufacturing Company
Brennan Motor Manufacturing Company
Brennan Motor Manufacturing Company of Syracuse, New York was an early manufacturer of automobile engines. From 1902 until 1908, the company produced the Brennan automobile however, after the demise of the automobile enterprise, the company again turned their focus to automobile engines and later...
of Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, Buckmobile Company of Utica, New York
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
and H. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company
Franklin (automobile)
The Franklin Automobile Company was a manufacturer of automobiles in the United States between 1902 and 1934 in Syracuse, New York. Herbert H. Franklin, the founder, began his career in the metal die casting business before establishing his automobile enterprise.Franklin founded the H. H. Franklin...
, also of Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
.
Internal combustion-powered
By January 1903, the company switched to production of gasoline-fueled automobiles with a model called the Century Tourist which was equipped with a single-cylinder, water-cooled internal combustion engine of seven-horsepower. The car had a newly designed carburetor and a planetary gear system which had two speeds; forward and reverse. The wheels were 28 inches (711.2 mm) in diameter, fitted with 3 inches (76.2 mm) detachable tires. The wheelbase was 6 feet (1.8 m) and the power equipment was hung on a 2 inches (50.8 mm) steel I-beam frame, on which the body also rested. The power equipment could be removed by taking out eight bolts. The car weighed 1,100 pounds and had a maximum speed of 22 miles per hour (9.8 m/s).In April 1903, the company advertised their latest model, the Century Tourist for $750. The car was described as having a "roomy body, with a wide and comfortable seat, an unusually long wheelbase, complete with the Century spring suspension, on four long and elastic springs." The vehicle was "carefully designed" after years of experience in motor vehicle building and thoroughly tested for months before it was placed upon the market. It had a one-cylinder water-cooled motor of seven-horsepower which "runs with little noise or vibration." The company bragged that the motor "can be started from the ground or seat" and due to a new starting device, a "back kick" was now impossible. The body could be removed from the steel frame by removing eight bolts and the gasoline tank capacity was enough for a run of 175 miles (281.6 km). The box front was entirely designed for luggage and every part in the car was interchangeable. The transmission and power equipment was easily accessible and one level controlled two-speeds forward and reverse. The car also had two double-acting brakes and 28 inches (711.2 mm) artillery wheels and 3 inches (76.2 mm) detachable tires. The engine and body were all built by Century.
Representatives
By April 1903, the company had representatives in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, New Britain, Connecticut
New Britain, Connecticut
New Britain is a city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is located approximately 9 miles southwest of Hartford. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 71,254....
, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, Asbury Park, New Jersey
Asbury Park, New Jersey
Asbury Park is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, located on the Jersey Shore and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 16,116. The city is known for its rich musical history, including its association with...
, Central New York
Central New York
Central New York is a term used to broadly describe the central region of New York State, roughly including the following counties and cities:...
and London, England.
Syracuse facilities
A motoring magazine in the early days, announced in January 1902, that the company had purchased the building they were conducting business from. "This gives a first-class factory with opportunity for enlarging same, and the Century product will be pushed with unusual vigor." Century had gone to great expense purchasing new machinery and had one of the "finest automobile plants in the country." The machinery in the building cost $50,000.Company failure
Century took enough orders at the New York Auto Show in 1902 to keep its factory busy during the entire year and the automobile world was greatly surprised early in the summer of 1903 that the company had closed its factory and called a meeting of its creditors, offering to settle for 25 cents on a dollar.In February 1904, the company was forced into insolvency after a petition in involuntary bankruptcy was filed against them in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
court in Utica, New York
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
following the filing of a judgment by the American Ball Bearing Company of Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
in the sum of $4,085. There were a total of 188 creditors whose claims were principally for machine parts. The total liabilities amounted to $70,000, of which about $40,000 was for open accounts. The assets of the company were estimated between $50,000 and $60,000. The firm had been in the hands of the creditors since July 1903, when 200 employees were laid off and the manufacture of automobiles ceased. Some of the largest creditors included Crucible Steel Company of America and Gavin Machine Company of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. According to the local newspaper; "the stockholders were all Syracuse men."
For a few months, there was discussion of Century Motor Vehicle Company merging with J. S. Leggett's, Iroquois Motor Car Company
Iroquois Motor Car Company
Iroquois Motor Car Company was a manufacturer of automobiles in Syracuse, New York, and later, Seneca Falls, New York. The company was founded by John S...
who manufactured the body for Century, however, that did not occur because Century had too many liabilities.
In the four short years of operation, the firm produced an electric, then a steam and finally a gasoline machine. A magazine article noted that "Century not only had a good reputation, but one well deserved, being of good design, with ample power."
"The company produced an excellent gasoline machine but was unable to swing the amount of business it undertook." This fact, coupled with the impossibility to turn out cars at the price which it was estimated they could be produced, forced the company to go out of business "until matters could be straightened out, the probability being that before the new year is far gone either the Century company or a new concern will be turning out automobiles in East Water Street."