[Illustration: FIGURE 1.--DURYEA AUTOMOBILE in the Museum of History and
Technology, from an 1897 photograph. The gear-sprockets were already
missing when this was taken, and the chain lies loosely on the pinion.
Shown at the right, the Duryea vehicle following the recent restoration
(Smithsonian photo 34183).]
_Don H. Berkebile_
The 1893 Duryea Automobile
_In the Museum of History and Technology_
_During the last decade of the nineteenth century a number of
American engineers and mechanics were working diligently to develop
a practical self-propelled vehicle employing an internal-combustion
engine as the motive force. Among these men were Charles and Frank
Duryea, who began work on this type of vehicle about 1892. This
carriage was operated on the streets of Springfield, Massachusetts,
in 1893, where its trials were noted in the newspapers. Now
preserved in the Museum of History and Technology, it is a prized
exhibit in the collection of early automobiles._
_It is the purpose of this paper to present some of the facts
discovered during the restoration of the vehicle, to show the
problems that faced its builders, and to describe their solutions.
An attempt also has been made to correlate all this information
with reports of the now almost legendary day-to-day experiences of
the Duryeas, as published by the brothers in various booklets, and
as related by Frank Duryea during two interviews, recorded on tape
in 1956 and 1957, while he was visiting the Smithsonian._
THE AUTHOR: _Don H. Berkebile is on the staff of the Museum of
History and Technology, in the Smithsonian Institution's United
States National Museum._
Of the numerous American automotive pioneers, perhaps among the best
known are Charles and Frank Duryea. Beginning their work of automobile
building in Springfield, Massachusetts, and after much rebuilding, they
constructed their first successful vehicle in 1892 and 1893. No sooner
was this finished than Frank, working alone, began work on a second
vehicle having a two-cylinder engine. With this automobile, sufficient
capital was attracted in 1895 to form the Duryea Motor Wagon Company in
which both brothers were among the stockholders and directors. A short
time after the formation of the company this second automobile was
entered by the company in the Chicago Times-Herald automobile race on
Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1895, where Frank Duryea won a victory
over the other five contestants--two electric automobiles and three Benz
machines imported from Germany.
In the year following this victory Frank, as engineer in charge of
design and construction, completed the plans begun earlier for a more
powerful automobile. During 1896 the company turned out thirteen
identical automobiles, the first example of mass production in American
automotive history.[1] Even while these cars were under construction
Frank was planning a lighter vehicle, one of which was completed in
October of 1896. This machine was driven to another victory by Frank
Duryea on November 14, 1896, when he competed once again with
European-built cars in the Liberty-Day Run from London to Brighton. The
decision to race and demonstrate their autos abroad was the result of
the company's desire to interest foreign capital, yet Frank later felt
they might better have used their time and money by concentrating on
building cars and selling them to the local market. Subsequently, in the
fall of 1898, Frank arranged for the sale of his and Charles' interest
in the company, and thereafter the brothers pursued separate careers.
[Illustration: FIGURE 2.--WORKMEN IN THE DURYEA FACTORY in Springfield,
Mass., working on some of the thirteen 1896 motor wagons. (Smithsonian
photo 44062.)]
Frank, in 1901, entered into a contract with the J. Stevens Arms and
Tool Company, of Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, which built automobiles
under his supervision. This association led in 1904 to the formation of
the Stevens-Duryea Company, of which Irving Page was president and Frank
Duryea was vice president and chief engineer. This company produced
during its 10-year existence a number of popular and well-known models,
among them a light six known as the Model U, in 1907; a larger
4-cylinder called the Model X, in 1908; and a larger six, the Model Y,
in 1909. In 1914 when Stevens withdrew from the company, Frank obtained
control. The following year he sold the plants and machinery, liquidated
the company, and, due to ill health, retired.
Charles, in the meantime, located in Reading, Pennsylvania, where he
built autos under the name of the Duryea Power Company.[2] Here, and
later in Philadelphia under the name of the Duryea Motor Corporation and
other corporate names, he continued for a number of years to build
automobiles, vacuum cleaners and other mechanical devices. Until the
time of his death in 1938, he practiced as a consulting engineer.
[Illustration: Department of the Interior
U.S. PATENT OFFICE,
April 1, 1887
Admit Mr. Charles E. Duryea
to this Office on all business days
between the hours of 2 and 4 P.M.
until otherwise ordered.
[Signature]
Chief Clerk
Countersigned,
[Signature]
FIGURE 3.--ADMITTANCE CARD of C. E. Duryea to the
U.S. Patent Office, 1887. (Gift of Rhea Duryea Johnson.)]