Mr. Coey has been prominently identified with the automobile business
in Chicago from its inception, in fact, he is the pioneer automobile
man of Chicago.
He constructed the first building ever erected in America for an
automobile garage, which is now standing at the corner of Cottage Grove
Avenue and 53rd St., Chicago, Illinois.
[Illustration: The first building erected for an Automobile
Garage--built by C. A. Coey.]
He placed the first taxicabs on the streets of Chicago and now owns the
best in the city.
[Illustration: The first taxicab seen in Chicago--C. A. Coey, owner.]
He is one of the few who made a success of the automobile livery
business, beginning with one car and increasing to fifty. Commencing
with practically nothing, he built up not only the largest automobile
livery business in the country, but also the largest automobile sales
business in America. The companies bearing his name now maintain a
large garage and salesroom.
Mr. Coey is intimately connected with some of the foremost men of this
country and is well known as an automobile manufacturer and dealer
throughout the country, and a _DIPLOMA_ with his name signed to it is
the best thing you can have when looking for any kind of employment in
the automobile industry.
He has secured more good paying positions for his students and friends
than all other auto schools in America combined, because he is so well
known.
[Illustration: At the left--C. A. Coey, next to him--Charles Bonaparte,
grandson of the late Napoleon the Great.]
[Illustration: Ex-Vice-President Fairbanks, C. A. Coey, and Judge
Hanecy.]
[Illustration: C. A. Coey, at the left, and U. S. Senator "Pitchfork"
Tillman.]
[Illustration: William Hoppe, the world's champion billiardist, in the
front seat with C. A. Coey at the wheel.]
[Illustration: C. A. Coey at the wheel and Rube Waddell, the famous
ball player, by his side.]
[Illustration: Packy McFarland, Chicago's star boxer, in one of Mr.
Coey's machines.]
[Illustration: Charles J. Glidden in his rail riding automobile and C.
A. Coey in the rear to the right.]
Mr. Coey has won more twenty-four hour races than any other man living
and holds the world's record for twenty-four hours for a one-man
driver, covering 990 miles without a minute's rest.
[Illustration: Start of the 24 hour race at Chicago--won by C. A. Coey.]
[Illustration: As seen on the back stretch of the 24 hour race--C. A.
Coey passing other contestants.]
[Illustration: The Finish--C. A. Coey at the wheel. The Winner.]
Mr. Coey has also been widely known throughout the country in
connection with ballooning, and he holds the world's speed record,
having covered six hundred and seven miles in ten hours and fifty-five
minutes, ascending at Quincy, Illinois, on the 2nd day of June, 1907,
in the evening and sailing through the clouds all night, through
thunder storms, and making a landing at Clear Lake, South Dakota, at
five A. M. the next day.
[Illustration: C. A. Coey, in balloon costume--ready for a trip to
Cloudland.]
[Illustration: The next morning on the way to the Railroad Station with
Balloon and Basket.]
[Illustration: The landing he made in a tree top in Illinois.]
On the flight from Chicago on the 4th of July, 1908, at the meeting of
the Aeronautique Club of Chicago, of which Mr. Coey was president, he
crossed the Great Lake, landing in West Monkton, Canada, covering a
distance of five hundred and fifty-six miles, having made the flight in
a single night in his balloon, "Chicago," the largest balloon in the
World. In this trip he sailed over seventy-five miles of water.
[Illustration: The mammoth balloon "Chicago," the largest in the
world--owned by C. A. Coey.]
[Illustration: Barney Oldfield, Jerry Eller and C. A. Coey in Mr.
Coey's racing car.]
[Illustration: C. A. Coey's first six cylinder racing car, with which
C. A. Coey gave Barney Oldfield close shaves on several occasions.]
[Illustration: Mr. Coey's mother and sister watching him fly away.]
[Illustration: C. A. Coey up in Cloudland.]
[Illustration: Giving the girls who brought him his breakfast a ride.]
[Illustration: How the earth looks from one mile high--taken by C. A.
Coey.]
[Illustration: How the clouds look from above--taken by C. A. Coey.]
[Illustration: Bowling Green, Ky., taken by C. A. Coey at an altitude
of 10,000 feet.]
[Illustration: C. A. Coey after coming to earth for breakfast.]
[Illustration: The basket of the Giant Balloon "Chicago" owned by C. A.
Coey.]
[Illustration: The way Mr. Coey sometimes landed--taken in California.]
[Illustration: Barney Oldfield and C. A. Coey going for a balloon ride.
Mr. Oldfield's first and last trip.]
[Illustration: C. A. Coey and Frank Gotch, winner of first prize in
Decorated Car parade.]
[Illustration: A few cups won by C. A. Coey.]
[Illustration: C. A. Coey's car winner of first prize in Floral
parade.]
Mr. Coey is President of the following Corporations:
COEY-MITCHELL AUTOMOBILE COMPANY,
Capital $250,000.00
AMERICAN TRAVELER COEY COMPANY,
Capital $100,000.00
C. A. COEY'S SCHOOL OF MOTORING,
Capital $50,000.00
And a member of the following clubs:
Chicago Automobile Club (_life member_)
Illinois Athletic Club (_life member_)
South Shore Country Club
Chicago Motor Club
Chicago Auto Trade Association
Chicago Commercial Association