The Great Southern Automobile Company was the first automobile manufacturer in the central South.[1] It was incorporated in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1909[1][2] and manufactured automobiles, automobile parts, and buses from its plant in Ensley, where it also maintained a repair department. Its founding officers were Eugene F. Enslen, president; Ike Adler, vice-president; John Kyser, secretary and treasurer; and Eugene F. Enslen, Jr., general manager.[2]
| Company type | Automobile Manufacturing |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Genre | Touring Cars, Roadsters, Buses |
| Founded | 1909 |
| Founder | Eugene F. Enslen |
| Fate | Bankruptcy |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Automobiles Automotive parts |
Number of employees | 200 (as of 1910) |
In early 1910, it announced a Model "50" touring car with a wheel base of 124 inches, a 5.25x6 inches bore and stroke engine, capable of 60 bhp.[3]
In 1912, it opened salesrooms in the Empire Building, then the tallest building in Birmingham. The manager was W. O. Fields.[4]
In 1913, it was manufacturing two models:[5]
- Great Southern 30, available in two-seater roadster and five-seater touring bodies for $1400.
- Great Southern 51, available in a six-seater touring body for $2100.
In 1914, it dropped the Great Southern 30, and concentrated on the manufacture of just the Great Southern 50 chassis, formerly titled the Great Southern 51.[6] The new 50 model was a seven passenger touring body.
By 1915, it was manufacturing a chassis and body for a "one-man, pay-enter" motor bus that was 22 feet long, 8 feet 9 inches high, 7 feet 6 inches wide, rated at 2.25 tons capacity, and could carry 25 passengers.[7]
The company went bankrupt in 1917.[8] Alabama's other pre-1950 car manufactures include Preston Motor's Premocar in Birmingham and Keller in Huntsville.
References
edit- ^ a b Gibson, Henry, ed. (25 October 1909). "Hardwood News". Hardwood Record. 29 (1). Chicago: The Hardwood Company: 43. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
- ^ a b Beecroft, David, ed. (18 November 1909). "Great Southern Incorporates". The Automobile. 21. New York City, NY: The Class Journal Company: 886. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
- ^ "New Models". Motor. New York City, NY: Star Company: 112. April 1910. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
- ^ Betts, R. G., ed. (12 March 1912). "In The Retail World". The Motor World. 30 (11). New York City, NY: The Motor World Publishing Company: 1033. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
- ^ Black, William, ed. (10 March 1913). "Great Southern Incorporates". The Automobile Journal. 35 (3). Pawtucket, Rhode Island: The Automobile Journal Publishing Company: 886. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
- ^ "Great Southern". Motor Age. 25 (1). Chicago, IL: The Class Journal Company: 63. 1 January 1914. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
- ^ "One-man, Pay-enter Motor Bus Design". The Hub. 57 (1). New York City, NY: The Trade News Publishing Company: 34. April 1915. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
- ^ Kimes, Beverly Rae (1996). Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942. Iola, WI: Krause Publications. p. 656. ISBN 0-87341-428-4.
Further reading
edit- Burgess-Wise, David (2000). The New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Automobiles. BookSales Inc; Rev Upd edition (May 2000). p. 559. ISBN 0-7858-1106-0.