History of Detroit, a chronicle of its progress, its industries, its institutions, and the people of the fair City of the straits, / by Paul Leake ... [Vol. 3]

1216

HISTORY OF DETROIT

three children-Robert Y., Athene Julia and Frederick; Julia H. is
the wife of Albert H. Sternberger, of Detroit, and they have two
children-Elsie, and Albert H.; Walter, who likewise is a prominent
business man of his native city, married Miss Minnie Kenzie and they
have one child-Julia; Herman married Miss Anna Salmon and is likewise identified with prominent business interests in Detroit; Louis D.,
died in Germany, at the age of twenty-three years; Julius F., another
son who is well upholding the prestige of the name in Detroit, married
Miss Emeline Lichtenberg; and Lillian Martha is the wife of Julius H.
Haass, president of the Home Savings Bank, of Detroit, their only child
being a daughter, Constance.
HUDSON MOTOR CAR COMPANY. To organize a new business and
market four million dollars' worth of product the first season is a rather
remarkable record. So far as is known, it has never been equalled even
in the automobile industry, and the Hudson Motor Car Company is the
corporation that accomplished this unusual feat.
The company, which was organized in 1909, produced first a low
priced roadster model, and gradually since that time has increased the
size and improved the quality of its output until now it stands as one of
the dominant producers in the class of moderate-priced cars. The remarkable thing about the company's progress is that it is operated on
"inside capital." There are ten stockholders and they are all actively
engaged in the work of expanding the company's business. This means
that every man's heart is in his work, and the unusual growth of this
institution is indicative of such a policy. The company is essentially
a young man's organization. At the present time, the average age of
its officers is thirty-six years, and the aggressiveness that goes with youth
has surely characterized the yearly growth of the company.
The business was first started in a small, rented factory, but the demand for Hudson cars quickly necessitated more room. It was decided
to purchase a large plot of land, and twenty-five acres were secured on
Jefferson avenue, across from the old Grosse Pointe race track. A modern, concrete plant was built, and additions to this factory have been in
progress almost continuously ever since. Today the factory has 341,525
square feet of floor space and a manufacturing capacity of fifty machines
a day. It has been the policy of the officers of the company to obtain a
commanding place in a certain field of the motor car industry and continue in that field. Each new season has served to more strongly entrench them, and a radical increase in the volume of business over the
original four million of the first year has been annually attained.
A great specialty has been made of bringing together unusual engineering brains within the Hudson organization. It is felt that however good all the other departments might be, the company must stand or
fall upon the design of its cars. Engineers have been secured from all
of the reputable automobile makers in the world and an engineering
board formed composed of specialists in every line of motor car structure.
At the head of this board of engineers is Howard E. Coffin, perhaps the
most famous designer within the industry, and vice president of the
Hudson Company. Complete and thorough organization necessitates
that every department be well rounded out, and running through the
whole institution is to be found a class of men who have had long experience in their own particular line of endeavor. There is essentially
an esprit de corps among the Hudson employees that is invaluable. This
very spirit of satisfaction and helping one another certainly argues much
for the successful future of this corporation.
The officers are Roy D. Chapin, president; Howard E. Coffin, vice