M'GOWAN WILL OPEN PALACE AUTO SHOW

The New York Times
December 30, 1909

President of Board of Aldermen to Represent Mayor Tomorrow Night.

NAVAL OFFICERS INVITED

Admiral Schroeder and Staff with Gen. Wood to Attend New Year's Evening—Other Officers Accept.

For the second consecutive year the New York City government will officially recognize the Grand Central Palace Automobile Show which opens to-morrow evening, when Patrick F. McGowan, President of the Board of Aldermen, and who will be Acting Mayor on the last day of the year, will make the address of welcome at 8 o'clock and turn over to the visiting automobile manufacturers and carriage dealers the freedom of the city.

President McGowan has been delegated to represent the city by Mayor George B. McClellan.  It was the Mayor's intention to be in attendance personally, but an important engagement on the last day of his term of office as Mayor requires his absence from the city, during which time Mr. McGowan is Acting Mayor.

Mayor McClellan received in his office in City Hall members of the Show Committee and acknowledged that such a huge industrial international exhibition as the Grand Central Palace affair should receive the favor of the City Government, and promised the committee that either he or his representative would be on hand to deliver the address of welcome.

It has been arranged by Acting Mayor McGowan and General Manager Alfred Reeves that the former will be escorted to the show by the entire Show Committee.  Those who will act as Mr. McGowan's escort are Chairman R. E. Olds, Benjamin Briscoe, H. O. Smith, S. H. Mora, E. R. Hollander, representing the Importers' Automobile Salon, whose members exhibit at the Palace affair; David J. Post, representing Motor and Accessory Manufacturers, and General Manager Reeves.

Special invitations have been extended to the commissioned officers of the warships attached to the North Atlantic Squadron, now in New York Harbor.

The officers of the fleet will visit the Palace affair on Saturday night, Jan. 1, which has been set aside as "Army and Navy Night."  Admiral Schroeder, in command of the fleet, has promised that he will attend with his staff.  Each Captain in command of the various vessels will also attend, as will many of the other officers.

In addition to the above, commissioned officers will be present from the forts in the vicinity of New York, including Major Gen. Leonard A. Wood, Commander of the Department of the East, who is stationed at Governors Island.