PALACE AUTO SHOW NEAR ITS OPENING |
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The New York Times
December 28, 1909
General Manager Reeves and Staff Move to Grand Central Headquarters.
PRIVATE VIEW ON FRIDAY
No Freak Cars to be Seen at Exhibition Which Opens New Years Eve and Closes Jan. 7.
Final preparations for the tenth International Automobile Show, which opens New Years's Eve in Grand Central Palace, were started with renewed vigor yesterday, when General Manager Alfred Reeves and his staff moved into the Palace, which will from now on be the headquarters of the show until its close, on Friday, Jan. 7. Mr. Reeves intends that everything will be in readiness for private view at 3 o'clock Friday afternoon, when State, city, and Federal officials and prominent automobilists will inspect the exhibits prior to the official opening.
Many of the exhibits for the Palace affair have already arrived in New York, while others have been shipped. The vehicle exhibits for the main floor will be placed in the building on Thursday and Friday of this week, and car and accessory exhibits for the first and second balconies will be run into the building on Wednesday. It is possible for the latter to be placed in their spaces so early this year because work on the decorations in those sections was started earlier than usual. It has been possible in the past to get most of the exhibits into the spaces only on the day preceding the opening. This means that every exhibit will be in its respective space when the doors are thrown open to the public New Year's Eve.
Judging from the advance models already seen it is evident that there will be no freak cars seen at the palace. It will be, purely and simply, when the motor vehicle is taken into consideration, one of the most substantial displays ever seen; one emphasizing more than ever that the industry has reached a well defined and thoroughly solid condition. The idea that in order to be successful one must produce something radically different from the other has passed into oblivion, and this will be a feature at this year's show.
From now on three shifts of men will be used, and starting last night a force of men will work all night until the transformation has been perfected. Old chandeliers and other regular Palace interior decorations have been taken down to make room for the new.
"All records for preparing a building for a motor car show will be broken this year," said General Manager Reeves. "I have never seen decorations put in position with such rapidity. For the show itself, I candidly believe that it will eclipse anything of its nature ever held in this country. The exhibits at the Atlanta affair gave one a brief idea of what may be seen at the Palace."