1899: HOWARD AUTOMOBILE COMPANY

It is sheer coincidence that I would receive an email from Earl Brancolino from the Central Jersey Antique Car Club to bring a presentation to one of their future meetings. Of course, it will be my privilege to do an onscreen presentation along with a play by play "mini lecture." I am awaiting Earl's email wherein we can establish a date for the program. As to the coincidence referenced above, I am and have been in the process of seeking out any and all material I can find on the evolution of the horseless carriage as it relates to our local area. My files include auto shows, auto dealer ads, photos of specimens of the cars of my youth (especially my 1959 Rambler; an auto I would love to own today.) The above graphic tells of two auto pioneers from our area. The Howard Auto Co. has an interesting history, and I am acquiring info on that company as well as the Sharp Arrow, and of course the legendary Mercer. Stay tuned!
The Howard Automobile Company was a pioneer auto manufacturer in Trenton during the very earliest years of the development of the "horseless carriage." I retrieved the graphic above from my "AUTOMOBILIA" folder as I was checking my growing inventory of auto files in the digital database. Howard began on Ewing Street in Trenton and moved to Stockton Street in the early part of the 20th century. A subsequent move was to Whitehead Road in the building that would be
taken over in 1909 by the Mercer Automobile Co.

NOTE: UNFORTUNATELY, MANY NEWSPAPER PAGES IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY WERE IN VERY POOR CONDITION INSOFAR AS LEGIBILITY IS CONCERNED. THE COPY ABOVE HAS BEEN TWEAKED FOR BRIGHTNESS AND CONTRAST, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE PRINTING IMPRESSIONS IN THE OLD NEWS PRESSES SOMETIMES FAILED TO PRINT THE ENTIRE LETTER AS SEEN IN THE ARTICLE ABOVE,.