Standard Oil Company

[c.o.]

Has anybody seen any info on this machine before? I couldn't make the print any clearer. I can't even read the original, but what I can gather is it was made by the Standard Oil Company. I have no idea what year it is but it's obviously pretty early. It seems pretty clear that it was a Pennington copy. Now that I think of it the picture looks like the one in Herb's new article in the club mag, right down to the written word! Hmmm.... Any ideas Herb?

[HarleyCreation]

Has anybody seen any info on this machine before? I couldn't make the print any clearer. I can't even read the original, but what I can gather is it was made by the Standard Oil Company. I have no idea what year it is but it's obviously pretty early. It seems pretty clear that it was a Pennington copy. Now that I think of it the picture looks like the one in Herb's new article in the club mag, right down to the written word! Hmmm.... Any ideas Herb?

I believe this is the c1894-95 "The Motor Cycle" by Pennington and not a copy, but I can also vaguely make out the Standard Oil Co. words and not sure what it means.

It's a new document to me and we need to find a copy we can read as it probably contains new and significant information.

Cory, any chance of a more readable copy?

Great find!

[HarleyCreation]

Good stuff!

I tried using a magnifying glass on the screen to read the text, but that didn't work at all....

I can't recall a Motor Cycle/Pennington/Standard Oil connection before this document.

Ran a search for "standard" thru my Pennington Data file.

Pennington was involved with Standard Machine Co. in 1880s, but that's not Standard Oil.

Also, guys in two of Pennington's later companies (1900 & 1909) were said to be connected with Standard Oil Co., but what Cory posted is earlier, c1894-95 and the original "Motor Cycle" as conceived and built by Pennington.

This sheet looks to be something different and important...if we could only read it!

We can date it to late 1894 thru 1895 because it's the later spark ignition job.

Excellent find, but what does it mean and how do we fit it in?

[c.o.]

Herb, believe it or not the document came from a postage stamp size piece in the back of Tod Rafferty's book Classic American Motorcycles. I was looking for something else, noticed it and thought I throw it out there. The caption below the document says " A magazine piece on the history of the motorcycle. Shown is a small machine manufactured by the Standard Oil Company that resembles an 1894 Pennington." Maybe it's a mistake in print? Either way I think I may be able to bring the print in a little clearer in the book with a magnifying glass. When I get my hands on one, I'll give it a whirl and post what I find.

[HarleyCreation]

Herb, believe it or not the document came from a postage stamp size piece in the back of Tod Rafferty's book Classic American Motorcycles. I was looking for something else, noticed it and thought I throw it out there. The caption below the document says " A magazine piece on the history of the motorcycle. Shown is a small machine manufactured by the Standard Oil Company that resembles an 1894 Pennington." Maybe it's a mistake in print? Either way I think I may be able to bring the print in a little clearer in the book with a magnifying glass. When I get my hands on one, I'll give it a whirl and post what I find.

I have a couple Rafferty books, but not that one.

Rafferty is off by saying that it "resembles" the late 1894/1895 Pennington. That is the VERY machine: the original "Motor Cycle" right down to the name printed below it. If there is some Standard Oil connection we should add it to the story if possible.

I tried reading it again, but it's hopeless beyond a few stray words. It doesn't look like a "magazine piece on the history of the motorcycle" so much as an ORIGINAL period ad or prospectus for yet another incarnation of "The Motor Cycle" by Pennington. It looks like it may contain new and different information we haven't seen yet, which always gets me chomping at the bit.

It would be great if you can make out the text. Nothing about Pennington or who he was working with would surprise me. The guy was a totally unique phenomenon in American motorcycle history and really started things off with a bang.

[Chris Haynes]

I wonder why Todd Rafferty doesn't belong to the AMCA?

[c.o.]

Well Herb, my son and I took turns straining our eyes with a magnifying glass and came up with this much so far.............

"The Motorcycle

Is a machine that will carry a person at as high a rate of speed as is safe over roads and highways without fatigue to the rider. You sit on the machine with your feet on the coasters and guide; The Standard Oil Company's product does the work.

The machine is built in the most approved (?) heavy enough to withstand hard usage with non-puncturable tires, four inches in diameter. It will run uphill at a good rate of speed.

(then there's the blacked out shading that does contain only the odd legible word. I did note that Washington is the last word in that paragraph.)

It may be run at any speed from one to as many miles per hour as the operator has the courage to ride. May be Propelled by Foot Power if desired. The machine is guaranteed to be what is represented.

To Start the Machine

The machine is always ready to start and by switching the electric (?)"............

.........and this is where the ol' eyes said that's enough! It does look like it is a period ad of some sort and was at one time folded in three width wise. So the words on the creases are blurred. I wonder if Tod was contacted, if he would share a clearer image?

I'll take another stab at this tomorrow night.

[c.o.]

This just came to mind..........imagine back to a time when an advertiser could write something as vague as...... "It may be run at any speed from one to as many miles per hour as the operator has the courage to ride"...... Talk about a Wow factor to the naive and innocent. Could you imagine an advertiser making such a statement today?

[HarleyCreation]

This just came to mind..........imagine back to a time when an advertiser could write something as vague as...... "It may be run at any speed from one to as many miles per hour as the operator has the courage to ride"...... Talk about a Wow factor to the naive and innocent. Could you imagine an advertiser making such a statement today?

This just came to mind..........imagine back to a time when an advertiser could write something as vague as...... "It may be run at any speed from one to as many miles per hour as the operator has the courage to ride"...... Talk about a Wow factor to the naive and innocent. Could you imagine an advertiser making such a statement today?

Cory,

That's good info. It appears NOT to be some unknown connection with Standard Oil & Pennington, but only that The Motor Cycle used a product (gasoline) made by the Standard Oil Co. The rest is pretty clear and seems similar to other info.

However, I think there may be another page or more not shown here. There should be big bold wording about "THE MOTOR CYCLE COMPANY" of Chicago, Cleveland, etc. and I don't see that here.

Yes, Pennington was a master at advertising. The way he promoted The Motor Cycle you'd SWEAR it had electric start. Collister's quote about "touching the electrical button" (part 2) and zooming off is a perfect example. Almost sounds like a rocket ship which wasn't an accident as Pennington saw The Motor Cycle as a "land airship" as told in part 1. Maybe a crook, maybe a genius too!

[c.o.]

Could the The Standard Oil Company have been a sponsor for Pennington's project? My lookers aren't up to the task tonight, but I haven't quite given up yet on deciphering what I can of the ad. It does sort of look like there should be at least another page as it appears the text ends abruptly on this page. I did a search last night but the only thing of interest was a few patents, which I'm sure you already have. I guess I shouldn't be asking too many questions though as the answers could be in part 2 and I don't want to spoil it for everyone else!

[23JDCA 808]

Many of the old newspapers have been scanned and the images convertered into searchable text by computers. These are on the Internet. If you can make out a string of eight to ten words, you could Google/search for that ad. Put a quote mark (") before and after the string. ...bill in oregon

[HarleyCreation]

Many of the old newspapers have been scanned and the images convertered into searchable text by computers. These are on the Internet. If you can make out a string of eight to ten words, you could Google/search for that ad. Put a quote mark (") before and after the string. ...bill in oregon

Good suggestion. We might find something that way.

[HarleyCreation]

The Big Man

Could the The Standard Oil Company have been a sponsor for Pennington's project? My lookers aren't up to the task tonight, but I haven't quite given up yet on deciphering what I can of the ad. It does sort of look like there should be at least another page as it appears the text ends abruptly on this page. I did a search last night but the only thing of interest was a few patents, which I'm sure you already have. I guess I shouldn't be asking too many questions though as the answers could be in part 2 and I don't want to spoil it for everyone else!

You make a good point. Why would Standard Oil Co. be mentioned by name in the text like that if there wasn't some connection? I can't think of Pennington doing that any other time. He normally only mentions the guys he's working with, and not other companies.

Here's a notion.

Standard Oil started out in Cleveland, Ohio, and was headquartered in Cleveland until moving to New York City in 1885. But there was still a strong Cleveland presence and later a "Standard Oil of Ohio" (Sohio) operation probably HQ in Cleveland too.

Pennington and The Motor Cycle were very active in Cleveland during 1894 and somewhat into 1895. Could there be a Pennington & Standard Oil Co. connection during his sojurn in Cleveland that we don't know anything about? It's highly likely!

In fact, we know very little of Pennington's doings in Cleveland between March and November of 1894. Plently of time for additional exploits we know nothing about.

[23JDCA 808]

From the New York Times, August 28, 1909, Saturday page 16 we read...

PENNINGTON HAZY ABOUT HIS CAREER; Denies Rogues' Gallery Picture Is His, but Admits He Was Once Known as John Howard. INDICTED IN PITTSBURG, TOO Doesn't Know What Government Has Bought $50,000,000 Concern's Airship -- Testifies in His Libel Suit.

From…
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstrac...6E9C946897D6CF

…and click on the View Full Article button. …bill

[23JDCA 808]

This piece (June 5, 1909) preceded the piece above:
PENNINGTON AIRSHIP BACK.; $50,000,000 Company Ready for Business as in the Days of Yore.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstrac...609C946897D6CF