 
Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem
Post Number: 3181
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 11, 2007 - 5:55 pm: |    |
I never hear of them, but a quick check shows them listed in 1935 as:
Watson & Rose Manufacturing Co
Glen A Rose, president
Harry L Pitcher, v-president
Ruth D Rose, secretary
trucks
12400 Strathmoor
and in 1940 as:
Watson-Rose Manufacturing Co
(Glen A & Mrs Ruth D Rose)
truck manufacturers
12400 Strathmoor
The address puts it on the west side of the Kelvinator plant. There is a small collection of industrial buildings near the northwest corner of the property which look to be of that era:
Also, I see that Harry Pitcher (the earlier V-P) was a partner in another truck manufacturing firm in 1925, listed as:
Weber & Pitcher
(Samuel Weber and Harry L Pitcher)
truck manufacturers
Fullerton Ave & Penna RR
The intersection of Fullerton and the Pennsy Railroad is near the northeast corner of this factory. Maybe Watson & Rose bought the firm from Weber & Pitcher? Seems like too small of an operation to make use of a building the size of Kelvinator. Maybe just the north end of the Kelvinator complex was originally Watson-Rose? |
Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem
Post Number: 3182
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 11, 2007 - 5:58 pm: | |
I also have a 1918 phone book listing Weber & Pitcher at 57 E Woodbridge. Their relocation to the farmland of Fullerton must have occurred in the early 1920s. |
Aiw
Member
Username: Aiw
Post Number: 6195
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 11, 2007 - 9:19 pm: | |
Thanks Mike, a check of the sandborn shows the following:
The Sandborn above is the 1951 edition where the Rose Truck and Castor Co. was located.
I'm pretty sure at one time that was their home, then they moved to the buildings to the immediate west, where after a merger, they are still located at 12402 Hubbell at Fullerton.
http://www.conveyercaster.com/manufacturers/darnell-rose-casters.htm
quote:A division of Evans Industries of Detroit, Michigan, Darnell-Rose was formed by the merger of Darnell Corporation and Rose Caster Company in January, 1998. Since 1921, Darnell casters have stood as the symbol for quality in the caster and wheel industry, whereas Rose Caster has earned a legendary reputation for building superior forged steel casters primarily for the demanding automotive industry for over 65 years.
However the '51 map says they make "factory equipment".
So the question remains did they make actual motorized truck, or... Were these hand trucks? Like pallet jacks? Maybe at one time they made truck and later diversifed to factory supply? |
Livernoisyard
Member
Username: Livernoisyard
Post Number: 2741
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, March 11, 2007 - 9:38 pm: | |
quote:The intersection of Fullerton and the Pennsy Railroad is near the northeast corner of this factory.
Is this correct? Shouldn't it be the Pere Marquette RR instead. The predecessor to the PMRR put in the original trucks leading off the Michigan Line by Hammond Street in West Detroit leading to Oak (Fullerton) and further on to Plymouth. |
Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem
Post Number: 3183
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, March 11, 2007 - 9:57 pm: | |
No, the north-south line along the east side of the Kelvinator plant - the one which crosses Fullerton - was Pennsylvania RR.
AIW, I found them listed under "truck manufacturers" along with Federal, Graham Brothers, etc. |
Aiw
Member
Username: Aiw
Post Number: 6196
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 12, 2007 - 6:01 am: | |
Thanks Mike, I wonder how/when/why they switched to castors? |
Kfcoupe
Member
Username: Kfcoupe
Post Number: 43
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Monday, March 12, 2007 - 8:48 am: | |
The map was prepared by Kaiser-Frazer to give visiting dealers "the lay of the land" in advance of their factory conclaves. This particular map came out of the packet for the spring 1948 Chicago area Dealers Drive-Away.
|
Chrysler_transport
Member
Username: Chrysler_transport
Post Number: 1
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Friday, March 16, 2007 - 4:04 pm: | |
Hello everyone, I have been reading this forum for some time and have decided to pipe in. I am researching the history of DaimlerChrysler Transport. The plant information has helped me but i am looking for information and photo's of the parts/body hauling operations of Chrysler, Briggs, Murray, Maxwell and Dodge. I was hoping someone may have photo's of plants that perhaps show our fleet trucks. Anyone? |
56packman
Member
Username: 56packman
Post Number: 1120
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, March 17, 2007 - 12:31 am: | |
Chrysler-transport--Welcome to the forum!
send me an emil off-list
56packman (at)twmi(dot)rr(dot)com
I may have some information for you. |
Aiw
Member
Username: Aiw
Post Number: 6207
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, March 17, 2007 - 7:05 am: | |
You interested in the Windsor side too? I can go down and shoot you a photo of the Windsor terminal. |
56packman
Member
Username: 56packman
Post Number: 1123
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, March 17, 2007 - 7:44 am: | |
Here's a load of bodies from Briggs (probably the Meldrum st. plant) arriving at Chrysler Jefferson
from the WSU virtual Motor City collection |
Mikeg
Member
Username: Mikeg
Post Number: 698
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, March 17, 2007 - 8:04 am: | |
A frame capture from film that was shot in 1968 showing one of the ubiquitous Chrysler medium duty trucks that could be seen on the roads in the vicinity of the Chrysler Mopar facility in Center Line:
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Chrysler_transport
Member
Username: Chrysler_transport
Post Number: 2
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, March 18, 2007 - 4:59 pm: | |
Thank you AIW, I have been trying to get some Windsor terminal and Toledo terminal photo's with no luck! Greatly appreciated. |
Chrysler_transport
Member
Username: Chrysler_transport
Post Number: 3
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, March 18, 2007 - 5:01 pm: | |
Mikeg ! what movie is that from? or is it a "home movie"? Any chance of a larger shot? |
Chrysler_transport
Member
Username: Chrysler_transport
Post Number: 4
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, March 18, 2007 - 5:06 pm: | |
56Packman, Thats one of the few shots i already have, and its perfect for my History-of-Transport display at the Terminal.Can you tell me how to reduce a JPEG for posting on this forum? |
Mikeg
Member
Username: Mikeg
Post Number: 707
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, March 18, 2007 - 6:18 pm: | |
Chrysler_transport,
Sorry, that is cropped from an old home movie and that is as good as I could make it. I debated about whether I should even post it because it was so poor. However, I remember seeing those trucks all the time since I lived in Center Line from 1952 until I got married in 1974.
For resizing JPG images in preparation for posting here, I use the free software program called IRFANVIEW, which can be downloaded from here:
http://www.irfanview.com/
Open the image in IRFANVIEW, click on the "Image" menu item, then select "Resize/Resample...". Within the dialogue box, set the larger of the width or height to 550 pixels or less and then click "OK". Next, go to "File" and "Save As..." and make sure the "Show Options Dialogue" box is checked. Then set the "Save Quality" slider bar to around 70% and then proceed to save the resized image wherever you want it to go on your hard drive. If the file size of the resized image is 50 Kb or larger, you will need to repeat the "Save As..." using a lower "Save Quality" setting.
For posting here, an image must not exceed 550 pixels in length and width and the file size must be less than 50 Kb.
(Message edited by Mikeg on March 18, 2007) |
Kfcoupe
Member
Username: Kfcoupe
Post Number: 44
Registered: 02-2007
| | Posted on Monday, March 19, 2007 - 11:54 am: | |
Here's a really unusual shot. Like Buick, Packard, and other makers, Kaiser-Frazer exported (shipped outside the USA) finished cars from the plants in and around Detroit. The cars were built, checked out and partly dis-assembled so they could be crated up and shipped. Here a group of 1948's are being packed to go by rail to Newark or New York City and from there by boat to Belgium and France.
|
Cambrian
Member
Username: Cambrian
Post Number: 808
Registered: 08-2006
| | Posted on Monday, March 19, 2007 - 12:10 pm: | |
I worked at the old Toledo Jeep Plant in the Fall of '95 as a quality control consultant. They had a regular truck operation at that time for transporting welded bodies in white of the CJ and YJ (Dakota)north to be final assembled at the Stickney Ave Plant. The old Willys plant had a body shop that built three models, only the TJ, Cherokee, was final assembled there. I thought it was pretty amazing that this method was still being used in 1995.
(Message edited by cambrian on March 19, 2007) |
56packman
Member
Username: 56packman
Post Number: 1135
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Monday, March 19, 2007 - 12:24 pm: | |
Here's a Packard Clipper being crated for overseas shipment. Gee, it's hard to imagine that at one time the US made the best cars in the world and were exported in large numbers.
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Chrysler_transport
Member
Username: Chrysler_transport
Post Number: 5
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Monday, March 19, 2007 - 12:41 pm: | |
Cambrian; Indeed Body in White operations are still being done to some extent, (in Detroit/Auburn Hills at least) but they are primarily for pilot operations and engineering. We do the hauling here at Transport. |
Chrysler_transport
Member
Username: Chrysler_transport
Post Number: 6
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 6:38 pm: | |
Here is an example of a picture i have found but have no original photo of. The quality is poor and not good enough to blow up for display. Anyone know which "Mack Ave Plant" this is?
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56packman
Member
Username: 56packman
Post Number: 1149
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 7:00 pm: | |
That was Briggs manufacturing's Mack ave. plant located at 11631 Mack ave. 2,238,904 sq. ft. plant. The famed LeBaron custom body division of Briggs was located on the 4th and 5th floors of the Mack ave. plant.
Briggs was a separate company devoted to building automobile bodies for Chrysler, all of Plymouth, DeSoto, Ford, Willys, Hudson, Packard and others. Chrysler purchased Briggs on December 29, 1953, and by doing so became the last of the big three to have all major component manufacturing all in-house. Walter O. Briggs owned the Detroit Tigers, and What we have called Tiger stadium was once known as Briggs stadium (originally Navin field). |
Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem
Post Number: 3204
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 7:15 pm: | |
Was LeBaron in the Mack Avenue plant or the Meldrum Avenue plant? The answer is somewhere in the archives... |
Chrysler_transport
Member
Username: Chrysler_transport
Post Number: 7
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 7:22 pm: | |
Very good, do you know what corner that address might be at?
Our heritage includes the Briggs Drivers and i assume the Maxwell Drivers too, though i haven't found any information on them yet. |
Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem
Post Number: 3205
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 7:23 pm: | |
It was at the northeast corner of Mack and St Jean. |
56packman
Member
Username: 56packman
Post Number: 1150
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 7:33 pm: | |
Good catch Mike--the styling/design studios of LeBaron were at Mack, LeBaron production was at Meldrum |
Chrysler_transport
Member
Username: Chrysler_transport
Post Number: 8
Registered: 03-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 7:41 pm: | |
Anyone know if this is part of Dodge Main? or what the sign on the roof says?
|
Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem
Post Number: 3206
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 8:32 pm: | |
Yes it is. I don't know what the sign said; probably "Dodge Brothers". |
Mikem
Member
Username: Mikem
Post Number: 3207
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 10:36 pm: | |
Hard to see, but I'm sure it says "Dodge Brothers", just like the smokestack did:
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Jita1
Member
Username: Jita1
Post Number: 30
Registered: 08-2008
| | Posted on Thursday, August 14, 2008 - 8:04 am: | |
Wow, I know I'm late but this is fascinating stuff. |
Mschilde
Member
Username: Mschilde
Post Number: 6
Registered: 12-2008
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 16, 2008 - 2:41 pm: | |
Is there info on the factory or shop of Ackerman-
Blaesser-Fezzey Inc. Holden Ave., Detroit? |
Hexwidget
Member
Username: Hexwidget
Post Number: 2
Registered: 01-2009
| | Posted on Saturday, January 24, 2009 - 3:34 pm: | |
I'm not sure if this should post as a new thread or as a continuation of “Discuss Detroit Old Car Factories”, so I will post in both places. My great grandfather Frederick Mallo, was a journeyman toolmaker in the early 1900's. In the 1910 US Census I find him living in Three Rivers, MI (his birthplace), and working there as a toolmaker. His 1918 draft card states he was living at 65 Clark St in Detroit and working as an inspector at Chevrolet Motor Co. (see attached). The address looks like corner of Laf and Beaubien. Beaubien is listed as an original street name on this link:
http://www.geocities.com/histmich/streetname.html
Sometime between 1910 and 1918 my great grandfather went to work for Chevrolet Motor Co. I know from my brief research that Chevrolet began production around 1913. I also know that he must have been very good at his trade to be hired in at a new plant. I spent 12 years in machine tooling at N.A.Woodworth when I was living in Michigan. Does anybody have a map which shows the location of this plant which must have been one of the original Chevrolet buildings? I'm also interested if 65 clark St is near The Chevrolet plant. In the 1920 US Census he is living at the same address. Later he was committed to Eloise Sanatarium. According to family story, his ship was torpedoed and he suffered shell shock. Anyone interested in documents of my research can go to:
http://bidmewalk.com/Records.html
There's a downloadable zip file.
(Message edited by hexwidget on January 24, 2009) |
Scrippsbooth
Member
Username: Scrippsbooth
Post Number: 13
Registered: 01-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, February 01, 2009 - 11:17 pm: | |
Boydell Building at Beaubien and Lafayette
I wonder if the Laf is an abbreviation of the east – west street Lafayette Street which crosses the north – south Beaubien St. on Detroit near east side? This where the late 19th Century legendary Boydell Building is located and was the address of many pioneer Detroit machine shops and part manufacturers like the Dodge Bros. in about 1900-03 and Buick Auto-Vim company in 1900-02.
Now I have been interest in Chevrolet history for over 40 years and never heard of a CHEVROLET plant in Detroit in this 1916-18 period. But I have found a Mason Motor Company had a small grinding plant some where in Detroit and this Mason Motor Company, Detroit plant became part of the Chevrolet company on January 1, 1918.
Back in 1916 the Flint base Mason Motor Co. was having some of its mail misdirected to another Mason Motor Co. in Detroit. This other Mason company was the parts business of the Mason and Maytag company that closed down in Waterloo, Iowa by 1915, whose parts business was taken over by Standard Motor Parts Co. in Detroit. Both Mason companies letterheads gave no street address, however the ex-Waterloo company had a picture of a large building that appears to be the Boydell Building. I can understand how confusing it would be if both Mason companies was located in the same building. So it appears that the Chevrolet Motor Company did have a Detroit plant in the 1918 period. |
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