From the Diary of Betty Capes
Columbus, OH: Columbus Buggy Co.
Undated, but likely 1912. 3.5 x 6.25 inches, [12] pp., in original stapled wrappers. Ink stamp of Pastre's Auto Garage, Brooklyn, on front cover, one gathering loose from staples; very good. Not found in OCLC.
The Columbus Buggy Company began producing electric automobiles in 1903. Promoting their vehicles as quieter and easier to handle than those of their competitors in Detroit, the company made a concerted effort to target female drivers. This advertising booklet takes the form of a fictional diary, in which nineteen-year-old Betty takes a trip to visit her cousin Jane, who "always provides such good fun!" and just happens to own a Columbus electric coupe. The girls have the kind of fun girls do (shopping and dining out with other girls), and all the while Betty is increasingly taken with the ease of auto travel ("It's such a dear and jolly good time it provides--the convenience--the real luxury of it all!). And what a lucky girl she turns out to be. Her birthday soon comes and she is given her very Columbus Electric Model 1230 Four-Passenger Coupe! This model is illustrated at the end of the booklet, as are several others, identified by their model names, but also as "Jane's Coupe," "Miriam's Runabout" and "Barbara Lewis' Car." Alas, the fun was over soon enough, as the Columbus Buggy Company went bankrupt and was out of business by 1915.
Item #19938
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