What automobile was manufactured in Jamestown NY? Actually there were three but the Birmingham has a tie to a well-known local mayor, Samuel A. Carlson.
The Birmingham was made from 1921-1923. It was a 55 hp Continental-engined six on a 124-inch wheelbase with standard components used throughout. But it had a most unusual flexible suspension system.
Three transverse springs and an independent rear axle were combined with two transverse springs in front that made for a four-wheel independent suspension and the “easiest riding car ever put on the market,” as advertising said. But as with many automobiles getting the Birmingham on the market and creating sales was the hard part.
The first Birmingham prototype sedan was completed and tested in Detroit in May of 1921. Jamestown N.Y. had already been selected as the factory site. The mayor of Jamestown, Samuel A. Carlson, agreed to serve as president of Birmingham Motors Corporation. He agreed to accept no salary for the position because he believed production of the Birmingham would benefit the town of Jamestown much like what the Franklin had done for Syracuse or what Ford had done for Detroit.
Five cars were assembled in nearby Falconer by early 1922. These joined the other two cars previously put together in Detroit. These cars then were displayed in as many as 50 cities. One city was New York City for the National Automobile Show, which was held in January 1922.
Stock was selling quickly for the new company but a defamatory article about the company had appeared in the stock market publication, known as the U.S. Investor.
Initially it was thought this malicious piece of journalism could be turned to Birmingham’s advantage. But in August 1922 the AP wire service buzzed with the news that a Federal grand jury in Washington had filed a presentment following a 10-month investigation by the U.S. Post Office. The charge was fraudulent use of the mails to sell more than $300,000 of worthless stock. 18 Birmingham men were named ion the named action including Mayor Samuel Carlson. Newspapers that were not friendly to Carlson had a field day with these charges.
Production continued and during the next two months Birmingham assembled 26 cars. But a stockholders meeting in October ended in bedlam, with one local stock salesman stabbed to death.
In June of 1923, the indictment against Birmingham officials was dismissed in court but the damage was done. To generate favorable publicity, a Duesenberg-engined Birmingham racecar was built to compete in the 1923 Indianapolis 500. But with all the controversy and slacking sales the money ran out before it could be completed. In December of 1923 the company was forced to close.
One final attempt was made in 1924 to revive the Birmingham as a new car to be called the Wright for the Canadian market. This plan fell apart quickly.
There were as many as 50 Birmingham vehicles built during the short life of the company. Records for the company are difficult to find so tracking cars has proven to be impossible. None of the cars are believed to exist today.
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