H. A. Moyer (automobile)
Encyclopedia
H. A. Moyer Automobile Company (1908–1915), a manufacturer of luxury automobiles in Syracuse, New York
, was founded by Harvey A. Moyer
(1853–1935) of Clay, New York
. The company began business in 1876 in Cicero, New York
, as H. A. Moyer Carriage Company. As the era of the horse-drawn carriage came to an end, Moyer switched assembly to motor vehicles, although he still produced carriages for some time after that.
began his career installing water pumps in the village of Bridgeport, New York
, with his partner, David H. Brown of Main Street who operated a wagon and cutter factory. The partnership continued for some time until Moyer moved to Cicero, New York
, and established manufacture of the Moyer Carriage.
Moyer later moved his factory and equipment to Syracuse where he became nationally known as the "father of the Moyer Carriage." He achieved fame and a substantial fortune which he used to establish an automobile enterprise in 1908.
As a side business, Moyer owned 158 acre (0.63940388 km²) in Liverpool
he named Moyerdale which was also known as Moyer Farm on the old plank road where he raised Holstein cattle. Another business enterprise he touted offered sire services for his stock that he named Moyerdale Herd.
The original shop was on the Moyer Farm which consisted of several 100 acres (404,686 m²) on Old Liverpool Road. Subsequently, there were another two shops opened; one on Park Street in Cicero, New York
, and the other in North Syracuse, New York
, where 500 men were employed .
In 1884, the company was a manufacturer of the "Moyer patented side spring and side bar wagon" and were located at 32, 35, 37, 38 & 39 Wolf Street.
By August 1890, the company advertised their carriages as both "pleasure or business wagons". At that time, the company was located on Canal Street in Syracuse
.
Moyer built fine carriages, many of which were shipped to South America
and Europe
. They had a reputation as a luxury carriage builder and the company prospered.
The company manufactured over 200 different styles of carriages. A 1907, "farm implement buyer's guide" noted that the company made a variety of vehicles including; Cabriolets, Reach wagons, Concord wagons, Democrat wagons, Road wagons, Buggies, Runabouts, Buckboards, Stanhopes, Surreys, Bike carts and High-wheel speed carts.
Moyer had many competitors in the Syracuse area including; Bradley & Company, George M. Brown & Company, Lee, Cowan & Bowen Company, Penn & Lee and Howe Spring Wagon Company in East Syracuse.
Moyer was still manufacturing carriages in 1916.
The first cars had a water-cooled, T-head engine and were produced with both runabout and tudor touring car models. By 1912, the company was producing six-cylinder, four-door touring cars.
Over the years, approximately 100 automobiles were built every year, not exceeding 1,000 total. The company headquarters were located at the corner of Wolf and Park streets in Syracuse
.
The company was run by father and son, H. A. Moyer and Bert W. Moyer (1873–1935). The founders believed that they sustained in the manufacture of automobiles the reputation made by the company years earlier, when a Moyer Carriage meant the "best carriage that could be made".
The Moyer automobile first appeared in newspapers across the country in 1911 and was announced with much formality, such as this quote from the Lowell Sun that talked about "out-of-town cars";
In the first five years of business, close to 500 Moyers were sold. Moyer customers came from all over the United States
. The automobiles came in "all colors", and the famed cartoonist Tom Powers
ordered a "gaudy" one of robin's-egg blue.
The latest model in 1913 was a two-passenger roadster equipped with a 4½ by 5 inches (127 mm) motor, combination electrical self-starter, ignition and a lighting device. According to Moyer engineer M. Power, the new motor developed 12 percent more power at 1000 feet (304.8 m) per minute piston speed than the S.A.E. rating, while the maximum horsepower was developed at a piston speed of over 1600 feet (487.7 m) per minute.
Like most new car manufacturers of the day, H. A. Moyer discovered that participation in auto shows was a good marketing tool and provided much needed mention in local newspapers. The shows were also a good place to show off the newest models with the latest technology. The Moyer exhibit in the 1915 Syracuse Automobile Show included a new six-cylinder touring car, a four-cylinder touring car, roadster and chassis.
was known for his wit and catchy phrases he devised to advertise his vehicles, including "No Hills too steep, no sand too deep, all roads are level for a Moyer."
applied for several patents on various devices between the years 1882 and 1898. The company marketed a number of products to consumers and other companies and Moyer continued to expand their product line. A 1909 company catalog advertised items such as Moyers 30 Day Axle Grease which was "for carriages only."
The Moyer Noiseless king bolt patented on December 13, 1898 was considered "one of the greatest improvements to the old style clip king bolt" because it solved problems with the old bolt style "getting loose and rattling."
Moyers also sold a self oiling axle which was patented on May 23, 1899. It was advertised as the "only absolute perfect self-oiling axle, which distributes its oil the entire length of the spindle without any opening through the axle to weaken it and cause it to break."
A patent was obtained on February 25, 1896, and again on November 29, 1902, by H. A. Moyer for an "improved" Hub boring machine. According to the Moyer product catalog for 1909, 400 of the machines were in use by the largest carriage builders of the world. The company stated that the machine did the work "perfectly" and guaranteed to do it twice as fast as any other machine and that "No factory making 500 jobs can afford to be without it."
In November 1909, the company was finishing a new automobile plant at Wolf and Park streets and had occupancy of 100 employees on January 1, 1910. The company planned to produce 200 cars that year and the "working force will be increased by degrees with that end in view." The site and buildings represented an investment of $50,000. The main building was 150 feet (45.7 m) by 60 feet (18.3 m) and four stories tall and a secondary building was 117 feet (35.7 m) by 30 feet (9.1 m) and one story. Both buildings were constructed out of brick. The company had vacant land adjourning the property that was planned for future construction.
The automobile plant was situated with main entrance facing Wolf Street on the east with Park Street on the south and Hiawatha Boulevard on the west. Due north is Carbon Street. A through street depicted on the 1915 postcard situated on the north side of the building (right) appears to be a driveway, not a street. This building was designed by prominent Syracuse architect, Ward Wellington Ward
(1875–1932). The Moyer plant was one of the few commercial buildings Ward designed as he preferred to concentrate on the design of family residences. Harvey Moyer's daughter, Maude Moyer (died 1961), was married to Ward
.
The carriage plant main entrance faced Wolf Street on the east with Park Street to the north and North Salina Street on the south and Exchange Street on the west which split the block bordering Hiawatha Boulevard, also on the west.
The third building appears in the sketch below (on the left) from 1909 and was a one-story facility located to the west behind the carriage plant on Exchange Street.
The fourth building, built in 1880, now known as the Moyer building, was the first building constructed by the company and was originally used as a carriage factory by H. A. Moyer. The building is a famous landmark in Syracuse. It is located at 1710 North Salina Street with main entrance facing south and is cornered by Exchange Street on the west, Wolf Street on the east, and Park Street on the north.
The 220000 square feet (20,438.7 m²), five-story building is unique not only because of its age and red-brick design, but also, a red Victorian house sits on top of the factory. It was a local mystery for years because no one knew why the house was up there. According to the Moyer family who were interviewed by a daily newspaper in 1937, the 2½ story, 25 square feet (2.3 m²) house was designed as an "architectural gimmick" and was never inhabited. It contains elevator machinery and rafters. It reportedly also held a water tank at one time.
The house was called the "pioneer penthouse" by the Moyer family. Daughter Maude was interviewed in 1937 and told a story about how her father "was known to hoist one of his wagons onto the bungalow roof to show off the company line."
A postcard of the facilities (see below) clearly shows that all four of the buildings owned by Moyer had Victorian homes perched on top. It is not known what happened to the homes situated above the two Wolf Street buildings.
The surrounding area was at one time in the heart of the village of Salina
which joined with the village of Syracuse
in 1848 to form the city of Syracuse
. Onondaga Lake
is located to the west of the manufacturing complex.
On August 25, 1898, while H. A. Moyer Carriage Company still occupied the building, it was damaged by the "awful fury of a storm" which was described as a hurricane in the daily newspaper. The roof of the C. H. Fisk's rag factory in Park Street was completely torn off and hurled through the air with terrible force for a distance of nearly 200 feet (61 m), striking the carriage factory at the corner of Park and Wolf streets. The factory walls "staunchly withstood the force of the impact, and beyond the shattering of several windows, no damage was done."
In July, 1914 the company advertised used cars in the classified section of the local newspaper and sold them from the Moyer Automobile Factory on the corner of Park and Wolf streets. In addition to Moyer cars, they also advertised Case, National, Stevens-Duryea
and Oldsmobile
. Touring cars were the popular model of the year.
The building at 1710–1720 North Salina Street was occupied by the Penfield Manufacturing Company, a manufacturer of mattresses, however, the company closed in 2005. Penfield started making mattresses in 1893. They were located on South Franklin Street in Armory Square for over 60 years and purchased the Moyer Building from Porter-Cable in 1958 and operated there for 48 years.
Automobiles and Stearns-Knight
automobiles. Stearns-Knight
operated for only a short period before merging with Willys-Overland. During the period of handmade cars, the competition from new plants in Detroit, Michigan
, and Buffalo, New York
, was too tough and Moyer was forced to liquidate the business. He later made an attempt to produce typewriters, but the effort did not succeed.
The closing of the plant caused considerable suffering in the city's First Ward because of the resulting unemployment.
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, was founded by Harvey A. Moyer
Harvey A. Moyer
Harvey A. Moyer was born in Clay, New York and founded the H. A. Moyer Carriage Company in Cicero, New York in 1876. The company relocated to Syracuse, New York in 1880 and later changed assembly to luxury automobiles in 1908 and was renamed the H. A. Moyer Automobile Company...
(1853–1935) of Clay, New York
Clay, New York
Clay is a town in Onondaga County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 58,805, making it Syracuse's largest suburb. The town was named after Henry Clay, statesman....
. The company began business in 1876 in Cicero, New York
Cicero, New York
Cicero is a town in Onondaga County, New York, USA. The population was 27,982 at the 2000 census. The name of the town was assigned by a clerk interested in the classics, honoring Cicero, a Roman statesman....
, as H. A. Moyer Carriage Company. As the era of the horse-drawn carriage came to an end, Moyer switched assembly to motor vehicles, although he still produced carriages for some time after that.
History
In 1867 Harvey A. MoyerHarvey A. Moyer
Harvey A. Moyer was born in Clay, New York and founded the H. A. Moyer Carriage Company in Cicero, New York in 1876. The company relocated to Syracuse, New York in 1880 and later changed assembly to luxury automobiles in 1908 and was renamed the H. A. Moyer Automobile Company...
began his career installing water pumps in the village of Bridgeport, New York
Bridgeport, New York
Bridgeport is a hamlet located partly in the Town of Sullivan in Madison County, New York and partly in the Town of Cicero in Onondaga County, New York...
, with his partner, David H. Brown of Main Street who operated a wagon and cutter factory. The partnership continued for some time until Moyer moved to Cicero, New York
Cicero, New York
Cicero is a town in Onondaga County, New York, USA. The population was 27,982 at the 2000 census. The name of the town was assigned by a clerk interested in the classics, honoring Cicero, a Roman statesman....
, and established manufacture of the Moyer Carriage.
Moyer later moved his factory and equipment to Syracuse where he became nationally known as the "father of the Moyer Carriage." He achieved fame and a substantial fortune which he used to establish an automobile enterprise in 1908.
As a side business, Moyer owned 158 acre (0.63940388 km²) in Liverpool
Liverpool, New York
Liverpool is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 2,505 at the 2000 census. The name was adopted from the city of Liverpool in the United Kingdom...
he named Moyerdale which was also known as Moyer Farm on the old plank road where he raised Holstein cattle. Another business enterprise he touted offered sire services for his stock that he named Moyerdale Herd.
Carriages and wagons
H. A. Moyer Carriage Company began business as a manufacturer of carriages and wagons. The first Moyer Carriage Shop was established in 1876 and grew to national prominence as a manufacturer of "fancy carriages," many with the "fringe on top."The original shop was on the Moyer Farm which consisted of several 100 acres (404,686 m²) on Old Liverpool Road. Subsequently, there were another two shops opened; one on Park Street in Cicero, New York
Cicero, New York
Cicero is a town in Onondaga County, New York, USA. The population was 27,982 at the 2000 census. The name of the town was assigned by a clerk interested in the classics, honoring Cicero, a Roman statesman....
, and the other in North Syracuse, New York
North Syracuse, New York
North Syracuse is a village in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 6,863 at the 2000 census.The Village of North Syracuse is partly in the Town of Cicero, but is primarily within the Town of Clay. North Syracuse is north of the City of Syracuse.- History :The village was...
, where 500 men were employed .
In 1884, the company was a manufacturer of the "Moyer patented side spring and side bar wagon" and were located at 32, 35, 37, 38 & 39 Wolf Street.
By August 1890, the company advertised their carriages as both "pleasure or business wagons". At that time, the company was located on Canal Street in Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
.
Moyer built fine carriages, many of which were shipped to South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. They had a reputation as a luxury carriage builder and the company prospered.
The company manufactured over 200 different styles of carriages. A 1907, "farm implement buyer's guide" noted that the company made a variety of vehicles including; Cabriolets, Reach wagons, Concord wagons, Democrat wagons, Road wagons, Buggies, Runabouts, Buckboards, Stanhopes, Surreys, Bike carts and High-wheel speed carts.
Moyer had many competitors in the Syracuse area including; Bradley & Company, George M. Brown & Company, Lee, Cowan & Bowen Company, Penn & Lee and Howe Spring Wagon Company in East Syracuse.
Moyer was still manufacturing carriages in 1916.
Automobiles
The company later opened an automobile-manufacturing factory and changed their name to H. A. Moyer Automobile Company. They produced sedans and touring cars between the years 1908 and 1914. A six-cylinder touring car cost $3,250 and a four-cylinder was $2,500.The first cars had a water-cooled, T-head engine and were produced with both runabout and tudor touring car models. By 1912, the company was producing six-cylinder, four-door touring cars.
Over the years, approximately 100 automobiles were built every year, not exceeding 1,000 total. The company headquarters were located at the corner of Wolf and Park streets in Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
.
The company was run by father and son, H. A. Moyer and Bert W. Moyer (1873–1935). The founders believed that they sustained in the manufacture of automobiles the reputation made by the company years earlier, when a Moyer Carriage meant the "best carriage that could be made".
The Moyer automobile first appeared in newspapers across the country in 1911 and was announced with much formality, such as this quote from the Lowell Sun that talked about "out-of-town cars";
In the first five years of business, close to 500 Moyers were sold. Moyer customers came from all over the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The automobiles came in "all colors", and the famed cartoonist Tom Powers
Tom Powers
Tom Powers was an American stage and film actor. He was born in Owensboro, Kentucky, USA and died in Hollywood, California, of heart disease.- Career :...
ordered a "gaudy" one of robin's-egg blue.
The latest model in 1913 was a two-passenger roadster equipped with a 4½ by 5 inches (127 mm) motor, combination electrical self-starter, ignition and a lighting device. According to Moyer engineer M. Power, the new motor developed 12 percent more power at 1000 feet (304.8 m) per minute piston speed than the S.A.E. rating, while the maximum horsepower was developed at a piston speed of over 1600 feet (487.7 m) per minute.
Like most new car manufacturers of the day, H. A. Moyer discovered that participation in auto shows was a good marketing tool and provided much needed mention in local newspapers. The shows were also a good place to show off the newest models with the latest technology. The Moyer exhibit in the 1915 Syracuse Automobile Show included a new six-cylinder touring car, a four-cylinder touring car, roadster and chassis.
Automobile hearse
Moyer produced the first automobile hearse and sold it to Fairchild and Fancher. The company also manufactured the police department's first motorized morgue wagon.Company mottos
Harvey A. MoyerHarvey A. Moyer
Harvey A. Moyer was born in Clay, New York and founded the H. A. Moyer Carriage Company in Cicero, New York in 1876. The company relocated to Syracuse, New York in 1880 and later changed assembly to luxury automobiles in 1908 and was renamed the H. A. Moyer Automobile Company...
was known for his wit and catchy phrases he devised to advertise his vehicles, including "No Hills too steep, no sand too deep, all roads are level for a Moyer."
Terms of sale
Moyer had very specific terms of sale for their customers by 1909;Moyer patents
Harvey A. MoyerHarvey A. Moyer
Harvey A. Moyer was born in Clay, New York and founded the H. A. Moyer Carriage Company in Cicero, New York in 1876. The company relocated to Syracuse, New York in 1880 and later changed assembly to luxury automobiles in 1908 and was renamed the H. A. Moyer Automobile Company...
applied for several patents on various devices between the years 1882 and 1898. The company marketed a number of products to consumers and other companies and Moyer continued to expand their product line. A 1909 company catalog advertised items such as Moyers 30 Day Axle Grease which was "for carriages only."
The Moyer Noiseless king bolt patented on December 13, 1898 was considered "one of the greatest improvements to the old style clip king bolt" because it solved problems with the old bolt style "getting loose and rattling."
Moyers also sold a self oiling axle which was patented on May 23, 1899. It was advertised as the "only absolute perfect self-oiling axle, which distributes its oil the entire length of the spindle without any opening through the axle to weaken it and cause it to break."
A patent was obtained on February 25, 1896, and again on November 29, 1902, by H. A. Moyer for an "improved" Hub boring machine. According to the Moyer product catalog for 1909, 400 of the machines were in use by the largest carriage builders of the world. The company stated that the machine did the work "perfectly" and guaranteed to do it twice as fast as any other machine and that "No factory making 500 jobs can afford to be without it."
Moyer factories
The H. A. Moyer company occupied a large complex containing at least four buildings which were bordered by North Salina Street on the south, Wolf Street on the east, Hiawatha Boulevard on the west and Carbon Street to the north. The complex is split in half by Park Street.In November 1909, the company was finishing a new automobile plant at Wolf and Park streets and had occupancy of 100 employees on January 1, 1910. The company planned to produce 200 cars that year and the "working force will be increased by degrees with that end in view." The site and buildings represented an investment of $50,000. The main building was 150 feet (45.7 m) by 60 feet (18.3 m) and four stories tall and a secondary building was 117 feet (35.7 m) by 30 feet (9.1 m) and one story. Both buildings were constructed out of brick. The company had vacant land adjourning the property that was planned for future construction.
The automobile plant was situated with main entrance facing Wolf Street on the east with Park Street on the south and Hiawatha Boulevard on the west. Due north is Carbon Street. A through street depicted on the 1915 postcard situated on the north side of the building (right) appears to be a driveway, not a street. This building was designed by prominent Syracuse architect, Ward Wellington Ward
Ward Wellington Ward
Ward Wellington Ward was an American architect who worked mostly in Syracuse, New York. He designed more than 250 buildings, of which more than 120 were built and survive. He was influenced by, and contributed to, the Arts and Crafts movement in architecture...
(1875–1932). The Moyer plant was one of the few commercial buildings Ward designed as he preferred to concentrate on the design of family residences. Harvey Moyer's daughter, Maude Moyer (died 1961), was married to Ward
Ward Wellington Ward
Ward Wellington Ward was an American architect who worked mostly in Syracuse, New York. He designed more than 250 buildings, of which more than 120 were built and survive. He was influenced by, and contributed to, the Arts and Crafts movement in architecture...
.
The carriage plant main entrance faced Wolf Street on the east with Park Street to the north and North Salina Street on the south and Exchange Street on the west which split the block bordering Hiawatha Boulevard, also on the west.
The third building appears in the sketch below (on the left) from 1909 and was a one-story facility located to the west behind the carriage plant on Exchange Street.
The fourth building, built in 1880, now known as the Moyer building, was the first building constructed by the company and was originally used as a carriage factory by H. A. Moyer. The building is a famous landmark in Syracuse. It is located at 1710 North Salina Street with main entrance facing south and is cornered by Exchange Street on the west, Wolf Street on the east, and Park Street on the north.
The 220000 square feet (20,438.7 m²), five-story building is unique not only because of its age and red-brick design, but also, a red Victorian house sits on top of the factory. It was a local mystery for years because no one knew why the house was up there. According to the Moyer family who were interviewed by a daily newspaper in 1937, the 2½ story, 25 square feet (2.3 m²) house was designed as an "architectural gimmick" and was never inhabited. It contains elevator machinery and rafters. It reportedly also held a water tank at one time.
The house was called the "pioneer penthouse" by the Moyer family. Daughter Maude was interviewed in 1937 and told a story about how her father "was known to hoist one of his wagons onto the bungalow roof to show off the company line."
A postcard of the facilities (see below) clearly shows that all four of the buildings owned by Moyer had Victorian homes perched on top. It is not known what happened to the homes situated above the two Wolf Street buildings.
The surrounding area was at one time in the heart of the village of Salina
Salina, New York
Salina is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 33,290 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the Latin word for "salt."...
which joined with the village of Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
in 1848 to form the city of Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
. Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York located northwest of Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it is near the Finger...
is located to the west of the manufacturing complex.
On August 25, 1898, while H. A. Moyer Carriage Company still occupied the building, it was damaged by the "awful fury of a storm" which was described as a hurricane in the daily newspaper. The roof of the C. H. Fisk's rag factory in Park Street was completely torn off and hurled through the air with terrible force for a distance of nearly 200 feet (61 m), striking the carriage factory at the corner of Park and Wolf streets. The factory walls "staunchly withstood the force of the impact, and beyond the shattering of several windows, no damage was done."
In July, 1914 the company advertised used cars in the classified section of the local newspaper and sold them from the Moyer Automobile Factory on the corner of Park and Wolf streets. In addition to Moyer cars, they also advertised Case, National, Stevens-Duryea
Stevens-Duryea
Stevens-Duryea was an American manufacturer of automobiles in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts between 1901 and 1915 and from 1919 to 1927.The company was founded after a falling-out between J. Frank Duryea and his brother Charles in 1898...
and Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
. Touring cars were the popular model of the year.
Employees
When the new plant on Wolf Street was opened in January 1910, the company employed 100 men. At one point in the early 1900s, the company had 400 to 500 workers at the plant. The firm was the "mainstay in the economy of the North Side at the time." In 1912, there were 285 employees working for the company.Building occupants
By early 1953, Porter-Cable manufacturing, a company in the business of producing portable power tools and belt sanders, employed more than 400 people in their plant at 1714 North Salina Street, originally the H. A. Moyer carriage factory. The toolmaker bought the original factory from the Moyer family.The building at 1710–1720 North Salina Street was occupied by the Penfield Manufacturing Company, a manufacturer of mattresses, however, the company closed in 2005. Penfield started making mattresses in 1893. They were located on South Franklin Street in Armory Square for over 60 years and purchased the Moyer Building from Porter-Cable in 1958 and operated there for 48 years.
End of production
The Moyer was built so well and expensively that it could not be sold at a profit. It had features "too fine" for the appreciation of the average motorist including porcelain-finished cylinder blocks that "literally sparkled when the hood was raised." As a result, the company could not adapt to mass production.H. A. Moyer becomes a dealer for Stearns-Knight and Velie Automobiles
Following the end of Moyer car production, Moyer became a dealer for VelieVelie
Velie was a brass era American automobile brand produced by the Velie Motors Corporation in Moline, Illinois from 1908 to 1928. The company was founded by and named for Willard Velie, a maternal grandson of John Deere....
Automobiles and Stearns-Knight
Stearns-Knight
Stearns-Knight was a luxury automobile produced in Cleveland, Ohio first by the F.B. Stearns Company from 1900 to 1925, and then under ownership by WillysOverland Company of Toledo, Ohio until 1929....
automobiles. Stearns-Knight
Stearns-Knight
Stearns-Knight was a luxury automobile produced in Cleveland, Ohio first by the F.B. Stearns Company from 1900 to 1925, and then under ownership by WillysOverland Company of Toledo, Ohio until 1929....
operated for only a short period before merging with Willys-Overland. During the period of handmade cars, the competition from new plants in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, and Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, was too tough and Moyer was forced to liquidate the business. He later made an attempt to produce typewriters, but the effort did not succeed.
The closing of the plant caused considerable suffering in the city's First Ward because of the resulting unemployment.