A newspaper advertisement announced that the 1904 Chicago Auto Show was at the Coliseum, from Feb. 6-13, and admission was 50-cents. The 1904 show boasted an electrical lighting display that surpassed anything before seen in the Coliseum. Large mirrors were placed under the vehicles so spectators could inspect the running gear of cars without stooping. Even in 1904, manufacturers such as the Cleveland Automobile Co. (right), understood that women were influential in selecting the family automobile. Rothchild & Co. was the exclusive western agent for Cleveland.
An artist drawing shows the imposing Coliseum exhibition hall, once located on Wabash Ave., between 15th and 16th streets. It was the home for the Chicago Auto Show from 1901-1935. Admission to the 1904 Chicago Auto Show was 50 cents. Spectators could view 252 exhibits and vehicles priced from $500 to $10,000. In 1904, the Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA) was formed, chartered as non-profit corporation in Illinois. Since 1935 the CATA has managed the annual Chicago show.
A popular vehicle at the 1904 show was the Columbia automobile, which held a record for traveling from New York to Chicago.
One of the most famous automobiles in the early 1900s and at the 1904 Chicago Auto Show was the curved-dash OIdsmobile. The company's slogan was, "You see them wherever you go. They go wherever you see them." Another newspaper advertisement from 1904 proclaimed that the new Oldsmobile Touring Car was on display during that year’s Chicago Auto Show and had a list price of $950. Githens Brothers was an official Oldsmobile dealer, with locations in Milwaukee and Chicago.
The Thomas Company of Buffalo, New York, displayed the Thomas "Flyer" and Thomasine limousine models at the 1904 Chicago Auto Show. Both vehicles were powered by three-cylinder engines. In 1904, the Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA) was formed, chartered as non-profit corporation in Illinois. Since 1935 the CATA has managed the annual Chicago show.
By 1904, Winton had been in the automobile business for half a dozen years, with both two-and four-cylinder models available.