| Biography/History: |
From the Spokesman Review, March 5, 1911, excerpts: George E. Bartoo In the borders of Spokane there lives a man who ranks with the pioneers in the automobile business... who as early as 1887 built and operated a motor -propelled vehicle.... and opened Spokane's first [auto dealership] and garage. Mr. Bartoo is a machinist. From early boyhood he made machinery his pastime. When the people began to dream of automobiles as commercial vehicles, Mr. Bartoo... turned his mind to them. In ... 1886 in his home town of Remington Indiana, he began his experiments. In his opinion steam was the most practical of the proposed powers. He and [a] companion built their steam engine during the winter. "We made our machine out of odds and ends that could be picked up around a small town. It ran quite well but it acquired a habit of shaking to pieces... we had no rubber tires and the work was rather crude... Mr. Bartoo settle in Spokane... When the first automobile came to town in 1899, Mr. Bartoo, recognized as the man experienced in engines of this type, was called upon to start it going. He made good and the first day took a 50-mile ride. Opened First Garage Mr. Bartoo accepted the first automobile agency of the city selling for the Duryea Motor Wagon Company in 1901. At the end of the first year he had made a record of five sales. In 1903 he engaged in the bicycle business, then in its infancy. In 1904 he sold out [of the bicycle business] and with S. A. Tyler opened the first exclusive automobile business in the city. Their garage was located at 239 Riverside Avenue. Mr. Bartoo has continued in the automobile business.... and has probably repaired more machines than any other man in the city; he is the proprietor of a garage at 716 Front Street. (L93-66.11 documents Bartoo Auto Company/Garage at 716 Front Avenue; George and Hubert Bartoo sit in an open car in front of the garage.) |