The origin of mechanical poppings and grindings emanating from the W.J. Prescott garage recently has been learned, when Mr. Prescott gave a little demonstration before a select audience, on the remarkable performance of his quaint old two-cylinder 1907 Maxwell car. He intends to enter it in the Parade of Ancient Automotive Vehicles, a feature of the Farmers' Picnic at the Little Valley Fair Grounds on Saturday.

Now this here is a snappy vehicle, from its practical wagon body rumble seat, to the snappy rods holding its pert windshield unwinkingly aloft to shield the passengers who could be, believe it or not, surprisingly comfortable in the bucket seats that are placed over full elliptical springs front and rear. And you'd better believe that honest material went into this little car's construction. The seats bear the original leather upholstery and are barely worn despite the fact that it must have done a lot of resting outside in all sorts of weather with no protection from the elements. There is a sort of folded- back top arrangement to provide a carryall cover battened down with straps and buckles. When in place, Jennings says it straps down to the front light brackets.

The front lights are not sealed in beams, rather they operate and they DO operate on acetylene gas, carried in a tank on the right running board. Incidentally this tank was filled last in 1921 and still carries 150 lbs. of pressure. They made things and made'em to last those days huh? Jennings has some brass oil lamps which he will put in place higher up on the dash when he gets ready to shuffle off to the picnic.

And speaking about that dash, it can best be described as well adequate, for back in 1907 the motorist apparently was interested in the wheels, the engine and the springs. He hadn't progressed far enough to demand refinements of fittings. Not for the driver at the turn of the century, the self-starter, the automatic windshield wiper, the cigarette lighter and the radio all with their buttons and controls and gadgetry set in a panel which could be cut up and used for jewelry, nope, this car has a compromising straight dash, you almost looked over on the right for the whip socket. To the left was a tank, square and with a cover like that of a syrup can. Over to the right is a wooden box containing the coil. As simple as that, that's all there is.

Lennie Harmon remembers when George Bell owned the car and hired DeLancey King, then about 13 years old, to drive him around. Mr. Bell was proud of his equipage, but was still afraid of its terrific speed of some 25 to 30 miles an hour. He would be heard all over the adjacent countryside yelling exasperatedly at his youthful chauffer: "Slow down, SLOW DOWN, I tell yuh! Don't go so fast!"

Here's hoping the spectators at the picnic on Sunday get a look at this sturdy little antique still able and willing to go and give it an appreciative round of applause!

Submitted from The Machias Sentinel, June 26, 1941 by William Watkins


**Unfortunately, this car was in Jennings' garage when it burned in 1968 and restoration efforts by Jennings fell short of bringing it back to its original condition.