
It is well known that the Remington Arms Company of Ilion, New York manufactured a full line of bicycles in the 1890s. What is less well known is that the parent company developed an internal combustion motor as early as 1895. Unfortunately, other than the magazine clipping (see below) nothing more is known of
this early venture.
The Horseless Age – November 1895 – page 17:
“The Remington Arms Company are reported to be experimenting with a kerosene motor which they will soon apply to their bicycles, and also put on the market a line of motor tricycles.”
The Ilion Motor and Vehicle Company
Philo E. Remington (b.1869-d.1937) was the wealthy |
His first endeavor, the Ilion Motor and Vehicle Company, |
Remington Automobile and Motor Company
However, after financing fell through, the Utica Chamber of On August 10, 1900, the Otsego Farmer newspaper |
Soon after, Stubblebein was |
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Officers of the new automobile company purchased the assets
The first Remington automobile was an open topped, carriagelike |
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Despite the fact the firm had produced only a handful of
prototypes its directors helped garner much needed publicity, as
evidenced by a flurry of mentions in the automotive trades
between 1900 and 1902 which follow:
- The Remington Automobile and Motor Company informs usthat the streets of Ilion. N. Y., are covered with 18 inches of snow, and that its vehicles, weighing 1,200 pounds, and equipped with a 4 horse power motor, are operating successfully over these streets.
- January 4, 1901 – the Ilion Citizen In the experimental work which we are doing from day to day with an endeavor to more fully perfect the gasoline motors which we are manufacturing, together with the several devices tributory thereto it, becomes necessary for us to use our demonstration carriage on the streets of the village under conditions most severe. We would respectfully ask the citizens to be particular to tie their horses when leaving them standing, as in the practical operation of our automobile, we find that animals are tempted to become frightened and we desire as far as possible, to avoid any accident through the necessity of frequent road tests of our horseless carriage.
- April 17, 1901 – Horseless Age The Remington Automobile and Motor Company expect to locate at Utica, New York.
- May 1, 1901 – Horseless Age The Remington Automobile and Motor Company announce that soon after their removal to Utica,N. Y., they will add a marine motor and launch department. Louis Graham has been elected treasurer
In May 1901, the company left Ilion and moved its |
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“The Weston-Mott people of Utica brought out a Remington
Although the Utica Historical
Mott drove his
It should be remembered
Contemporary magazine |
The Remington Automobile and Motor Company, Utica, N. Y., expects to turn out its first |
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It proved impossible to raise sufficient funds to keep this Utica |
Remington Motor Vehicle Company
Early in 1903, the assets of the fledgling Remington |
Unfortunately, by 1904 this new venture was out of business, and |
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The Remington Standard Motor Company |
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The cars were advertised as selling F.O.B. Detroit, Michigan,
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In late 1915 Remington moved the factory to Kingston, |
The American Sleeve-Valve Motor Company
Philo E. Remington’s final automotive enterprise was the American Sleeve-Valve Motor Co., whose organization was announced in the May 15, 1917 issue of Horseless Age:
To Make New Sleeve-Valve Motor
A corporation known as the American Sleeve-Valve Motor Company, with executive offices at Philadelphia, Pa., is preparing to manufacture a new sleeve-valve motor. E. Remington, of arms and typewriter fame, is chairman of the board; Philo E. Remington, of the same family is president, and Wilfrid Hartley, formerly treasurer and factory manager of the Remington Arms Co., is vice-president. Among the other officers and directors are E. R. Hollander, former president of the American Fiat Sales Co.; T. M. Fenner, of the Wisconsin Motor Mfg. Co. and C. P. Hollister, formerly with the Stanley Electric Company.
No further information on the firm is known, and it is believed that the company never built any engines of any type.
Philo E. Remington become enamored with the phonograph record, and his next firm, the Remington Phonograph Company, organized in July 1920, actually produced a handful of operatic titles under the Reminola and Olympic labels from its factory and recording studio in Long Island City, New York. He failed to take into account the overwhelming competition and the firm was bankrupt within the year and subsequently reorganized as the Remington Radio Corporation in June of 1922. This firm failed after Philo E. Remington and his officers and directors were indicted for conspiracy to use the mails to defraud in relation to sale of Remington Phonograph Company stock. After almost two years of litigation, the case abruptly ended on June 14, 1924, when a Federal judge ruled that the indictment against the men was faulty.
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