Charlie Ballantyne's new Chevrolet Touring car

In the previous blog I posted a photograph taken in 1918 of Charlie and Allie Ballantyne standing proudly in front of their new Dodge Chevrolet Touring car. While I use both names in reference to the car I am sure that the reality was that the car "belonged" to Charlie. Alice never learned to drive and Charlie took complete responsibility for the upkeep and maintenance of the vehicle.   Here is a story as told by Gordon McEwan, that speaks to Charlie's relationship with his car.  When the story begins Charlie and Alice had a hired man named Eddie Dietrich who lived in the community. " One day Charlie and Eddie were washing the family car, a very early Dodge.  Cars were objects that were few and far between and therefore, objects of great pride.  Just when they were finished, the car began to back down the grade that led to the garage.  Shouting for Eddie to help, Charlie threw himself behind the car and held while red
spots danced before his eyes.  Before Alice could get out to put on the emergency brake, the car's speed backwards began to increase and the wary Eddie leaped for safety, leaving Charlie the car to himself. Now the car got out of control, Charlie barely got out of its road and he saw the fender of his new purchase buckle against a post. Eddie who had been watching the proceedings at a safe distance now poked his head around the car to ascertain Charlies's position.  Seeing the face of the object whom he considered to be the cause of the happening, Charlie rid himself of some frustration by landing a round house right which sent poor Eddie head over heels down the slope.  "No sooner had I done it," Charlie admitted later, "but I was sorry that I had taken it out on poor Eddie!"
Attached is a copy of Charlie's 1920 motor vehicle permit for the Dodge Chevrolet. In the second photo a group of relatives is standing in front of another car in about the year 1912 (Tom the boy standing in front of his mother was born in 1901). The owner of the car shown in the photograph is uncertain but my guess is that it may have belonged to Charlie's nephew Frank Ballantyne (the fellow on the left holding the camera).

Charlie Ballantyne's 1918 Chevrolet Touring Car

Charlie Ballantyne was married to Gordon's Aunt Alice.  Charlie and Alice who farmed on Lot 21 Concession 3 in Downie Township close to the McEwan farm had no children and they were reputed to be wealthy.  In April 1918 Charlie purchased his first motor vehicle, a Dodge Chevrolet Touring car which he ordered through Kalfleisch Brothers dealership in Stratford.   Built at the Dodge Brothers factory in Detroit, Charlie's new car was to be delivered a month after being ordered. The company offered a 90 day warranty on defective parts.  However, the warranty would only be honoured if the owner prepaid the transportation charges and if the vehicle had not be driven at a "speed exceeding the factory rated speed, or loaded beyond the factory rated load capacity." Furthermore the company offered "no warranty whatever in respect to tires, rims, ignition apparatus, horns or other signaling devices, starting devices, generators, batteries, speedometers, or other trade accessories".  It is not clear how much Charlie paid for his new Chevrolet.  There are two order forms: on the first form the price is listed as $1290.00 plus $20.00 freight charges, whereas on the second order form  (which I have attached) the price appears to be $840.00. There is also a receipt dated May 21, 1918 for the amount of $1267.28 which may have been the final negotiated price. Regardless, I am sure that Charlie was proud of his new purchase and, equally important, the Ballantyne car was much admired in the community. Here is a photograph taken at the Peter Smith farm of Alice and Charlie with their new car.  Underneath the photo Alice has written "Alice and Charlie Ballantyne. Our first car."