Читать книгу The Fall of Detroit - Dmitry Nazarov - Страница 5

Walter Percy Chrysler, American automaker, industrialist, founder of the Chrysler Corporation

Chrysler was a fascinating man. He knew his way around his age’s cutting tech, he loved the manufacturing process, and thanks to his talents – and he was a really talented man – By 30, he already took a position as general manager of American Locomotive Co.

It was the largest railway company in the USA at that time.

There is a very interesting legend that Chrysler had been working upward his whole life, from a janitor to the board member of that railway company. And it’s true, his first position was low.

And he could have never afforded a car but he dreamt of it, and as soon as he was a general manager, he bought a car. He admired its structure so much! He took it apart piece by piece in his garage, and put it back together again, yet he didn’t know how to drive.

He decided that his life would be connected with cars. Like, I’m gonna make them, bye-bye!

But it was more prosaic, really.

There was an investment banker in the board, James J. Storrow. He noticed the young manager who moved up through the ranks of the American railway corporation very fast. And he said,

«Okay, guys, maybe we should hunt this dude? He’s alright.» And then, actually, he and Buick’s president Charles Nash came to Chrysler and said,

«Okay, bro, come work for us. We won’t pay you enough money, but we have a very interesting job. We’ll give you the productional line, you’ll fix it, and then we’ll see».

The most surprising thing was Chrysler saying yes.

His wage was minimal. 6,000 bucks a year. For his position at that time, it was shockingly cheap.

Perhaps, those guys gave him a pretty picture of the processes he would go on to forever impact. And he was very happy to agree.

They pursued him, plain and simple. Perhaps it is true that he really had admired some car, took it to pieces etc, but they eagerly pursued him. One way or another, Chrysler distinguished himself as the best.

After 4 years, he re-organized the manufacturing line so that they were producing not just 20 cars a day but rather 550 cars a day. Think about it.

Such a rate of expansion in 1920.

During that time, Durant returned to the board. He saw the talented manager Chrysler and offered him a vice president position. Chrysler agreed, of course. But he’d been holding that position for 4 years.

During those 4 years of work, he and Durant had many disagreements. They had vastly different approaches to business operations.

In 1920, because of disagreements with Durant, Chrysler left to – guess what?

To found Chrysler! What a way to name something! So very original! No one thought about it before! To name a company after a surname. Holy cow!

But it was not so simple. It was the 1920s. The time of the garage self-learners had past.

You couldn’t just start a car company from scratch. You needed resources, facilities, manufactures, money and blah blah blah. Ford was already blazing away. The GM machine was blazing away. The market was competitive and busy.

Actually, it’s not fully clear if Chrysler left with a thought that he had to start his own company, or if he just left GM.

Because after GM, he went to work at Willys-Overland. Or, rather, he didn’t ask to, but Willys’ board invited him asking him to help clean up their mess.

The company was on its knees, everything was doing poorly. They had invested a ton of money but the result was bleeding money.

They called Chrysler in order to fix the situation. They offered him 1 million dollars annual salary. It’s still a huge sum today. Imagine it.

And in 1920s, it was astronomical, It’s limitless wealth. You couldn’t spend all of it in a lifetime! And it was a sum for a year! And his contract was for two years.

Chrysler made a lot of money. When he left GM, he had about 10 million dollars in his personal account. I remind you again, originally, that man came for a manager position making 6,000 bucks a year. So you know that Chrysler knew how to make bank.

Chrysler worked in Willys for 2 years. And then he saw another company, named Maxwell Motors, that was also dying at that time.

Interesting fact: Maxwell Motors was the first company in history of car making that marketed their cars for women.

In 1920, women were treated not as well. People were wondering if women were equal humans, if they could have a right to vote or if they should just wash dishes.

And Maxwell thought «we’ll make cars for them!» It’s not clear if they’re humans or not. But it’s okay.

And in 1909, they sponsored Alice Ramsey, a feemale driver. She drove through all the States, from shore to shore, in a Maxwell car. There was an impossible amount of hype! All the media were writing about, discussing it. Look here, a woman who’s a driver!

But the cars in general lacked in sales.

Those fellas missed the fact that though women were humans – maybe! – but they lacked a disposable income. Men had all the money.

And men didn’t prefer cars designed for women. So Maxwell had no sales.

But Chrysler came and said, to hell with cars for women, I shall make cars for normal men.

But, there was a problem.

Maxwell was a pretty large company. They couldn’t come, throw everything out, and remake everything.

That’s why Chrysler’s process of reorganization lasted 3 years. And after 3 years, Maxwell Company officially ceased to exist. The Chrysler company was born from its ashes using its facilities. It quickly took off.

Almost immediately, they launched 2 additional brands, Pontiac and De Soto. And then, they bought another company with an impossibly creative name from the Dodge brothers – the Dodge company. Or, rather, Chrysler didn’t buy the company from the Dodge brothers but from their family.

Because in 1920, pneumonia was lethal. The Dodge brothers died as its victims. Pneumonia the sole cause of death. Today, you could swallow some pills, and be alright. But back then – welcome to the grave.

The most important thing, don’t tell it to anti-vaxxers. Chrysler was lucky and excited.

In 1928, he was called the Man of the Year around America.

You should remember that cartoon, I believe you saw that cartoon, Spider Man. Do you remember it from your childhood? I’ll remind you, there was a man, a bad guy, I guess his name was Task. But he was big and square, in a giant skyscraper. So, that was the Chrysler Building.

And Chrysler built it.

Can you imagine, how rich he was? Still today, 100 years later, it’s one of the most significant buildings in America.

It’s not like renting a Lamborghini and making photos like you’re so successful.

He built a giant skyscraper, actually, for lack of anything better to do. He didn’t need it, really. Just let’s build this giant, for no reason! Well, nevertheless, Chrysler Corporation and Walter Percy Chrysler are the third pivotal part in the foundation of Detroit’s future.

And so, we come to 1930s.

All the top brands, Ford, GM and Chrysler, were in Detroit, their manufactures were there. There were working full speed, money came from everywhere.

Just imagine, the most successful car industry in the world; all the main manufacturers were concentrated in one place.

And beside the car makers, there was also a concentration of all the companies that supplied the automobile industries: like paints, oil, wheels and so on.

Now we have to take a step aside from cars so we can see the whole picture.

I need to give you a bit more of context about the city itself. I’m gonna tell you everything now.