Getting around Salem in a car can be stressful. Dealing with traffic downtown, trying to cross a bridge over the Willamette River during rush hour, trying to find a space in store parking lot during the holidays.
Imagine a Salem without cars. Imagine a Salem where you had the only car. Otto Wilson experienced that.
In April 1903, it was front page news in the Oregon Statesman: the first Salem-based car was here.
“At last it has arrived. The citizens of Salem have been reading and hearing about automobiles for a long time, some of them occasionally seeing one of these wonderful machines in their visits to other cities, and a few times that have even been seen on the streets of this city, and two years ago a company was actually organized to purchase automobiles and operate them in this city for carrying passengers to suburban points, but their plans did not materialize,” the newspaper wrote April 15, 1903. “Yesterday, however, the first stage of this dream was realized when a real, material automobile was unloaded at the Southern Pacific freight depot.”
The vehicle was an Oldsmobile, and its owner, Wilson, was a bicycle dealer in Salem who specialized on Columbia, Cleveland, Hartford, Raycycle and Vedette bicycles. The Olds cost $700. Wilson used the car as a traveling advertisem*nt for automobiles, and he was taking orders.
“A number of other Salem people are thinking of purchasing autos and probably will soon follow Mr. Wilson’s lead, and be able to enjoy their outings in the fresh air in the most approved and enjoyable style to date,” the Oregon Statesman wrote. “Probably it will not be long until the puffing of these beautiful machines will be as common upon the streets as is the vibrating of the motor cycle at present, and there are no less than five of these machines in the city at present.”
Wilson’s car was the first motor car owned outside of Portland in the state, according to “A History of the Willamette Valley, Oregon” published in 1927.
Owning the first car in Salem meant you were in the news often. On May 1, 1903, Wilson was driving near the Oregon State Penitentiary, when he passed an Aumsville woman driving toward Salem in a single buggy.
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“The horse showed signs of fright, and Otto stopped his machine. Mrs. Magee then drove on, but when nearly opposite the auto the horse stopped, and Mrs. Magee, becoming frightened, attempted to turn the horse around,” the Oregon Statesman reported. “There was not room, however, and the shafts were broken, the horse tearing loose from the buggy. Mr. Wilson caught the horse, and although in no way responsible for the wreck, had the harness and buggy repaired at his own expense, and sent the lady on her way rejoicing.”
In October, Wilson also was involved in what might have been the first car and pedestrian crash in Salem. Wilson hit Salem 12-year-old Lloyd Cosper, who suffered a few bruises but no serious injuries.
“He and a chum were running down Commercial street behind a wagon when the latter stopped, and the boys ran out around it. The other boys looked around and saw Otto Wilson’s automobile coming up behind, and he warned young Cosper to look out. This startled him and instead of running in toward the curbing, he headed for the middle of the street and dodged in front of the machine, which as running at a good rate of speed, yet under complete control,” the Oregon Statesman reported Oct. 24, 1903. “Mr. Wilson did not see the boy until he ran in front of the automobile, about four feet ahead, and although he slammed the break on hard, he could not stop in time and the boy was struck and knocked down, while the machine passed over him without doing any harm.”
While attending to the injured boy, Wilson’s car continued going. He had to jump back in to stop the car from causing another crash.
Wilson moved from selling bikes to selling Buicks. According to “A History of the Willamette Valley, Oregon,” Wilson sold five Oldsmobiles in 1903. He later sold Auburns and Overlands before opening his Buick dealership in 1907. At the time of Wilson’s death on Nov. 9, 1942, his Buick dealership was oldest on the Pacific Coast.
The Otto J. Wilson Company was at Commercial and Center streets NE until 1963, when it moved to Market Street NE. The building now is home to Santiam Bicycles.
Andy Zimmerman is a former Statesman Journal copy editor who writes a column about local history twice per month. You can contact him with comments or suggestions for future stories at SJTimeCapsule@gmail.com.
