1904 Holsman Highwheeler

The Holsman Automobile Company of Chicago, Illinois was founded by Henry K. Holsman and produced the high-wheeler automobile between 1901 and 1910. During the early 1900s, there were few roads and those that did exist were rutted, muddy, uneven, and often hard to travel. The Highwheeler had several advantages over more conventional motorcars, including the high ground clearance which made it suitable for bumpy roads and crossing water. Its carriage and wagon-type construction were familiar to mid-western farmers and easy to service. Over the years, the Holsman was offered in several body styles with the most popular being the two-passenger runabout and the four-passenger, two-seat surrey. Power was initially from a two-cylinder, four-cycle, air-cooled engine rated at 5 horsepower. Horsepower soon rose to 7hp, then to 10 horsepower in 1905, and then a four-cylinder engine brought horsepower to 12 hp. The engine rested under the seat with the gravity-fed gas tank (5 to 7 gallons) located behind the driver. It had an idler shaft and hemp rope to power the rear wheels. The rope would often fail after it was wet, so a braided steel wire chain cable replaced it in 1906. Wheelbases typically measured 75- to 80 inches and the suspension was by elliptical springs. The front spoke wheels measured 44 inches while the rear wheels were larger, measuring 48 inches. All four wheels were wrapped in 1.25-inch thick solid rubber tires. A tiller was used for steering. The Holsman had two forward gears and a reverse gear. Prices ranged from $500 to $1050 over the years and top speeds were in the neighborhood of 25 to 30 mph.

The toolbox could be used to attach hooks to the front axle and the vehicle could be horse-towed.

During its production lifespan, over 6,000 Holsman buggies were built, with the most successful year being 1906, when nearly 1,500 examples were built. Holsman's were still popular by 1910, but the bank loan came due and they would not lend the additional funds needed to remain in production. The company was forced into receivership and the plant was closed.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2020