Old Carriage Days Recalled at Picnic Publication: Automotive Daily News Dateline: Flint, Michigan Date: 27 August 1925 Topic: Dort

Flint, Mich., Aug. 26.—Oldtimers attending the first annual picnic of the Dort-Durant employees on Saturday recalled the time, a generation ago, when W. C. Durant and J. Dallas Dort, owners of the Durant-Dort Carriage Company, startled the vehicle world with the ultra-fashionable road cart. Old photographs of the carriage plant and workers were dwelt on and reminisces exchanged among the 200 former carriage workers present.

A generation ago the Durant-Dort Carriage Company was the greatest Flint industry. By degrees, carriage manufacture was pushed into the background by the automobile, and finally relinquished altogether by the company, which took up the manufacture of motor vehicles. However, the change today has not altered the close fraternal spirit existing among the old - time carriage workers.

The picnic was featured by a “grudge” foot race between C. W. Nash and Fred A. Aldrich, which ended with honors even. Aldrich, the loser of two previous races, challenged Nash in hope of clinching a victory. William C. Dort, one of the founders, was unable to attend, and sent regrets. George K. Simmons of Flint, president of the Simmons Sales Company, dealers in the Flint, Overland and Willys-Knight, was elected president of the association, and Ned Vermila, also Flint, his assistant.