Columbus

The Columbus Buggy Company of Columbus, Ohio had built electric cars and high-wheel cars under the Columbus name from 1903 to 1907, and when a conventional wheeled car was introduced in 1909 it took the name of the company president, Clinton DeWitt Firestone. For 1909 the Firestone-Columbus was made in only one body style, a "Baby Tonneau" or small tourer, on an 110 inch wheelbase with a 35 hp 4 cylinder engine. After that the range was extended to include runabouts, limousines and a family car, on wheel bases up to 130 inches and with a variety of 4 cylinder engines from the 20/25 up to the 45 hp. The company shunned annual model changes, saying that the directors met at nine o'clock every morning, and any changes thought necessary were put in hand immediately. These included a 60hp 6 cylinder car for 1913. The company went bankrupt that year and was reorganised under a new name and under the control of Charles A. Finnegan of the E.R.Thomas Co. There were rumours that the Thomas Flyer might be built in Ohio, but this did not happen and in May 1915 the factory was sold, ending production of the Columbus Electric and Firestone-Columbus cars.