The vehicle, a product of the Midland Motor Company, was introduced in 1908 as "The Motoring Sensation of 1908." Actually, the company succeeded the Deere-Clark Motor Car Company (way to drag out a name!), and headed by Charles H. Pope. By all accounts the company was doing quite well on the surface. Production of 1908 models (only a touring car was offered that year) was 200 vehicles. The above 1909 model was a Model E Roadster and contained a 30hp four-cylinder on a 112-inch wheelbase chassis. Along with the Model E touring and Model G touring, production rose to 300 units.
In 1911, Pope retired from the company, which returned the cfirm back into the hands of Deere; production had risen to 643 units. By 1913 however, the company was dead on the road (although 671 cars were built) with liabilities totaling $450,000 - big money in 1913. It was disclosed by the courts in March 1914 that there was "gross irregularities" everywhere in the firms operations, including payroll discrepancies and overdrafts, company books and papers had vanished, as had some 40 to 50 vehicles without serial numbers. Blame was lobbed at Pope, who had by then already died.
As a side note to the whole mess, the Deere Company is the same firm that builds the famed John Deere equipment. Their first venture into the automotive world (under the Deere-Clark banner) was in operation from 1906-1907; only 200 cars were built. Since the collapse of the Midland, the company has stuck with what they knew best!
Final note regarding the example seen at Hershey, it was registered in the HPOF (basically, historical preservation) Class... and ironically parked in the handcapped slot during that years car show.
