Finch & Freeman Auburn

This is an interesting photo of an Auburn automobile after completing a 2,000 mile reliability run through southern Indiana. The exhibition was presented by Finch & Freeman, an Indianapolis based dealership. The item appeared in the Indianapolis Star on March 1, 1908. This photo underscores the emphasis on reliability of automobiles as a major selling point in these early days of the industry.
 
The caption that ran with the original publication of the photo reads as follows:
 
"After completing a run of two thousand miles through southern Indiana, an Auburn touring car returned to Indianapolis Friday, driven by R.E. Parker of the Auburn Automobile Company and W.W. Beeson of the Finch & Freeman Automobile Company. The appearance of the car gives some indication of the frightful road conditions overcome on the trip. Bottomless pits of mud, water over the hubs, snow drifts mountain high and every other obstacle know to the winter tourist was present. Not a cylinder missing not even the slightest derangement in the mechanism of this wonderful space annihilator. The pride of drivers in this magnificent performance of the Auburn reveals itself in their broad grins. Nine sales resulted from this "show me" run and others are expected. Finch & Freeman are agents for the Auburn in Indianapolis."