Merchants Want Floral Parade

The attached article first appeared in the March 26, 1910 Indianapolis Star. With predictions of 50,000 people lining the streets for the floral parade associated with the Indianapolis Automobile Show the city's merchants began clamoring to have the route wind past their storefronts. The auto show was just two days away when this article was published.
 
As a result F.I. Willis, president of the organizing body, the Indianapolis Automobile Trade Association (IATA), was hotly pursued by business owners for favors. Merchants of West Washington Street, Massachusetts Avenue and East Washington Street all filed requests and Willis proved a strong advocate of the quid pro quo. If they wanted to be included on the floral parade route he said, they needed to help fill the field the cars.
 
Civic groups such as the Indianapolis "Booster's Club" and the local Elks Lodge worked to promote the event. The Elks even entered a car as did the Central Union Telephone Company. This article also notes the contests at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway that were planned as part of the auto show. Trophies for all the events were reportedly on display at the L.S. Ayres department store window downtown. A sidebar article notes that the Moon Motor Car Company of St. Louis was setting up a distributor in Indianapolis and planned to enter three cars in the show.