INTRIGUING GEM.(Escape Roads)

Byline: BROOKS BRIERLEY

Electric-powered automobiles were once a big deal. As the 20th century began, a Hartford, Connecticut, combine, Pope Manufacturing and the Electric Vehicle Co. (with the help of Studebaker), was building hundreds of electric cars annually using the Columbia brand name. In contrast, most American gasoline-engine pioneers were making their first 25 or 50 cars then.

The Columbia runabout was basic transportation, resembling a horse-drawn vehicle, with a single bench seat. It has a 64-inch wheelbase and 30-inch wood-spoke wheels (covered by leather fenders), and weighs 1200 pounds. The car listed for $850 (without a top), while a Curved Dash Oldsmobile was $650.

When this runabout was new, Columbia was the leading maker of electric cars-with 20 different models, from runabouts to private buses, plus commercial versions such as police cars and taxis. Demand was strongest in large cities where road conditions were best. There, the electric vehicle's quiet operation was appreciated, and battery recharging facilities were readily available. Columbia sought an upscale image for its cars and the perfect upscale venue for its main New York showroom opposite the Metropolitan Opera House. But the resale market for the vehicles in the city was not so proper: "Automobiles Slaughtered,'' exclaimed one seller's ad in bold letters, describing a 75 percent markdown from original list price.

Clare Stannard, president of the Denver Gas & Electric Co., originally purchased this runabout. His firm was at the forefront of promoting electric cars-Denver was said to have the highest per capita use of them in the country. In 1966, Donald Gilmore purchased this runabout for his Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan, where it remains today, looking brand-new and ready to go.

The runabout is great fun to drive. The tiller implies a challenge to anyone who has not used one, but it is quickly mastered. The car's lightness makes steering comfortable and very ...