Ventnor: America's Luxury Redefined

1890: The Industrial Revolution

The world was currently in the throes of the largest surge of advancement in science and technology it has ever known. What was once known as the Wild West was now largely tamed and growing more civilized every day. Vast networks of railways and telegraph lines crisscrossed the nation, making large travel distances shorter as time presses on. However, not every town was connected to a railway, and telegraph lines also shared this limitation. Thus horseback and wagon still remained a practical means of conveyance. Stagecoaches in particular proved a useful and flexible means of transport, in this venture our story begins with a man named Norman Ventnor.

Norman Ventnor worked with his father Matthew and older brother Hamish at Ventnor and Son’s Livery in Dodge City, Kansas. A town known for its vibrant history, by 1890 it was mostly a sleepy community. With the cowboys, gamblers, saloon keepers, and brothel owners moving to greener pastures, business dropped off. While Matthew and Hamish were content running the livery stable, Norman felt that expanding their business was the best hope to adapt to the coming changes. A stage line seemed the logical choice since there were still many towns and cities that weren’t accessible by rail. Within a year, Ventnor Stage Lines was a small, but busy network of stations.


Ventnor Traveler circa 1899

The Traveler was the model stagecoach used by the company. Over the history of the company, around 210 had been built. As word came out about motorized vehicles in Europe, it did not take long for the concept to reach the United States. Using a locally developed four horsepower petrol engine, 25 units were modified as an experiment for this revolutionary new powertrain. Instead of reins, drivers used a tiller to steer while operating a complicated array of levers to control speed and braking. While slow to accelerate, the Traveler was capable of hitting 32 miles per hour on a flat surface. (One was rumored to have reached 52 mph!) The condition of the mostly rural roads used by the Traveler meant that much slower paces were required. The engines were prone to mechanical failure, the brakes were horrifically inadequate when attempting to stop from high speeds, and the requirement of petrol meant limitations on which routes the motorized Traveler could take. As a means of transportation it was easy to call the motorized Traveler a failure, but as a concept, it proved the potential of the internal combustion engine as the wave of the future.

The Traveler received an update in 1903 to include a muffler for the engine much to the relief of passengers who took exception to the noise. With the motor car becoming the wave of the future, Ventnor Motor Company was born in 1904, the motorized and horse drawn Travelers would continue to operate until Ventnor Stage Lines closed down in 1919.

More to come…

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I haven’t heard from Ventnor in a long time, although the nameplate has been around since the Kee era. Anyway, it’s nice to see it return.

Chapter II: Ventnor enters the horseless carriage market.

Dodge City, Kansas 1904

Ventnor Stage Lines was performing admirably, business was steady, and the small number of self-propelled stages became something of a novelty. However, with the increasing number of horseless carriages, also referred as automobiles, Norman Ventnor knew some changes had to be made. Seeing that this was the wave of the future, Ventnor got to work developing a new vehicle, an automobile of his own to compete in the growing market. By 1904 he had a prototype completed to present to the Dodge City council as he made his request to build a factory in the city. He argued that Dodge could become a major manufacturing hub in the middle of the United States.

His proposal was rejected.

With things being quiet and peaceful in Dodge, many felt that building a car factory would begin to attract a more hostile element, bringing back the period of violence that Dodge City was known for in the past. Not willing to be deterred Norman Ventnor set out in search of somewhere where he could build his factory and get his company to really take off. He eventually made his way to Detroit, Michigan. With numerous other automakers already manufacturing in the city, Ventnor had little difficulty getting permission to build a factory for himself.

By mid 1905 Ventnor’s first official car was in production, the Ace Series.




Models included the two-door Runabout, the four-door Touring, the Pickup, and the Delivery. All variants used a 1.5 liter four-cylinder engine producing a modest 35 horsepower mated to a two-speed manual transmission. The cars features acetylene headlamps and a leaf spring suspension. All cars were built by hand.

Not wanting to stop there, a special variant of the Ace was built specifically for one purpose, speed and speed alone.




With a 111 horsepower engine mated to a four speed transmission, this version of the Ace was capable of a staggering 90 miles per hour. It competed in numerous racing events.

The Ace Series proved to be a solid lineup bringing Ventnor into the start of the Twentieth Century.

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Chapter IIa: Return to the Past

Somewhere in Nebraska 1907

While Norman Ventnor was living in Detroit working hard to produce automobiles, his older brother Hamish remained in Dodge City to run the stage coach line. It was one fateful April morning when one of the motorized Traveler stage coaches disappeared. Investigations into the site seemed to suggest an Indian attack, a conclusion met with a good deal of skepticism due to the lack of any major conflict between Indians and American settlers for nearly 15 years.

The answer would come later in the small town of Blackwood*, NE. On May 3rd 1907, the local bank was robbed, the perpetrators escaping in a Ventnor Traveler stage coach. A posse was rounded up to pursue, but was forced to break off when they found every watering hole outside of town had been salted. While they were unable to water their horses, the bank robbers had no such limitation using the internal-combustion engine powered stage coach to make their getaway.

The level of coordination used in this bank heist meant the work of the infamous Von Richter Gang. Karl Von Richter immigrated to the United States in 1890, he believed his Prussian Cavalry background made him an ideal outlaw as he took a military approach towards crime. Crimes committed by the Von Richter Gang were known by the meticulous level of planning involved, every contingency accounted for. Word of Von Richter’s exploits would travel far, a little farther than he anticipated…

The unique nature of the Blackwood Robbery made headlines over a good part of the country, even making it as far east as Detroit, MI where Norman Ventnor got word of it. Fearing what the use of one of his innovations could mean for the reputation of Ventnor as a company, he felt he could not sit by and do nothing. Calling up Hamish to take charge of the company in his absence, Norman packed his luggage and started west…

To be continued…

*Blackwood, NE is a fictional town for purposes of storytelling, if there is an actual town of Blackwood, the resemblance is coincidental.

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Chapter IIb: The Old West Lashes Out

Dodge City, KS 1907

Norman Ventnor was glad to arrive in Dodge City, having been three years since he left, it was good to see his home town. Despite the changes over the years, it was still drastically different from Detroit, Norman felt like he had gone to another world. Waiting to greet him at the train station was his father Matthew Ventnor. Norman was proud to show his father the three “horseless carriages” that he had offloaded from one of the train cars. The two men then went to the Long Branch Saloon to catch up. Matthew listened intently as his son described city life back east, the growing number of automobiles, and the widespread use of electricity for all sorts of applications. Matthew was most impressed hearing about something he remembered once had no use past the telegraph.

As the evening came to a close, Norman told his father the reason for his visit. He meant to assist in the apprehension of the Von Richter Gang. Matthew immediately voiced his disapproval pointing out that his son was not a marshal or a sheriff. He wasn’t even a gunfighter, but Norman was determined to set right what he felt was a direct threat to the integrity and reputation of the Ventnor name. Seeing that Norman’s mind was firmly made up, Matthew reluctantly gave his son the revolver used by his father in the Civil War. An old French LeMat that remained in good condition, it belonged to Nathanial Ventnor who fought for the Confederacy during the war. Norman knew little about his grandfathers time in the war since he never talked about it. All he knew was after the war Nathanial moved west, wanting to put war and political struggle behind him.

Now, in 1907 there were clearly many options for guns available in the United States, more modern revolvers, and even automatic handguns. All far more advanced then the LeMat that Norman was now armed with. However, in his youth he had fired that gun several times under his grandfather’s supervision. He learned how to reload and clean it. It may not have been the most advanced weapon he could have chosen, but he was familiar with it. Plus he felt nine shots would be an advantage over the six-guns most men favored to carry.

With three cars, and one aged revolver, Norman Ventnor set out to Blackwood to meet with the sheriff. Knowing he was forming a posse he intended to offer his services. Norman was no fool, he knew he alone would make little difference joining a posse in pursuit of a ruthless gang. But with the unorthodox tactics favored by the Von Richter Gang, he hoped the three Ventnor Ace Touring automobiles he brought along would give them an edge…

To be continued…

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Will be interesting to see where this is leading…

After a hectic few months, it’s time to continue the story…

Chapter IIc: Gunfight at the Timber Falls Rail Yard

Before setting out for Blackwood, Norman Ventnor had one last stop to make in Dodge City: the grave of his wife Imala Ventnor (1878-1901) A young Apache woman he fell in love with and married in 1898, she tragically died during child birth, her and the baby. With that went Norman Ventnor’s hope for a family, he never felt compelled to re-marry.

After paying his respects he set out for Blackwood. Upon arriving he met with Marshall Roy Baker. Baker was initially reluctant to allow Ventnor to join the posse he was forming since he was neither a lawman or a gunfighter. However, he was impressed with the demonstration of the automobiles and their potential for pursuing the Von Richter Gang. Officially deputized, Ventnor went to work demonstrating the function of the vehicles, and teaching the other deputies to operate them. When preparations were complete, the vehicles set out for Timber Falls*, driven by Ventnor, and the two deputies who proved the most adept at driving. Marshall Baker had a plan for engaging the Von Richter Gang and it involved the town of Timber Falls.

Word had gotten out that a shipment of Army payroll was due to be offloaded at the rail yard at Timber Falls, where it would then be sent out and distributed by stage to the different forts in the area. With a number of men scattered throughout the state keeping a low profile, it was no surprise that Karl Von Richter learned of this valuable target. What he did not know was that Marshall Baker was counting on it.

Timber Falls

The posse had arrived at the town of Timber Falls. The terrain would make ambushing the train nearly impossible, and with armored stages guarded by soldiers departing town in all different directions, the only way to sucessfully steal the army payroll would be to raid the rail yard once the train had stopped. Not only was the payroll shipment leaked, also a detail about how it would be sitting at the rail yard before any stages could arrive to collect it. The men were in position, ready to open fire once Von Richter and his men arrived. The cars were stashed in the stable. The plan involved ambushing them once they attempted to rob the rail yard, with luck the automobiles wouldn’t even be used. But Marshall Baker knew Von Richter was not stupid, he would prepare for any course of action so it was prudent for the lawmen to do the same.

At 12:16 PM the train arrived. The armored stages would not arrive until 3:00, leaving a window of over two hours for the outlaws to make ther move. At 1:00 a puttering engine was heard coming into town. The Von Richter Gang took the bait. Two men sitting on the front bench, and another six inside made for a total of eight men, all armed and dangerous. The driver remained on the stage, while the one on the seat, and five departed from inside, with masks up and guns drawn, they demanded the shipment from the train. At that point Marshal Baker shouted out for them to throw down their weapons, that they were surrounded. Then all hell broke loose…

The door of the stolen Ventnor stage suddenly flew open, and the unaccounted for eighth man opened fire with a Maxim machine gun. In the confusion, Von Richter’s men were able to get into cover and open fire as well. Regaining their composure, the lawmen started to return fire. A difficult task as the fire from the machine gun kept a good number of them suppressed. Fortunes began to turn when a few lucky shots made their way into the coach. Not only was the machine-gunner killed, but a round smashed into the housing effectively disabling the gun. Another outlaw fell as the renewed onslaught turned the tide. Abandoning their robbery attempt, Von Richter and his remaining men piled back into the stage and took off. Somehow the driver miraculously survived despite being in a relatively exposed position. Four lawmen were dead, another three wounded, but the fight was not over yet. Baker and the rest of his men made their way to the stable, where the three Ventnor cars were waiting, ready to pursue.

To be concluded…

*Timber Falls is also a fictional town, any resemblance to a real town is also coincidental

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Madness of real life has resulted in an unfortunate hiatus, but now it’s time to finish this chapter…

Chapter IId: The Great Pursuit

“Plain truth is I’ve never been more terrified in my life. All I could think of is so long as I keep shooting I’ll be able to get out of this alive. Once my gun stopped firing, I was dead.”

                                            From the memoir of Norman Ventnor (1933)

The bullet-riddled Ventnor Traveler hightailed it out of Timber Falls. Von Richter and the five surviving men with him breathed a sigh of relief. With all nearby sources of water on their rout preemptively salted, they were confident no posse could maintain a pursuit. For half an hour it looked promising, until they spotted a dust trail on the road behind them. For all his planning for contingencies, Von Richter never figured on automobiles making their way this far west.

Two miles back

Three Ventnor Ace Touring models raced in pursuit of the motorized stage coach. One was driven by Norman Ventnor himself, the others were driven by posse members who’d proven the most proficient in operating the vehicles. Despite the head start, the purpose-built automobiles had no trouble catching up with the modified stage coach. The roads which were little more than packed-down dirt proved problematic for maintaining speed, it also made for a jarring-uncomfortable ride. However, it was far worse for the outlaws in the Traveler, with the taller unstable platform, it was even more difficult to maintain any kind of speed. In a matter of minutes the pursuing vehicles closed the distance, then the shooting began…

Riding with Ventnor was Marshal Baker, and a deputy named Daniel Cobb. In addition to Ventnor’s LeMat, Baker had a Colt SAA, while Cobb used a Winchester 1897 pump-action shotgun. As they closed in gunfire erupted from the fleeing stage, quickly answered by the men in the three chasing cars. One thing seldom considered in the early development of the automobile was the hazard bullets could cause. This was revealed when one of the cars suddenly erupted in a huge flare of steam. A bullet pierced the radiator causing the water to rapidly leak out. The engine quickly overheated and seized. One car was out of the chase. Four minutes later, a second car was taken out of the chase when the right front tire was struck by a bullet. The car proceeded on until the wheel hit a rock. Without the pneumatic tire to cushion the blow, the wooden wheel broke in half bringing the car to a sudden violent halt. As the chase proceeded, Ventnor made a vain attempt to shoot at the stage himself, however he found it impossible to maintain control of the car on the rough road and get anything sighted in, so he focused solely on driving while Marshal Baker and Deputy Cobb kept shooting. Suddenly Baker jerked back sharply, a hole in the windshield left no doubt as to the cause. A quick glance confirmed that the Marshal was dead, a bullet right through his forehead. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the front of the car suddenly burst into flame. A shot ripped through the acetylene tank used for the headlights, resulting in a bright inferno. Ventnor was forced to pull off the road, he and Cobb quickly jumped out of the burning car. Both men were despondent at their failure, with a mere six miles to the state line, it was clear Von Richter was going to get away.

However, Von Richter and his men had little time to celebrate their victory. The driver was maintaining a speed far too fast and dangerous for the rough, twisting roads. The stage took a corner too fast and overturned. Two men were killed instantly, another was badly wounded. Ventnor and Cobb wasted no time getting in close and taking cover behind an outcropping of rocks. Von Richter and his two remaining men also scrambled for cover, and both sides began to exchange gunfire. One of Von Richter’s men was the first to fall, cut down by Cobb’s shotgun. Then Cobb was gunned down by a hail of bullets when he tried to get to a different position. This left Ventnor alone against Von Richter and his remaining man. From the beginning Ventnor knew he was in over his head. he was no lawman, and he certainly was no gunfighter. Taken hard with fear, he wanted to throw up. But doing so would mean certain death. As long as he was shooting, he had a chance. His efforts paid off as the remaining outlaw fell, a shot through his heart. In a bizarre twist of fate, it was now down to Norman Ventnor, an automotive pioneer, and Karl Von Richter, a former Prussian cavalry officer turned outlaw. Always carrying a pair of c96 “broomhandle” Mauser pistols, he had a major advantage in firepower. Ventnor fired two shots at him, then his gun clicked! Now Ventnor was at a dire disadvantage, as the black powder revolver was quite time-consuming to reload, time he didn’t have. He frantically worked at trying to reload his gun when he was hit in the chest with what felt like an anvil. Norman Ventnor had been shot!

On his back, struggling to breathe, Norman Ventnor made a vain attempt to sit up. His partial effort allowed him to see Von Richter walking towards him, determined to finish him off. As he labored to bring his gun up towards Von Richter, he could vaguely see the other man’s smug smile. Von Richter knew that he fired nine shots, and that he had no time to reload. What many would call his first tactical error, he forgot about another feature of the LeMat… Underneath the barrel was a second one holding a 20 gauge shotgun shell. Ventnor flipped a small lever on the side of the gun and pulled the trigger, peppering Von Richter with buckshot. The distance was too far to be lethal, but the man was clearly down. While it seemed like an eternity, the gunfight lasted about three minutes. Twelve minutes after that, the rest of the posse arrived, having replaced the destroyed wheel on the car. While it was burned, the other car turned out to still be functional, so both Ventnor and Von Richter were loaded into the cars. Deputy Cobb was also found still alive, as well as the wounded man in the wrecked stage coach. The posse made their way back to Timber Falls. The wounded outlaw succumbed to his injuries on the way back.

When they arrived at Timber Falls, the three injured men were quickly taken to the doctor’s office. Von Richter’s injures were non-life threatening so he was given low priority. While looking severe, the small-caliber bullet in Ventnor’s chest did little actual damage. It was however, right next to Ventnor’s heart. The surgeon felt it was too risky to attempt to remove the bullet so they focused on stopping the bleeding. A minor infection was a cause for concern but Norman Ventnor eventually recovered. He would carry the bullet in his chest for the rest of his life.

Daniel Cobb would also recover from his injuries, though one of the bullets went through his spine leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. He wasn’t happy about being confined to a wheelchair, but he was grateful that he was at least alive to complain about it.

Karl Von Richter was tried for robbery and murder. He was sentenced to death. He was hanged on May 14, 1908. The remnants of the Von Richter Gang split up and scattered. Some joined other outlaw gangs, others formed their own. Others simply disappeared, trying to live meager lives while putting the past behind them. Many were eventually found and brought to justice, but there were some who’s fates were never known.

Norman Ventnor became something of a local hero. Men would buy him drinks, many called him a legend. Ventnor felt differently, he would call himself an idiot… one that barely got lucky. In his mind he let pride over his company’s image take precedence, and all it got him was a bullet in his chest. All he felt he could do is take what he could from the experience and learn from it. 1908 and later Ace models used kerosene for their headlights instead of acetylene. The suspensions were also changed to allow for better performance in rural areas where roads aren’t as developed as they were in cities. Finally he decided if some criminal wants to use his product for a crime… let the law handle it instead.

The incident would be well remembered as a huge part of Ventnor’s early history. Museum exhibits were made, novels written, even a motion picture in 1934 (Norman Ventnor was flattered by the choice of actor to portray him, but he was vexed at how inaccurate the film was) Some have melodramatically called it “The last hurrah of the Old West” But as the Old West faded into history, the nation moved on, and so did Ventnor.

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Chapter III: It was all going nicely… then the world went to Hell!

Detroit, Michigan 1912

After recovering from his encounter with the Von Richter Gang, everything was pretty much back to normal. Production of the Ventnor Ace was going swimmingly, though since each car was hand made, the factory was lucky if they could manage to produce 500 cars in a single year. Still, enough were made to keep things solvent within the company. By 1912, the Ace had been in production for seven years, it was time for an update to the design.


The biggest change in the Ace lineup was the expanded application of electricity. The headlights now used Thomas Edison’s famous invention, and an electric motor replaced the crank to start the engine.


Another innovation was an electric light on the back tied in to the brake pedal allowing other drivers to know when the vehicle is coming to a stop.

Another notable change is the reduction of brass used in the design, this was a measure to reduce costs, but also give the care a more modern image. A necessary move as hardly any cosmetic changes were made. Ventnor felt the functional improvements would more than speak for themselves, but conceded that the reduced brass did make the cars seem more current.

The biggest change of all was the removal of the pickup and delivery variants. While other manufacturers were beginning to utilize assembly lines and other mass-production efforts, Ventnor could not afford the tooling costs needed to make that possible. Instead they focused on high-end luxury. Still, efforts were made to increase production volume. Additional staffing and factory expansions led to them almost averaging 900 cars built annually by 1914.

Ventnor’s efforts in motorsports were also significant.


Wider tires and suspension modifications allowed for improved cornering performance leading to a win in the 1912 Grand Prix.

By 1914 things were looking quite well for Ventnor. Production was stable, revenues were up. Norman Ventnor projected if things kept going the way they were, they could afford the tooling required to begin mass-producing the Ace. Things were not going to go to plan though. Lots of talk was circulating about some turmoil in Europe.

Something about an Archduke being assassinated…

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Eh, probably nothing to blow up over…

Chapter IV: The Great War

Detroit, Michigan 1915

The murder of Archduke Ferdinand triggered a chain reaction where nations started declaring war on each other, namely due to the alliances forged in the decades prior. As a result the whole continent was embroiled in a war, but of a scale no one was familiar with.

While Europe was entering unfamiliar territory with this new kind of war, across the pond things were business as usual. The United States remained neutral, many feeling problems in Europe should be left to Europeans to deal with. This was the case with Ventnor, pretty much nothing changed, unfortunately that was not necessarily a good thing.

With limited production capability, Ventnor was unable to produce cars on a volume to match their competitors. Even worse, they had to be sold at lower prices to compete resulting in miniscule profits. Norman Ventnor knew his company was in trouble. To remain competitive he needed to increase the production capacity of his factories, but sales alone weren’t generating the needed revenue to bring this about. Worse off, he was unable to borrow from any banks as the company’s credit was stretched to its limit. He decided the best course of action would be to entice a foreign government to foot the bill…

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Chapter IVb: An Ugly Affair

Europe is engulfed in war. A war on a scale unseen since Napoleon, yet no one knew just how brutal this war would be.

Back in the United States, nothing really changed. Many felt that the whole affair would blow over in a few months. Everyone would come to their senses, stop the fighting and life would go on. Despite the desire to remain neutral, the United States practiced a healthy level of commerce with the European countries involved. Including providing weapons and materials to Great Britain, much to the chagrin of Germany.

Seeing the potential of a motorized army, Norman Ventnor met with a number of British officials visiting the US. His pitch was to demonstrate a prototype truck that could be pressed into military service. If England provided payment in advance, he could provide them with several thousand trucks in six months. The idea being to use the money to upgrade his factories, then churn out the trucks for delivery. Overall the project would cost the company more than what it would take in, but Ventnor felt the investment into the factories would pay off in the long run.




Taking a lesson from the Von Richter Gang shootout, the truck was designed to be a little more bullet resistant than conventional automobiles. The truck also featured an early four-wheel-drive system. While Ventnor personally favored no side over the other, he felt that dealing with England would be much easier as he was certain shipping to Germany would prove difficult thanks to the Royal Navy blockade.

In late April, Ventnor set out for New York, bringing the truck prototype with him for a trip across the Atlantic. Despite the risk of British waters being labeled a “Quarantine Zone” by the Germans, he felt there was little risk of a civilian vessel being sunk. He booked passage with Cunard for the trans-Atlantic voyage. A week before he was due to set sail, he came down with an ugly bout of pneumonia. Particularly concerning as the bullet in his chest left him suffering with respiratory issues ever since so pneumonia was a severe concern. Luckily after five days in Bellevue Hospital, Norman Ventnor was on the mend. Despite this he was still recovering, and with his weakened respiratory system, doctors strongly recommended against his trip to England. So on May 1, 1915, the RMS Lusitania departed with one less passenger.

Two months later, Ventnor once again met with British officials, this time in the US. Despite the demonstration of the capabilities of the Ventnor Military truck, the British officials declined the contract. Citing the timeline was insufficient based on their wartime needs. France also turned down any possible deal, while Italy and Russia were too far away for any viable negotiation. While Norman Ventnor toyed with the idea of doing business with Germany, the loss of several American passengers from the sinking of the Lusitania created a growing anti-German sentiment. Any attempt to even speak to the Germans would be suicide for the company.

As the war progressed, the next few years saw things getting progressively worse for Ventnor. The US was increasing shipments to the United Kingdom. Dwindling profits combined with increased costs for raw materials caused a severe strain on the company. Rumor had it the US was even quietly building up their own military. US ships bound for Europe were facing attacks from German U-boats despite being neutral, after the Zimmerman Telegram was made public, the United States entered the war.

By late 1917, things were dire. Not only were cars growing more expensive to build, but a large number of Ventnor’s employees were drafted. Among the men sent to Europe was none other than Ventnor’s nephew Thaddeus. Thaddeus’s son Alistair was born two weeks after he was shipped off to Europe. Unfortunately Thaddeus Ventnor never returned, losing his life at the Second Battle of the Marne.

By the end of 1918 things were bleak. The only positive thing was the end of the war. Ventnor was unsure how many of his workers would return. Everyone who left to serve in the army was welcome to return to their jobs, but the question remained, would they want to?

Low production volume, stiff competition, and a workforce currently in limbo, Norman Ventnor knew things could not go on as they were. A man who once envisioned his name among others like Rockefeller, Carnegie, Vanderbilt, now sees himself struggling to avoid a future as a vagrant.

Will Norman Ventnor find a new way? Or is his dream doomed to failure?

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