The Checker Taxi. Charles C. Darnall, was the head of the Commonwealth
Motors Corp. when he launched the Commonwealth 40hp touring in 1919, a
car with a very sturdy construction and more interior space, which made it
particularly suited for taxi companies. Next he built a purpose built taxi cab
named Mongul Taxi, which used a body provided by Lomberg Auto Body
Mfg. Co., which was then used by most Taxi operators across the country.
Lomberg Auto Body was owned by a Russian immigrant named Abraham
(Abe) Lomberg. To expand production Lomberg needed extra cash, so he
borrowed $15’000 from another Russian immigrant named Morris Markin.
Markin had made a fortune providing uniforms to the US Army during World
War I. Eventually Lomberg was unable to keep up the payments, so Markin
took over the body building company and promptly renamed it the Markin
Body Company.
In 1921, after struggling for some time, the Commonwealth Motors Corp.
was forced into bankruptcy. 1922 Markin made an offer for the assets and
promptly merged the two companies to form the Checker Cab Manufacturing
Company. Markin then concentrated on the taxi market and launched the
Checkers Model C Taxi with featured a distinct checkerboard beltline, which
was to become the well known trademark of Checkers Taxis over the years,
which were manufactured up to 1982.
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