New-York tribune., 1902-12-28
AUTOMOBILE PROGRESS.
Estimate Of Increase IN this Country
an FiUe Years.

-Four years ago there were fewer than fifty au-
| tomobiles in the United States. At the present
time a conservative estimate the number Of
horseess machines is twelve thousand. Before
next Thanksgiving there will be not less than
fifty thousand In the country.
Thus briefly one chronicle the marvellous
growth of the most expensive sport which has
ever been generally adopted in America. From
fifty to fifty thousand In five years is record
to which the automobile crank point with
pride. 1t proves the popularity Of sport which
holds its devotees with a fascination almost
weird. Yet those who have studied the situa-
ton say that this growth will be as nothing
compared to that of the next five years In
that time makers will succeed in "standardiz-
ing their machines, and the "mobe car" will
no longer be the toy of the rich, but within
reach of every man who is reasonably well
to do.
There has never been any doubt of general
public interest In automobiling. Every news
paper item on the subject, especially those deal
ing with accidents, is eagerly read. At the re-
union dinner Of the Automobile Club Of Amer
lea held last Monday might at the New-York
Athletic Club, Angus Sinclair. who responded
for the press, told a story which Illustrates this,
as well as another note OF public opinion. the
false one that every who OWLS an automo-
bile is either millionaire. comes near being
one.
Although Mr. Sinclair is not rich man. he
allows himself the luxury Of steam car a
few weeks ago he met with an accident In East
Orange. n. j. His car took fire and was almost
destroyed The newspapers printed snort ac-
counts of the accident. The next morning MS
mail contained several begging letters before
the end of the week he received less than
FRO ri
Of the East AS he had never been popular in
this way before he naturally lays tt all to the
prominence given his automobile ownership
The middle of January holds automobile
week for New-Yorkers this year. On the iith
the ANIMAL show of the Automobile Club OF
America and the National Automobile Manu-
facturers' Association will begin at the Madi-
son Square Garden and run through an eh'ire
week It will be by far the largest show ever
held in this country. Every square foot OIL e&-
hibition space In the Garden has been taken.
Even the room usually given over TO the res
taurant concession win be filled with machines
Every sort of that has been seen on
American roads will be on exhibition, and a
dozen CT more types of machines which VIII
make their initial bow to the shrinking public
In the spring. Foreign manufacturers, having
enjoyed no little American patronage, Will be
largely represented The show 1t is said, will
rival that which has just closed in Paris. Most
Of the firms exhibiting have not been able TO
take an order for three months, so great mas
been the rush for machines. Some deliveries on
orders booked month ago will be delayed until
the end of summer.
'.It is only a question of time before auto
nobiling ceases to be unpopular with the
masses" said w. E. Scarrett, ice-president of
the Automobile Club of America, yesterday to
a Tribune reporter. I'VE are going to put all
our strength into good roads legislation, and
good roads are of benefit to every one Special
effort will be made with the legislatures of
sachusetts The club is backing Representative
Brownlow, of Tennessee who will ask Congress
to appropriate S20OO0O00 for good roads in the
United States.
IN the matter of speeding the club stands
absolutely for the law. We want fair and
liberal laws and in time the lawmakers will
give them. In the mean time the laws that
have been passed must be obeyed. The club
stands ready to prosecute persistent offenders.
1.-THE outlook for the sport at the beginning
Of this new year is most encourag ging. Some
dav before very long the makers will say to
themselves Our machines good enough ano
we will standardize them This will serve TO
cheaper the price and greatly increase the out
put So far the manufacturers have been find
ing too many ways OF improving .their models.
They make machine day, and the day
after they find how to make better one"
AUTOMOBILE CLUB ELECTION.