Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-01-28
BIC BUSINESS IN AUTOS
Public Interest in Automobiles Expands
at Great Rate.
MAKERS AND IMPORTERS ARE RUSHED
How the Business Grows, Capital In
vested, the various Makes and
the Prices-Features of Tn
to-Dnte Machines.

to-Dnte Machines.
Proof of the tremendous uplift of the au-
tomobile business is supplied by the sales
aud orders booked at the automobile shows
recently held in New York city. Madison
Square Garden was too small to show of
all the exhibits offered and an overflow
show was held in the Sixty-ninth regiment
armory. Sales aggregating S5OC0,OOo were
made by exhibitors at both places Enor-
nous crowds attended, rivaling the interest
manifested in bicycles when that favorite
vehicle was at the zenith of its glory a
dozen years ago 1t is estimated 10000 per-
sons paid their respects to the auto during
the ten days Of the shows The principal
results of years developments in the au-
tomobile, as indicated by a study of the
double exposition. may he summed up
briefly as a vast improvement In the general
details of the machine, increased power and
no reduction in prices. The automobile con-
tinues to be the vehicle of the man of
wealth.
Various styles of Cars.
a careful examination of the car exhibits
in Madison Square Garden show brings out
certain details of construction, which are
becoming standard. There were 1893 sepa-
rate cars shown, representing 1B distinct
models. OF the 1893 cars forty-six were cleo
trically propelled and 147 were Of the gaso-
line type. OF the different makes of cars
cghty-hve had water-cooled cylinders and
thirteen were alr-cooled The number of
the air-cooled makes big increase over
last year and the horse power of the air
cooled motors has also advanced considera-
Bile. The highest powered air-cooled car
ii .
is 10.
OF the 143 models shown In the garden ia
had pressed steel frames twenty armored
wood frames, nine had frames Of structural
iron and one of wood. Seventy per cent
were fitted with semi-eiptic springs and
Hanged front axles.
The wooden frame is now practically
abandoned. and in its place is seen the SUI
perior pressed steel frame. The distinction
between the runabout type and the touring
car u.s. If anything, more distinct than ever.
Two or three well known firms that have
built up their reputation solely on the runa-
bout cars are now entering the field with
four cylinder touring machines. One Of
these Is the Oldsmobile which is seen for
the first time with regulation touring car.
The runabouts range from to Is horse
power, while the popular touring cars have
from % to 10 horse power. A 24-horse power
car is, perhaps. as close to the popular de-
mand as II Is possible to Judge. There is
no marked reduction in prices: in fact.
prices have been slightly advanced in some
cases, but the same price for car as was
paid a year ago now secures a much SUI
perior machine, built stronger and with
better material throughout
Prices to Suit Fat Purses.
Calculations based on the exhibits at New
York and those booked for the Chicago
show In February indicate about $50 makers
and importers of automobiles. representing
$50 different patterns of cars The cheapest
car made is the Indian Tri-car, which is
really. however, an attachment fitted to
a motorcycle and costs $3.50. Next comes
the Orient blackboard, which costs $500;
the $500 class is represented by two makers.
of which is a single-cyinder car and
the other. strange to say, is a four-cylinder
car. The-S6JG class of single-cylnder rum
abouts while made in large quantities, are
only turned out by seven makers. the gap
between that class and the 81, 900 class being
filed by fifteen makers whose prices run
from $3.50 to $3.50. Seven firms make cars
costing 1900, ten others make cars cost
ing between that price and $780, while
thirteen produce cars costing $780, and
zen HidNt NbSllIB lIbUl Sl,opO 10 Sl,4OV
Nine other makers produce $3.50 cars.
while twenty make cars running from
$500 to 1890. Ten concerns make a 81 900
car, while ten others produce cars costing
between that and s2,400 Twenty-Five es-
adjustments make cars costing $500. evil
IDENTIFY popular-priced vehicles. which are
produced in very large numbers. Between
that and the 5000 cars are FIVE makers,
and the 5000 car is represented by the I'M
lucky number of thirteen makers and ff-
teen other makers make cars costing be-
tween $500 and $3.50. Four thousand dol
lars is a popular price, evidenced by the
fact that ten makers produce cars at this
price. Five factories make cars running
from that up TO $500 The 5000 big car
must be another popular product because
ten makers produce It, From $500 TO
$500, the highest-priced American car,
there are jumps of $500 in prices fifteen
makers turning out these high-prced cars
Foreign cars, owing to the duty of IS per
cent and freight and landing charges cost
from 5000 to $4,000 apiece. Electric cars.
such as are made in this country, cost
from 81 100 to si,0oO. the latter price being
for the stately brougham. A New England