Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-02-19
BIC GAINS
In American Production
Of Automobiles.
Manufacture Shows Gain Over
461 Per Cent.
Production Of Bicycles Shows a
Very Marked Decrease.

Washington, Fb. 1S-The rCmarka-
be growth in the automobile indus
iry and the decline of the bicycle pro
Guction are strikingly indicated in
statement issued today by the census
burHau on the manufacture Of automo-
biieS. bicycles and tricyclcs for 1905
The total production Of automobiles
in 1895 was -. $50 valued at 1864 .064.
as against only 1923 in 1900, with a val
ue Of $+,14S011. thus showing an in
crease in value of 461.1 per cent. OF the
21.6"2 autos turned out by automo-
bile factories, 1889, or So per cent
were propelled by gasoline; 1868. or ~
per cent. by steam and 1424, of &c per
cent. by electricity
These figures represent the output of
the 121 Establishments, representing the
complete automobile. In addition to
these. A. establishments were engaged
primarily in other lines of manufac-
turc, such as carriages, bicycles, etc,
which during the year covered by the
census. turned out 1888 automobiles,
valued at sS79.205 and 81 establish
rleEts which manufactured automobile
bodies and parts to the value of 81, 1885,
Az.
In the period between the two CEN
suses, the number of establishments
turning out the finished automobile as
their principal product increased from
- to III, the amount of capital invested
in these establishments from So 16S S57,
to $20,555.241. and the average number
Of wage earners employed from 224l to
10 $50.
OF the total number of automobiles
manufactured in automobile factories,
i2.131, or 800 per cent. were runabouts
|, and 1920. 33.3 per cent. touring cars.
Buckboards stood third in number
turned out, 6l5; Stanhopcs fourth with
20, and delivery wagons fifth, with All.
III" value Of American-m auto
mobiles and parts exported increased
| from s94S.52S in 1902. the first year that
! they We're separately reported to 81
| 0s1i43. in 1905. The greater part Of the
exports went to European ports, al
though EurOpe's percentage OF the to-
tai foreign purchases appears to be de-
| Croasing In 1905 there were in all IL
! uropean countries which imported the
American machine. The total number OF
! countries importing the American prod
Lct n 1905 was SO.
! 'rne 1"05 census of the manufa cture
! Of 1icycies and tricyclcs disclosed great
| Il stress since 1900. The number Of fac
! iorics declined from 312 to 10l: the cap
| i''.l invested from $40. 7S3,659 to s.. $50
| ~: the number of wage earners from
-. to 1919. and the value of products
| :"om 1,91590s to s., 153.240. Many cS-
| Establishments that manufactured only
! bicycles in 1861 were. at the later cen
sus, engaged principally or to some OK
tent in the manufacture of automobiles.
| The high tide of prosperity IL the BIZ
cycle was reached about 1897 and in
1900 the manufacture had already
largely fallen off.
The number Of chain bicycles turned
odt declined from 1.136.122 in 1900 to
246,304 at the census of 1905. chainlcss
from 42.92? to 4077, and tricycIes from
2611o to 1869. The tricycles were al
most entirely childrcn'S toys Motor
cycles increased from 159 to 1886