The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-18
RUSH FOR AUTOS.
Remarkable Growth of the In
dustry in America.
Shows -Four Hundred Per, Cent
Increase Since 1900.
RUNS INTO MILLIONS.
TOtalValue of Finished Machines
in 1906 Was $26, 645, 900.
Decline of Bicycle Manufacture
Is Also Shown.
RUNS INTO MILLIONS

Washington, Feb. 18.-The remark
able growth in the automobile indus
try and the decline of bicycle products
are strfkingly indicated IN a statement
issued today by the census bureau on
the manufacture of automobiles, BIZ
cycles and tricycIes for 1905.
The total production of automobiles
in 1905 was 22,s30. valued at $685.
645,064, as against only 3.723 in 1900
with a value of s4,74S.011, thus show
ing an increase in value of 461.1 per
cent.
OF the 1852 "autos' turned out by
automobile factories. 1859. or S6.2
per cent were propelled by gasoline;
1868 or 7.2 per cent by steam and
1.425 or sc per cent by electricity.
The figures concerning the manufac-
ture of automobiles, represent the out
put of the 121 establishments report
ing the complete automobile, In ad-
dltlon to these there were four esta b.
ltshments7 engaged primarily in other
lines of manufacture, such as garages
ana wagons, bicycles, sewing ma
ch1nes ETC., which during the year,
covered by the census, turned out
lbs automobiles valued at $S79,2O5;
and 81 establishments which manufac-
tured automobile parts and bodies to
iod between the two censuses, the num-
Der of the esta blishments turning out
the finished automobile as their prin-
c1pal product Increased from 81 to
III; the amount of capital invested in
these Establishments from $5,76S,857
to $2O,555, 247; and the average num-
Der of wage earnerS employed from
2,241, to 1929. The average capital
per esta blishment increased from
$1O1,20S to $16S,87S, or 67.9 per cent
M hpr Of hill
manufactured in automobile factories
12,131 or $50 per cent were run
abouts, and 1920, or 1913 per cent
touring cars. Buckboards stood third
in number turned out, 1915; stanhopes
fourth with $40, and delivery wagons
fifth with Sill. -4-
The value of American made auto
mobiles and parts exported increased
from $94S,528 in 1901, the first year
that they were separately reported, to
$2,4S1,243 in 1908! The greater part
of these, exports went to European
markets, although Europe's percent
age of the total foreign purchases APP
pears to- be decreasing. In the year
1902 to 1905 this percentage was S3.9,
70.7, So. g. and IS Z. 6 respectively. New
ertheless the absolute value of the ex-
ports to Europe almost doubled in the
three years, TO the United Kingdom
more than $500, 600 worth of Ameri-
can made automobiles and parts had
been exported in each of the years
from 1902 to 1905. In the same period
exports to France 9iave increased from
$59,O5l to S252,T42: to Italy from
$2,2eO to $159,396, and to Germany
from $24,491 to $154,141. In 1905
there were in all sixteen European
countries which imported the Ameri-
can machine.
The exports to foreign countries of
North America Increased from ST.
sol in 1902 to $6S2,609 in 1905, nearly
ninefold. i't
The high tide of prosperity in the
bicycle was reached about 1897 and in
1900 the manufacture had already
largely fallen off. -