Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-04-14
MANY MORE AUTOS IN OMAHA
eau Shows Increase Ct ever Fifty Per
Cent from Last Years Figures
tlIcTRcS AR: COMING MO FAVOR FAST
dealers Have Trouble in Getting
Enough wen Known Machines,
but Have Others that Are
Well worth trial.

Today over 900 automobiles are in use in
the city Of Omaha. A year ago at this time
! the number was 100 At present in Ne
braska l.15o automobiles are owned by in
uividuals. while year ago the number was
700 This Increase is most gratifying to the
dealers as well as 70 the owners. who be-
lieve that In numbers lies strength. and the
more automobile owners the more will be
their influence toward getting favora BILE
laws and good roads.
While the gasoline cars predominant. the
electrics have increased more in proportion
to their number. Omaha now has $50 Raso-
iine cars, twelve steam cars and twenty
eight electrics The old question as to
which Is the better car a gas or steam
car. Is still being argued. but the gasoline
owners seem TO predominant in this section
OF the country. The electrics are a splendid
car for women to run around town. but are
not IN the same class with the others for
touring cars.
New machines are arriving in Omaha
every day and have been since the automo-
bile show, so the number is materially In
creasing all the time. The Powell Autouo-
bile company alone has at present twenty
nine machines on order, which are vet To
be delivered. other dealers have large
number to be delivered. so before the
season Is much older there probably will be
seventy-hve more automobiles on the
streets OF Omaha.
Omaha Firms Control Sales
The great bulk OF the automobiles which
nave been sold throughout the state were
sold through Omaha houses either direct
or through the country agents who rep
resent the Omaha houses Some OF the
manufacturers have their state agency az
Lincoln. while others give Omaha the
North Platte territory and Lincoln the
South Platte country.
Although at present but twentv-eight
electric machines are owned IN Omaha the
number IL constantly growing. and that
style OF machine is becoming more and
more popular. They were a little slow in
getting start. because prospective BUYERS
were afraid they would not be good hill
climbers but that objection has been elm
mated and the dealers in this class of veh-
lcies are now looking for big season. c.
f. McGrew, vice president OF the Omaha
Nauonal bank. and r. B. Snyder bought
eiectrics during the last week and Others
have placed their orders.
The Powell Automohile comnanv has sot
aside section OF its garage especially for
the handling OF electrics and e Is pro-
nounced by experts TO be one Of the best
equipped electrical garages in the country.
JObbinE OF tires and suDpIies.
The growth Of the automobile business
IN Omaha since the automobile show IS
also shown By the big jobbing business
which Is now being done in tires and sun
plies through the Omaha houses One com.
pany has the exclusive agency OF Iowa.
Nebraska Kansas Missouri and the Da-
kotas for several Of the most popular
brands of tires. and also for a large as
sortment Of automobile supplies Here
totore this business has been handled
through Chicago or direct from the makers.
The most notable change in the auto
mobile business in Omaha is the tendency
iQt the buyers to buy a higher grade of
machines than In former years This nay
due to the added prosperity Of the. country
and also to the greater knowledge of the
cars Up to the present season the bulk
Of the purchases IN this territory have
ben the cheaper grades OF cars from 500
to N,SOO The demand in Omaha As now
for the coetlier machines. running from
5000 to 5000 Three Franklns were sold
at $3.50 to residents Of the town of Har
ward The town Of Blair has a forty.
horse power expensive machine and a IS, 900
Pope Toledo was sold to a resident of
Denison, Ia.