Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-18
GREAT GROWTH NUTED
ADVANCE OF THE AUTOMOBILE
INDUSTRY.
In This Country It Increased 461 Pei
Cent in Five Years-Bicycles
Going Out.

The remarkable growth in the automobile
industry and the decline of bicycle produc-
ton are strikingly indicated in statement
issued today by the census bureau on the
manufacture of automobiles bicycles and
tricycles for 1905.
The total production of automobiles in
1905 was $3.50, valued at $26,645,O64, as
against only 1923 in 1900, with value of
s4,748,O11, thus showing an increase in
value of 461.1 per cent.
OF the q ,692 autos turned out by auto
mobile factories, 1850, or S6.2 per cent,
were propelled by gasoline; 1853, or 7.2
per cent, by steam, and 1,425, or SO per
cent, by electricity.
The figures concerning the manufacture
of automobiles represent the output Of the
121 establishments reporting the complete
automobile In addition to these there were
Al establishments engaged primarily In
other lines Of manufacture, such as car
riages and wagons, bicycles, sewing ma
chimes, etc, which during the year covered
by the census, turned out LBS automobiles,
valued at $S79,205, and 81 establishments
manufactured automobile bodies and parts
to the value Of $33SS,4I2.
In the period between the two censuses
the number of establishments turning out
the finished automobile as their principal
product, increased from 81 to 121; the
amount of capital invested in these estab-
lishments. from s., 76S S57 to $40, $50, PAT, and
the average number of wage-earners en-
ployed. from 2,241 to 1929. The average
capital per establishment increase, $1O1, 2OS
to $169S7S, or 679 per cent.
OF the total number of automobiles manu-
featured in automobile factories, II, 131, or
$50 per cent, were runabouts and 40 or
1913 per cent, tourning cars. Buckboards
stood third in number turned out, 675;
stanhopes fourth, with 800 and delivery
wagons fifth, with All.
Exports of Automobiles.
The value of interchangeable automobiles
an6 parts exported increased from $94S, 52S
in 1899, the first year mat they were sep
arately reported, to s., 4S1 ,243 in 1905. The
greater part of these exports went to Eu-
ropean markets, although Europes. per-
centage of the total foreign purchases ap-
pears to be decreasing. In the years 1902
to 1905 this percentage was 1913, 70.7 53.S
and 57.6, respectively. Nevertheless the
absolute value of the exports to Europe al
most doubled in the three years. To the
United Kingdom more than 100000 worth
of Amercan-made automobiles and parts
has been exported in each of the years from
1902 to 1905. In the same period, exports
to France have increased from $59.O51 to
So, 142; to Italy, from 81 200 to S159,396, and
to Germany, from $24,491 to $154,141. In
1905 there were in all sixteen European
countries which imported the American
machine.
The exports to foreign countries of North
America increased from $77.SO1 in 1902 to
$685. 600 in 1905, nearly ninefold. In 1895 near
ly two-thirds of this value went to Canada,
which stood next to the United Kingdom
among all foreign countries in imports of
the American-made machine. In 1905 the
exports to Mexico amounted to $119,9S6
Cuba, $96,53S; Asia, 500, 264; Oceania, $1O1,-
1874; South America $S1,36s, and Africa
$61 ,127. The total number of countries i'm
porting the American product in 1905 was
tifty-three.
Decline Of Cycle Industry.
The 1905 census of the manufacture Of
bicycles and tricycles disclosed great de-
creases since 1900. The number Of factories
declined from 312 to 1O1; the capital in
vested, from so, 1873 $50 to S. ss3 45s; the
number of wage earners, from 1855 to
1919. and the value of products from 3d.
915,9OS to IS. 153, $40. Many establishments
that manufactured only bicycles in 1900,
were, at the latter census, engaged prin-
cipally or to some extent in the manufac-
ture of automobiles. The high tide Of pros
perity in the bicycle industry was reached
about 1897, and in 1900 the manufacture had
already largely fallen off.
The number of chain bicycles turned out
declined from l, 1856 122 in 1900 to 246, 3O4 at
the census of 1905; chainless, from 1929
to 4,O77, and tricycles, from %. 10 to 4,O63.
The tricycles were almost entirely children's
toys Motor cycles increased from 159 to
2,436.