Los Angeles herald., 1909-03-28
TONS OF TIRES
IN ONE STOCK
REMARKABLE DISPLAY SEEN
AT BULL0CK'S
Dollars Invested in Tires Alone Rep
resent a Fortune, and Entire Stock
Requires Acres of Tables and
Cabinets to Hold

Five thousand pounds of rubber-two
tons and a half-in automobile tires,
in one retail stock, is about as eloquent
a testimonial to the tremendous IN
crease in the automobile industry OF
Southern California as could be written
in one sentence. In raw rubber In
Mexico or Central America, at the
point of refinement, this would rep
resent between $4,000 and $4,000 of in
vested capital. The same tonnage IN
rubber shipped to the marts of trade
in the United States. with the profits
of railroads and middle men added to
it. and then worked into finished tires
by expensive methods, embracing
fancy patent and royalty considera-
tions, and with manufacturers prices
piled on top of all, and this rubber. in
invested capital, represents three. four,
perhaps five times it's value at the rub
Der tree in Mexico or Central America.
To even this valuation must again
be added freight rates in the United
States from the factory TO the point
of distribution and to the consumer.
as well as expensive advertising CAM
paigns, and last but still important,
the retailers legitimate profit, which
must contemplate interest on invest
ed capital. insurance and a dozen other
items that enter into a retailers bust
ness.
Rubber Tires but an Item
This two tons and a half of rubber
in automobile tires is n phase of the
immense automobile stock that has
gradually but consistently been built
up in the automobile department of
the Bullock department store during
the past few years. True, it is but a
phase. or one item, of the department,
but it is eloquent, not only of the
spread of the automobile industry as
an industry, but also of the spread of
this department.
Perhaps any other one item included
in the Bullock stock could be selected
at random and as gigantic a stock in
that particular item be shown as in
the one item of rubber tires. In a re-
cent window display of this rubber
tire stock in the Bullock store near
ly a half block of tires was shown,
tires of every description and of every
make being banked close together in
one great mass, and yet the bulk of
the two and a half tons of rubber was
apparently not disturbed in the auto
mobile department on the third floor
of the store.
Same of Any Other Item
Nearly if not quite as large a dis
play would be possible in any other
item which goes to make up the gem
eral conception of automobile sup
plies
1t would be possible of automobile
oils of every descriptions; of speedo-
meters; of storage and live wire bat
teries; of auto trunks of horns and
sirens; of auto mats, robes. gloves and
caps: of every conceivable stock
part" including nuts and bolts as
well as wrenches and a myriad of
other lesser items that might be men
! toned.
The entire department covers sever
al acres and gives the impression OF
an endless row of tables and cabinets
! from whatever point of view it is
! looked at, all classified and depart
mentized' so as to make any item
or kind of automobile supply easily
| and Immediately accessible.
Taken in it's entirety this trcmen-
doUs stock is a mute monument to an
industry that is increasing by leaps
and reflects the judgment of shreWd
| business house as to the future posi-
bilities of the automobile trade in
| Southern California.