The San Francisco call., 1909-05-24
RECORD SALES
OF AUTOMOBILES
Registration in the State Shows
April to Be a Banner
Month
Transfer of Motor Cars Also
Leads All Previous Records
Thirty Days
By r. r. PHOM MEDIEU

Secretary of State Curry has issued
the supplemental list of registered
motor vehicles and the names of Ii
censed chaufeurs for the month of
April 1909. As predicted last month
by The Call. the registration for April
is far in excess. of that of any month
since the law went into effect. The
report states that s53 motor cars were
registered. This is 2o3 in excess of
the previous month, which was the
largest up to that time. The greatest
number prior to the latter date was
during the month of May, 1908, when
637 motor cars were registered.
Not only was April noted for the
largest number of new cars to be put
into active operation, but the transfers
of business done in second hand cars.
was a record ones 12S transfers being
recorded. The month previous held
the record with 104. while previous to
1909 the record was held by December,
1908, with SO.
The registration of chauffeurs did
not reach the record point, as only 2o1
took out licenses.
The total registration since January
transfers 366, making conservative
estimate OF valuation of $4,000 for
the new cars. 1t will be seen that the
invested interest in motor cars alone,
not taking into consideration what has
been spent for accessories. tires and
upkeep, is $5,3SS, 900. At this rate the
total invested interest at the end of
the year would be more than $4,000
900 in California alone.
One month to the day from the time
Ben Breig, head mechanician for the
s. Lord motor car
Lost Motorists company OF Los
Are Found 4ngeiefi Eng the a sfndes t
baker automobile
in the south, and Vernie Ferris of Raw
lins, Wyo., left the City of Angels in
Ferris Studebaker thirty" the auto
mobiIists have been heard from at last.
Yesterday the Lord motor car company
received q telegram from Butte. Mont,
describing in detail their trip from
Los Angeles, which commenced April
a. to Rawlins. thence to the Montana
town. The telegram received puts to
rest the fears entertained for the safety
of the automobilists and was the direct
result of efforts on the part of the Lord
company to locate Ferris and Breig,
who had not been heard from since the
day of their departure. According to
the report received, the trip across the
desert to Wyoming was made without
the slightest mishap. Upon arrival at
Rawlins. Ferris laid claim to fortune
of $l000 900 which he had inherited dur
ing his sojourn in southern California,
and was awarded the money. Then
the trip to Butte. Mont, was COM
menced. Many other side runs have
been made and the news received yes
terday by the Lord company marked
the second arrival in Butte after tour
of the northwest. \ remarkable fea-
ture is the fact that despite the Sc
verify of the trip the machine has
never broken down nor did the motor
lists lost any time on account of tire
trouble Mrs. Ferris accompanied the
men. which fact was also unknown TO
the company.
The principal automobile events that
have been programmed during the
months of May
Coming Events and June in the
= ~ Europe are: May
81. annual hill
climbing contest of the automobile club
of Bridgeport, Conn; annual hin climb
ing contest up Giants Despair noun