Omaha daily bee., 1910-10-30
GREAT FUTURE FOR AUTOS
Head Of the Manufacturers Associa-
ton Tells Of Increase.
DEMAND FOR ALL VARIETIES
Average Prices First went Up and
Then Took Downward Turn
as the Number Of Cheaper
Cars Increased.

ton Of New York, wednesday night Al |
fred Reeves, general manager Of the As
ISOLATION Of Licensed Automobile Manu- |
faoturers, gave some interesting figures
relative to motor car manufacture. HIS
subject was THE Growth and Opportuni- |
ties Of the Automobile Industry" Among
other things he said:
THE gentlemen here are about TO take
a part in one OF the greatest industries Of
Amerioa-the making Of power driven vehi-
clee which because Of their economic
value. are now almost as important in our
life as the telephone, the telegraph and
tsB transportation lines That the motor
vehicle Is a time saver, answers fully any
question as to It's future
Ten years ago there we're about $500
machines In America-now there are 900
900
Ten years ago there we're twenty seven
factories GOO cars being a record produc-
ton for any one Of them)-now we have
almost 100 producing factories, 70 say moth
Ing OF a like number Of experlmentors in
volved in the making Of motor cars, while
an annual production Of 5000 and even
1900 cnrs in one factory is not unusual.
I'm a decade, the capital OF the automo-
bile and accessory makers has increased
from approximately $4,000 TO &45O,OO0,O00.
OF which t275,0OO.OOO is in motor car fac
tories alone.
Ten years ago the number OF persons
employed in making automobiles and &C
cessories was estimated at 1900; now there
are 27sOOO individuals, including those in
the sales rooms and garages.
Ten years ago there were probably $40
chauffeurs In New York state which now
boasts of almost 900 registered drivers.
Automobile row in New York in 1900
now there are eighty-fOur for you to select
from.
Price Changes.
''Ten years ago the average price of cars
was Sl,1O0 then 1t ran up to S2,137 in 1907,
after which, with the increase in the num-
Der OF moderate priced machines, it has
come down to si545 although the very high
Grade cars are selling at even higher prices
than they we're two years ago.
when the fundamental patent covering
the modern gasoline automobile, was is
sued to George b. Seden in 1895, even the
greatest dreamer had no idea OF what 1910
would show In the motor car industry, and
II has been all the result OF work by able
men with IDEAS" said Mr.. Reeves
Money has had comparatively little to do
with it. Although a wealthy man today as
a result of his invention, under which
eighty-three manufacturers pay royalties,
George b. Seldom was poor man ten years
ago. Most OF our cars Of today came not so
much from capital, as from mechanical
genius in men who began at the bottom
round OF the ladder.
Great credit for the present position Of
the motor car industry is due those pioneers
like winton, Ford, Haynes, Apperson, Max
well, Buick, Olds, Duryea, Packard and a
dozen others whose names are now house
hold words. At the same tihe, however,
would not take credit from the business
men OF the Industry who have financed the
manufacturing and marketed the products.
They are an important part OF the success
the opportunities are as great as they
ever were." continued Mr.. Reeves. mot
90 much in placing new cars on the market
as Is improving the present types.
Perfect as our cars appear with their
silent, powerful motors and excellent de-
sign and construction, the automobile of
ten years hence will show radical changes.
The present general design may continue
but think OF the improvements that can be
made. improvements in transmission, In
greater simplicity and easier control In In
creased power and in economy of fuel con-
sumption, to say nothing of the ever in
oreasing need OF something to improve. to
cheaper or to supplant the pneumatic tire.
improvements welcomed.
The character OF the men here is such
that many of them win be instrumental In
making some OF those improvements that
would be welcomed now even at the time
when motor cars seem TO be so nearly
perfect, and perform in such faultless
fashion.
Motor cars are certain to increase in
number, solely on account Of their utility
without regard to pleasure use. Every
farmer needs one and the government re-
ports show more than 100000 farms in
this country We know that every doctor
must have one, and there are 100 IN New
York City alone and 10000 In the country
Every contractor, every suburban real es-
tate agent and II the truth be really told
every man, II not an owner now, hopes
at some time to operate his own motor
car. In this great country of ours there
are $4,000 families, with an annual income
OF 5000 or more. 1t is believed that
America win continue to buy annually 2OO-
600 motor cars Of all types-approximately
that number having been sold during the
last twelve months.
Naturally the greatest field for motors
in the future, Is for the freight carrying
cars which offer the solution OF those
many problems involved IN our present
wastetul method OF transferring merchan-
disc by horse-driven vehicles II will bring
the well deserved emancipation Of our good
friend the horse; IL Will act as feeders 10
railroads. Il will prevent traffic conges-
ton; transport goods more quickly and In
greater quantities than is possible with
horse-drawn vehicles. and wiz result in
more sanitary streets
VIII Help All Traffic.
Using . motor car which will carry
twice the load at twice the speed. and
requiring only half the space will be like
Increasing the widths OF streets ak times.
II must be borne in mind too, that there
are az present 600 horse-drawn vehicles
In use in this country while an average OF
$4,000 horse-drawn vehicles are being made
every year, 90 be supplanted by motor
cars. In addition, the government census
shows d.000Ooo horses, awaiting we'll de-
served relief from their drudEery
IAN this viii not be accomplished In a
year or two years yet Il isn't over optmis-
tic 70 say that ten years from now there
win be as few horse-drawn vehicles on