The Washington herald., 1911-11-12
Cheaper Make Now Popular
with Wage-earners.
MERCHANTS LATEST BUYERS
Travelling Statesmen and Big stores
Have Supplanted Horse Since 1t
Has Been Proved that Motor
Cars Are Twice as Valuable.
Some Present-dRy Uses.

OF locomotion is devised, which is very
unlikely, airships being too impractical
for ordinary travelling, is the fact that
they have been adopted by the big ousl-
ness concerns of the country as part OF
their establishments, replacing the horse
and wagon delivery service as well as
the horses used by the statesmen in max
ing their rounds.
From the first, man has been imbued
with the idea of travel He has always
wanted to go somewhere and get there
in the shortest possible time. The horse
answered the purpose for many CEN
turtles, but ultimately gave way 10 tne
railroad for long journeys. Even the
railroad has been superseded IN many
instances by the automobile
During the past two summers trafnc
managers who had been accustomed 10
doing an enormous traffic during the va
cation months between large cities ana
various popular summer resorts nave
complained about the falling on IN Iherr Ir
business. Being shrewd business men
they looked for the reason ana soon us us
covered that many who in previous years
vrere wont to visit their favorite vacation
enot nv railway now used their automo-
biles instead. -.
The latest instance of where an auto
mobile is about to be called into use Is
in transporting the different teams oL
one of the Southern oaseoaii leaeus
next season, who plan to abandon traVel
nv train when at all possible, using
motor cars instead
SaIesmen Use RunRbOuts.
Business houses all through the coun-
try are furnishing their statesmen Win
runabouts and roadsters. instead Of
man can cover twice the territory in a
day with a motor car than he formerly
could with a horse and carriage. and
consequently do that much more busi-
ness.
The cost of lIpkeep is also less. though
perhaps the initial cost may be more.
However the saving in the long run
more than makes up the difference, not
TO mention the increase in the amount
of business done.
The wear 1912 promises to see a gretaer
sale of medium-priced and medium-pow-
cred cars than ever before. The reason
is not that the buying public is tiring of
high-powered and high-priced machines,
but that there are more people able this
year to purchase cars than ever before
The bulk of these belong to the vast
middle class, whose income permits them
TO live well and enjoy a few of the lux
uries Of life. They have been contem-
plating the purchase of a machine for
some time, but held of in the hope that
perhaps there would be a drop in price.
Prices Have Gone Down.
The price of some makes has been re-
duced, while other companies have made
slight advance, but with this advance
are sending their machines through fully
equipped. Other concerns have put on
the market type of car that is de-
signed to meet the requirements of that
class who a year ago objected to paying
stated figure for car but were will
ing to invest more money than the ma
chine next lowest in price was listed at
These machines are. as rule. roadsters
or four-passenger touring cars.
To look at some of these small cars,
ride in them and see what they will do
make one almost wonder how it is pos
Stble for the company to build and sell
them at the price they do. The purchase
of raw material in enormous quantities,
system in conducting the production and
sales end of the business. both necessi-
tated by the keenness Of competition. are
the only things that make it possible.
Merchants Favor Motors.
Mercantile Establishments and other
business concerns which have a number
of outside men will this season in a great
measure do away with their horse-drawn
equipage and substitute automobiles for
these statesmen. This alone will open up
a big field for the sale of automobiles
of the medium price.
familiar sight during the past few
years has been to see a large touring car
stop in front of one of the numerous Of
fee buildings of the city during the
forenoon and a man alght, say a word
or two to the chauffeur and disappear
within the building, while the car rolled
away. After the days work was over
he would come out and get into his car,
which had called to take him home. |
Sights Of this kind are growing rarer and
rarer every day.
When horses and carriages were the |
vogue the head of the house usually |
found his way to the office via the street |
car line. He never thought of calling |
out the carriage to take him downtown. |
In the first place, he deemed 1t unnec- |
essary expense, and second, because his |
wife would many times wish the turnout 1
for early morning shopping. She has
found that she needs the automobile now
for the same purpose
Many of these same business men are !
purchasing medium-powered roadsters, |
which they drive themselves to and from |
their home to their Offices and use in |
making business calls about the city dur
ing once hours. They have found that |
II Is economical, for TO this class time IL
money, and at the same time restful.
Guiding a car through congested traffic /
requires that you concentrate your mind |
on what you are doing.
Though there will be a great demand |
for the medium-priced and powered car
this year, that does not mean that the
sale OF the higher priced and higher pow
cred machines is going to fall of. Each
and every man takes a certain pride in
the manner in which his family dress
and the manner in which they travel. He
aims to give them the best he can.
Fine Cars the Fad.
His family has been accustomed to rid
Ing from place to place In a handsome
car, and he does not intend to deprive
them OF this privilege. He will purchase
. car for their use and IT will be a ma
chine that they will be proud to ride in,
equally as good as anything that their
neighbcrs own. At any reception or en-
bertainment given by people OF means
the sight Of q horse-drawn carriage to-
day excites comment Instead, parked
llong the curb are handsome limousines