Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-09-03
JOY RIDING WHISKS The COIN
Magnitude of Automobile Business Up
in Billion Mark.
INDUSTRY SIXTH IN IMPORTANCE
some ImposinE Figures on Produe-
ton, First Cost, UP-Keep and
Also = Per Capita Cal
euIation.

ton, First Cost, UP-Keep ana
Also = Per Capita Cal
euIatiOn.
To the man who has just paid for new
tires a carbureter, a couple OF spring.
and a new pair of lamps, the cost OF auto
MODELLING as a pastime is apparent. But IT
IL doubtful H. even at the moment he TN
folds the bin and f1rst views II in all It's
magnitude, he realizes that automobiling
has already cost the United States more
than S1.OO0OoOOO0. enough to wipe out the
national debt, or 70 pay twice over for all
the dpeadnaughts built or building Tor the
navies Of the world
Even this figure hardly expresses the
cost which the world is paying for its JOY
ride The number OF machine owners is
increasing at an astonishing rate. Ten
years ago there were only $3.50 cars owned
in the United States AT the end Of 1879
there were $4,000; now there are 10000 In
1908 only 5000 cars were manufactured In
this country. The following year the num-
Der had increased TO $1,000 In the ten
months of 1910 TO November i 175,00O ma
chimes were produced Automobiles were
exported 90 the value of Sll.1SO290 Two
companies were incorporated, one with a
capital OF S6O.OO0.OO0, taking in twenty sub
salaries. and the other with N6oOo,0oo,
bringing together eight or ten smaller pro-
ducara.
Motor Cars symbol of ''CIass."
The industry has already reached the
rank of sixth in commercial Importance.
Yet the cars so far bought have been al
most altogether for pleasure riding, the
auto truck having gained favor only re-
Gently The future both for pleasure and
work machines gives promise OF enormous
expenditures. The country is automobile
mad
So great has been the craze that money
lenders have been becoming alarmed.
Farmers are reported as investing in ex-
pensive cars by the thousands and are
rnortgaging their farms TO pay for the
machines. City men who have no homes,
no businesses. no decent clothes. even, in
some way manage TO get hold Of an auto
mobile they may drive, at least, for
few months, as their own sara Bern
hardt, on her most recent farewell from
the country, left as a benediction the re-
mark that to possess a car in America
appeared 10 be the one absolute essential
OF class"
The public has been staggered from time
TO time by the naval construction plans
of the great powers. AS the cost of
man-of- war has lifted steadily from $780,
2 600 to 100000 the people have continued
TO shake their heads at the dreadful out
lay. The British Dreadnought was thought
to have been the last word in leviathan
construction with its 1890 tons displace-
ment and its staggering cost. But now
Great Britain has fourteen ships Of equal
or greater tonnage and armament in COM
mission or laid down. Germany has twelve,
the United States eight. Russia four, Brazil
three, Spain three Argentina two Italy
two, France two and Japan two. Figuring
these fifty-two dreadnaughts at a cost of
100000 each. gives a total Of $52OOOo,OOO.
But this grand total does not look large
when placed beside the total American ex-
penditure for automobiles and their main
tenance during the last ten years. approx
imateIy S1.O55, 10000 The American JOY
rider, had he chosen, could have built the
entire navies of the world from battleships
!. to dingies.
"a, To get another angle, IL may be interest
ing TO compare this JOY riding bill Of
81 .055. 10000 with the American national
debt. This debt, after subtracting the
money held in the treasury. amounts TO
s, O46, 449,lS5. The JOY rider has paid for his
fun a sum that would more than have Lqi-
dated the public debt.
Four Hundred Thousand I'm America.
According TO the best figures obtsinable,
there are now owned In the United States
total Of 100000 cars. The average price
OF these may be placed at Sl,9OO because OF
the large number OF low-priced cars that
are being sold. These figures would give
an initial cost for the cars now in public
possession of $4S0. 1000.
In Europe it has been estimated that
the value OF cars there in use would reach
for Great Britain, Germany. and France
q total OF S4OOOOO.OOO. The British empire
is credited with 10000 machines and
France and Germany each with 5000. The
average value of abroad is much
higher than in the United States. for there
is not the great middle class" demand
and il is only within a short time that
cheap cars have been offered for sale.
In considering the cost Of upkeep il is
difficult TO arrive al a unit of expense. II
a man keeps his car in a garage, his
charges will amount to SIS a month. and
- l. should cost him another SIS for sup
Plies and small repairs. This cost should
give him, perhaps. service OF 1000 miles a
month. This annual outlay OF $3.50 for main
tenance would be less In case no garage
fees were paid and more in case OF care
less use and unusual accident Older cars
would also entail q heavier monthly ex-
pense
Abroad the expense is increased by the
higher cost Of gasoline and by the fact
that paid chRuffeurs mechanicians are
more generally used. Otherwise the foreign
upkeep would be less on account OF lower
wage cost
The SEQ year would not include those
numerous special appliances that are 50
generally in use. Chauffeurs also are COM
mon. especially in the cities. and II taxi
cab ehauffeurs are added would certainly
B total 5000 in the United States The aver
age pay may be placed at SIS a month
The cost OF upkeep in this country alone