Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-09-08
BILLION DOLLARS IN AUTOS.
Over Four Hundred Thousand Cars
Owned BY People Of the United
States.

OVer + our 1undred nouSand Cars
Owned BY People Of the United
States.
To the man who has just paid for
new tires, a carbureter, a couple of
| springs and a new pair of lamps the
cost Of automobiling as a pastime is
apparent. But it is doubtful If, even at
the moment he unfolds the bill and
first views it in all it's magnitude, he
realizes that automobiling has already
cost the United States more than ST.
900, 900, 900, enough to wipe out the ma
tional debt or to pay twice over for
all the Dreadnoughts ever built or
building for the navies of the world.
Even this figure hardly expresses the
cost which the world is paying for it's
Joy ride. The number of machine own
ers Is increasing at an astonishing
rate. Ten years ago there were only
$500 cars owned in the United States.
At the end of 1909 there were $50, 1000;
now there are 100000. In 1908 only
$4,000 cars were manufactured in this
country. The following year the num-
ber increased to 80,0OO In the ten
months Of 1910 to November 1, 175,000
machines were produced. Automobiles
were exported to the value Of $11,190,-
220. Two companies were incorpor-
ated, one with a capital Of $50 ,00O, 900,
taking over twenty subsidiaries, and
the other with $4,000, 900, bringing to-
gether eight or ten smaller producers
The industry has already reached the
rank Of sixth in commercial import
ance. Yet the cars so far bought have
been almost altogether for pleasure
riding, the auto truck having gained
favor only recently. 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 in
vesting in expensive cars by the thou
sands, and are mortgaging their farms
to pay for the machines. City men
who have no homes, no business, no
decent clothes even, in some way mar
age to get hold of an automobile they
may drive, at least for a few months,
as their own. Sarah Bernhardt, on her
most recent farewell from the country,
left as a benediction the remark that
to possess a car in America appeared
to 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 a man of war has lifted steadily
from $3,OOO,OOO to $10,OO0,O00, the people
have continued to shake their heads at
the dreadful outlay. The British
"Dreadnought" was thought to have
been the last word in leviathan
construction with its 1890 tons dis
placement and its staggering cost. But
now Great Britain has fourteen ships
of equal or greater tonnage and arma-
ment in commission or laid down.
Germany has twelve, the United States
eight, Russia four, Brazil three, Spain,
three, Argentina two, Italy two, France
two and Japan 2. Figuring these fifty
two Dreadnoughts at cost Of S10,00O,-
900 each, gives a total Of $520,O00,0O0.
But this grand total does not look
large when placed beside the total
American expenditure for automobiles
and their maintenance during the last
ten years, approximately $1,O55,OOO,OOO.
The American JOY rider, had he chos-
,en, could have built the entire nayies
of the world, from battleships to din
gies.
To get another angle, 1t may be in
terestng to compare this joy riding
bill of s1,O55, 100000 with the American
national debt This debt, after sub
tracing the money held in the treas
ury, amounts to $1,O46,449,1S5. The JOY
rider has paid for his fun a sum that
would more than have liquidated the
public debt.
According to the best figures obtain
able, there are now owned in the
United States a total of 100000 cars.
The average price Of these may be
placed at $1,000, because of the large
number of ow-priced cars that are be-
ing sold. These figures would give an
initial cost for the cars now in public
possession of $4SO,000,000.
In Europe it has been estimated that
the value of cars there in use would
reach for Great Britain, Germany and
France a total of s4OO,OOO.0O0. The
British empire is credited with 100000
machines and France and Germany
each with $4,000. The average value OF
cars abroad Is much lighter than in the
United States, for there is not the
great middle class" demand and 1t is
only within a short time that cheap
cars have been offered for sale.
In considering the cost of upkeep 1t
is difficult to arrive at unit OF eX-
pense. If a man keeps his car in
garage, his charges will amount to $15
a month, and it should cost him anoth-
er SIS for supplies and small repairs.
This cost should give him, perhaps,
service of 1000 miles a month. This
annual outlay Of 1850 for maintenance
would be less in case no garage fees
were paid and more in case of careless
use and unusual accident. Older cars
would also entail heavier monthly eX-
pense.
Abroad the expense is increased by
the higher cost of gasoline and by the
fact that paid chauffeurs or mechani-
clans are more generally used. Other
wise the foreign upkeep would be less
on account of lower wage cost.
The 1850 a year would not include
those numerous special appliances that
are so generally in use. Chauneurs
also are common, especially In the ci-
ties, and, if taxicab chauffeurs are add
ed, would certainly total 10000 in the
United States. The average pay may
be placed at SIS month.
The cost of upkeep in this country