Omaha daily bee., 1911-02-12
PRICES RISE FOR BETTER CARS
Improved Material and Equipment
Make Them Cost More.
DEMAND STILL KEEPING UP
only Reductions noted So Par This
year Are In the smaller Auto-
mobiles. witch Are Nu-
merous.

with the average man who desires 10 pos
sess a motor car the question OF prices ~
Of far greater Importance than that OF
power. capacity. elegance Of equipment, OF
the hundred and one things TO which the
automobile salesman GALES attention IN
dealing with prospective customer WIN
many the matter Of cost is Of secondary
consideration. but with the majority Il
necessarily comes first
The automobile industry has shown a sur
prisnR growth during the last few years,
but the number Of cars in use undoubtedly
would be much greater we're II not Tor
those who. from season TO season, torego
the pleasure and benefit 20 be derived from
the possession OF machine IN the nope
that prices will be lowered. People OF this
class with the history Of the bicycle In
mind. are looking forward TO time when
motor cars may be bought for fraction OF
what they cost az present.
As the automobile show opens the dues-
tion. Are prices to be materially low
ered7' is OF interest. The first Omaha
automobile show was held six years ago
and Of the comparatively few machines eX-
hiblted there were many that sold for
about $500. and 81 900 was considered high
price. Instead Of remaining stationary, as
many predicted they would. prices steadily
began 20 rise az improvements we're made
in the cars turned out.
Prices show Little Decrease.
In 1908 the average price was $-l53, and
in 1904 II was 1881. In 1906 Il was raised
TO 81 900 and continued to increase until the
panic OF 1907. when the automobile and
other industries temporarily suffered
slumps since 1907 there has been a slight
decrease in the average price. due TO inn
proved facilities for production and TO the
increase in the number Of small lower
prices cars.
BY comparing statistics OF the coming
automobile show with those OF the 1909 and
1910 exhibitions Il is made plain that the
small popular price machine Is the main
factor that has brought about the decrease
in the average cost However. compari-
son Of 1910 and 1911 prices shows a reduction
of less than per cent, and those who had
hoped for a material drop In the figures
have been disappointed.
included among exhibits at the coming
show are nearly all Of the old established
concerns whose products are known the
world over Therefore Il would seem that
the show represents the actual trend OF
prices more accurately than prices estab-
lished by the many new concerns which
either failed or met with losses because
they placed their products on the market
without first determining the cost Many
makers who made large outputs Of small
low priced machines did not exhibit at the
1910 show and this fact would tend to lessen
the slight average price this year
Quality Continues 60 Improve.
Competition has become so strong that
every manufacturer Is raising the standard
Of his product by using only the best OF ma
terials and making every possible improve
ment In his car An increase in prices goes
with the better quality in some instances,
hut with the majority OF the makers the
improved machines are sold 10 the public
at the same price. AS for the purchaser he
realizes that 1t is better judgment 20 select
the best rather than the cheapest.
As the cost Of living goes up, so has the
cost OF materials and labor Leading manu-
facturers state that II the quality is to
he maintained It Is about impossible to
lessen the cost under such conditions, but
through improvements in factory methods
and in other ways II is possible to produce
better cars. \ comparison Of 1910 prices
charged by some OF the leading makers
with prices announced by the same con-
Germs for their 1911 models Is interesting.
Figures ON standard Models.
The Thomas line, models Of which for
merly ranged from 5000 to 5000. now
fduke from sbftVV 10 RtsUtV stevens AbuIgtd
machlnes are selling at from S2,7O0 to 5000.
as aRainst $500 to $4,000 couple OF years
ago The 1909 models OF the Corbin line
brought $3.50 and 265O, while the 1911 price
list shows more styles Of cars which sell
from 5000 20 $500. Prices for Matheson
machines have risen steadily since 1909,
when they sold at 5000 and $500. These
cars now bring from $500 to $500
The Mitchell people have eaualzed mat
ters by lowering the price OF one model and
raising the price Of another. In 1909 the
Mitchell brought 81 $50 and S2OO0. while the
1911 prices are announced as s.. 800 and $3.50.
The American car sold two years ago for
$1,000 This year the price has been raised
$3.50
The Pope Hartford maintains its price of
sS0O0, but another machine has been added
TO the line at 5000 Premier leaders that
brought 5000 and $500 two years ago have
advanced IN price $500 and $3.50 respec-
lively
Thus IL Is shown that the people not only
have bought the cars al the prices asked.
but that they are willing to pay even
higher prices for better materials and for
various improvements In the machines.
Other reasons for advanced prices OF the
higher grade lines are found IN the better
equipment provided for the cars. few
years ago the purchaser got nothing but the
car itself for the price asked but now II
is not unusual 20 find machines fully
equipped,
tsM - -1W-