The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-03

Sea, marvel at where all the money
 comes from to buy and run the multi
 tude of cars.
 Giving the Illinois cars an average of
 $l2OO brings a total of $4SO00,0O0, with a
 maintenance cost for 10 years of a like
 sum. With population of 5,638.591 this
 gives only one car for 1409 persons, but
 the cost up to date has been such that,
 divided among all the men, women and
 children In the state, the thousands who
 do not have cars, there have been a per
 capita expense of $17O2. The national
 debt amounts to only s11.5S per capita.
 Recent figures from New York munich
 pal bureaus give an official record of
 operative cost. The city owns 100 ma-
 chimes. These travelled 100000 miles last
 year at cost for maintenance and re-
 pairs of $S9, 9,557.44. Tn making this mileage
 the chauffeurs drew $64. .65S.20 in wages
 Storing the machines cost $12,354.27. These
 items of expense bring the 1910 total up
 to $176.570.91. President Steers of Brook
 lyn, operated 12 of these cars. His mile-
 age was S9725 and his gasoline and repair
 bill amounted to $9,442.1S. The machines
 cost $24, ,6S9
 The automobile manufacturers appear to be confident that the outlay for motor
 vehicles has only begun. Within the last two years two big motor combinations have been formed, and plants are being cHldTScu every WHcIt. Ht uefildilQ TUT pleasure machines seems to be growing constantly and the truck business, though only in it's infancy, has unlimited possi- bilities. At the present time there Is S275, 900 900 invested in the business of pro- ducing automobiles and motor trucks. This Is fair indication that the makers who should know the situation if any one does, feel confident the nation is going to throw its purse strings wider than ever in its purchases of machines Ten years ago the automobile industry in the United States was in it's infancy. There were only 27 factories, and the production by any one of them of 200 carc in a year would have been some- thing of a record. Only 10000 men were employed, and not more than $500 cars were in the hands of the public. The whole investment in automobiles, makers and buyers, did not rise above $6.000. .000 l Contrast this with the present. when | the business of making automobiles has reached sixth place in importance among | all American industries. Today there are l 100 factories, and yearly production oi 250W cars is possible from several of l them There is also a large production
 that may be called experimental, as il does not come from established factories or includes unusual models. There are | now 278, GOO employees in the factories, and in sales houses and garages thousands | more are employed, all depending for a 1 livelihood on the automobile owner. | No wonder, therefore, that the pedes- | tran pauses on Riverside drive or Michi-
 gan boulevard and exclaims: Where 1 does it all come from? Where do they get the money with which to pay? The pedestrian looks around almost appre- hensively. He is timid about staying alone So many are riding in automo- piles that he fears there may be no one left but himself to walk.
 For. to paraphrase an old ditty, 'If you haven't any automobile you needn't hang arcund.'
 Regardless of cost the American pub lie intended to motor to its hearts con- tent. Some one else may pay the na- tional debt and build the worlds navies. The automobile is a private affair, and it's cost. however great, is nobody's busi- ness.