The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-04-08
AU TO MOBILE Is
/ KING; DETROIT
HIS THRONE
Manufacture Of Motor Cars Guriosi-
ties Here a Dozen Years ago, Now
Constitutes Citys Principal In
dustry and Is Still Growing
Advent of the HOrseless Age an 40
sorbing Chapter in History OF
Worlds Progress.
To K,nV Automobile, Detroit bows

To King Automoplle'
in grateful obeisance. "a,
No monarch in the history Vi "a.
world ever enjoyed such uhaispuleu
SWAY IA this uncrowned ruler WINS.
ascendency began with the uaMh ~
the twentieth century, whose DOMAIN
has increased until II knows no oouh
DIARIES and whose throne is the Guy
of Detroit. .a,r
when Detroiters speak or theH
home city as the center OF the au1o
mobile industry, they are not Ooas.
ing They are merely stating iact
and n fact, moreover, that Is recos
nized and conceded by the world Ut
large There is no chance Tor any
argument on that score. IL you az
AT ali skeptical, just run over the llsI
az motor car and parts MANUFACTURERS
located here, or, better still, take
week off and make a personal lnspec-
zion of the plants, touching only the
high spots. II you are still in douot'
consult the shipping records OF the
various railroads running out OF De
troit for the past II months, and you
will be quite ready 10 conceoe ina
Detroit is the hub of the universe as
far as the making OF motor cars Is
concerned.
There was a time when this city
was known to the outside world prih'
cipally as a stove center. aiso
gained distinction as the home OF the
largest pharmaceutical plant on the
globe. distinction IL still enjoys.
The fact that, in single decade, the
business of making motor cars mas
forged ahead until 1t has taken front
rank among local industries is no re-
Siection on any other line OF trade
On the contrary, these other local In
dustries have fortified their sdyan'
tageous positions in their respective
fields and have saved Detroit from be-
coming known as a one-industry toWp.
In 1899, the motor car was prac-
tically unknown in Detroit except as
a curiosity. In that year an outside
concern, attracted by the city's nat
ural advantages, moved here and be-
gan manufacturing operations on,
small scale in plant out Jefferson
ave. Two more companies came into
existence in 1901, and third in 1908
all starting in a small way. From
1904 the growth OF the industry Was
nothing short OF phenomenal, for the
world at large had recognized the
practicability of the mo'or vehicle
and was clamoring for cus.
Here Are the F1cts.
There are now in Detroit 10 com
panies engaged in manufacturing and
marketing gasoline pleasure cars,
three companies manufacturing cleo
trio pleasure vehicles and Is manu-
featuring commercial cars. These
are not all separate concerns, how
ever, as some Of them manufacture
both pleasure and commercial cars
Allowing for the Implications, there
are 81 Individual corporations. The
combined capital of these companies
is s35.50O,O00. They employed, dur
ing the greater part OF 1910, 27,200
men and turned out 114,100 cars, val.
ued at s134,600. 000--catalogue prices
las against 45,500 cars valued at
( $54, 1000 in 1909 These figures are
based on confidential information fur.
nished the Detroit Board of Commerce
and are regarded as absolutely reli-
able. The capital now invested is
more than double the total invest
ment Of $15,200,000 in 1909, as will be-
noted, while the number OF men EN-.
ployed In 1909 was 10000 as compared
win thu hSuico SlNcu dDONt, El,SUU
In addition to the car manufacturing
concerns, there are more than 40
companies whose principal business
Is the making OF motor car parts and
accessories. The estimated output
for 1911 Is conseryatively placed at
1A2.60O cars, pleasure and CONNER
cial, representing a total value OF
nearly $150,000,000.
EThese figures tell their own story
ahd require no calculation.
1.-THE extent of the local industry
was strikingly exemplified on the oc-
casion Of the last annual automobile
show, In January, when the spacious
Wayne pavilion, even with temper
airy annexes, proved far too small TO
accommodate all the applicants for
space, with the result that an over.
f1bw" show was held in a north end
factory. At the time IL was stated
that, In the number and variety of
cars shown, the combined shows
constituted the greatest display of mo-
tor cars ever shown in this country.
IL attracted visitors from all over the
United States and some even from
foreign shores, who were eager to
see Just what had been accomplished
In the way of new models, equipment,
Increased efficiency, etc. in the
worlds automobile center.
The history of automobile shows
furnishes a good index to the develop
ment OF the industry The fret ex-
hibition OF motor cars in this country
was made in New York city 10 years
ago this fall, I'm connection with a
bicycle show, and created but little
Interest. In 1900, another show was
held in New York, at which 50 cars
were exhibited. What has now come
to be known as the First Annual Au-
tomobile show, was held in 1901.
under the auspices OF the Automobile
Club Of America, and the place was
New York, OF course IL ran from
Nov. 3 to Nov. 10, and there were Ug
exhibits. In 1906, the Association OF
Licensed Automobile Manufacturers
entered the show field, and secured n
long lease OF the Madlson-sq. garden,
Forcing the A. G.. A. TO seek other
quarters for exhibition purposes. That
same year the American Motor Car
Manufacturers association took a
hand In the game, and held a most
successful exhibition I'm the Grand
Central palace, New York, in con.
junction with the Automobile Club OF
Amarfca