Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-27

COO men, The output by these factories
| for the automobile year, from October /,
| 1911. to September 30. 1912. was about
100000 cars. valued at $1S0.OO0,OOO.
Increase in Small Cars.
| Present indications are that the out
put for the automobile year from Octo-
Der l. 1872, to September 80. 1913. will be
about 3S5.OOO cars. OF these. however.
| 100000 are low-priced cars made by the
uct last year was only IS Goo Another
company, the Studebaker corporation,
| will send out between 10000 to $4,000
medium-priced cars. There is no great
increase in the number of high priced
cars. The average value of the whole
VIII therefore be much less than that
| In I9l2 The average export value per
| car in that year was 81 ,130.
The estimate Of 627 $50 pleasure cars as
the output of the whole country for 1913
Is said to be somewhat Of an exaggera-
ton. The production outside Of Detroit
in 1912 was not in excess of 125,OOO cars
and there is no indication Of very
large average increase for this year.
Although Henry Ford of Detroit and
X. r. Olds of Lansing, Mich, developed
workable models of "horseless carriages"
| at a considerably earlier date, it was not
until 1889 that the industry took the form
of a commercial enterprise. In Septem-
Der OF that year the Oids motor works
commenced operations in Detroit, with
cent for the works of the company in
this city and In Lansing. The. Detroit
plant. after five years of successful opera
ton. was relinquished and the business of
the company was concentrated at Lam
sing. 1t there has one of the big Mich
| igan plants and in the REQ" model re-
tains the initials Of the name of its
founder.
Pioneers in Auto Making.
Meantime, Henry Ford continued expert
menting, inventing and building at
small plant at the belt line crossing of
Mack avenue. His company was not in
corporated until June ~. 1903. Its pres
ent plant in Highland Park is one of the
largest in the country; its specially is
low-priced cars, and it puts out much
larger number of cars than any other
company in the world.
| These pioneers were soon followed by
others. In 1901 the Cadillac Automobile
Company was Incorporated, with 100000
capital, and in December, 1903. the Pack
ard Motor Car Company commenced OPP
| erations. with S5C0o3O capital.
In I34 there were twelve automobile
| companies incorporated, not one of which
is now i'm operation in Detroit under the
| same name. They all either failed. moved
away or were absorbed by other COM
panies. Similar fates met the ten COM
panies which were incorporated in 1905.
|, The next year witnessed the advent of
Chalmers. and the De Luxe since alb
.orbed by the Studebaker Corporation
! IN 1907 came the Brush and the Regal
motor car companies both starting with
small capital and today being operated
Oh much larger scale. New compa MES
and consultations have since brought
into the field the other names that have
become familiar in all automobile circles
and have brought the total number up to
about thirty.
Standing of Industry.
The gain in the volume of business has
| been greater than that in the number of
| establishments. For the twelve months
| ending June 10. 1904. the industry stood
/ according to the following figures:
Bodies Anto-
Number of estab-
ca i'a%sn's o27 s..oss sas sa,44s,s.s
Wage earners.. 40 ,J64 2.O34
| Total wages. $22G,u21 1888, OH 1859 .Osi3
Miscellaneous
penses .. 1888 l.2S7, 16O 1927, O4;
Cost Of ma terials. 431. 232 2,199,277 2,630 5O9
Value of product. S57 .S33 5,3S2.212 6.24O.O51
| a year later the number of companies
| making bodies and parts had increased to