El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-08-23

I'll PASO'S automobiles increased
over IS percent in the past year.
IL On Aug. IS, 1912, the total num-
her of registered automobiles in FL
Paso was 1868. On the same date this
wear the total number registered was
1885, an increase Of 6zz IN a year or
little over SIS percent IN L months
Since the first of the year 1913 the
increase has been over % percent On
Jan. l. 1913, the total number OF regis
tered cars in FL Paso was 1zoO, ana ana . On
Aug. IS 1t was 1888, an increase Oh 4Vo
cars or over % percent.
Thfs in itself shows that FL PaSo is
nrosperous financially. But the stats
tics relative to the annual upkeeP OF
the automobiles in FL PasO show II
S2,OOO.OOO Year on Autos.
FL Paso has more automobiles than
the entire state OF New Mexico lhs
serial numbers OF FL Paso county ana
of the state OF New Mexico being eacn
above the 1900 mark. and the money
spent for automobiles in FL Paso In a
year easily totals 100000
The cost Of gasoline, lights and tires
alone figure up a total Of over nan
million dollars a year or 10 Do exact
S527, $50. This Is a conservative ngure-
Add to this, garage rent repairs laDor
in washing and polishing cars, replace
ments, tool purchases and other minor
matters. including repaintinS and re-
vanishing. and the total cost OF the up
keep Of automobiles IN FL PaSo Is
easily three-quarters OF a million dol
The depreciation on cars exchanged
FOR new ones and the money invested
in new cars figures up a InlI III n. anu 49, d
quarter a year easily. Thus I'll Pasoans
spent S2,OOO,OOO a year for the use OF
the automobile. Eleven years ago there
was not an automobile IN the city and
10 years ago there were only about 10.
Conservative Figures
The figures regarding the outlay Tor
automobiles in FL Paso were reached
Nv a careful compilation along lines
generally recognized by the automobile
associations. FL Paso's total NUMBER
of automobile licenses reaches close TO
100, but, allowing for cars that may
have been taken away aIIer securing
licenses and for the motorcycles In
the number, il is safe TO say that there
are 1900 cars in FL Paso IN daily use
Automobile experts estimate that
i've tires a year IS low average LOT
each. car. Taking a 34X4 tire as the
average, which is low, II anything,
this means an expense OF $zOO year
for tires and inner tubes. 1or each
car OF S5oO,OOO a year -,
Seven hundred and fifty gallons OF
gasoline a year is used on an average
fn a car. This, at the prevailing rate
of II cents, which is much lower than
for many months past, totals S1Zl50
per year per car or $Ie1,250 for 1860
cars
A car viii use on an ayerage Of one
smallest tanks are $2.25 in FL Paso-
Allowing, however, for only 50 a month
and any car will average that much
snd some much more, the automobile
users of FL Paso spend S56,OO0 year
for lights. Many cars have electric
lights, but the contention of the gas
makers is that electric lights in the
long run are much more expensive, be-
cause of the cost for batteries. gener-
ators and the extra gasoline consuTnp-
fiOn necessary 10 pulp the generator.
where the Money Goes.
Rent for storage in garages Is SO
a month. It costs a dollar to wash
car. OILS and greases for lubricating
purposes have to be bought, spark
plugs have to be changed, tires and
tubes have to be patched and vulcan
lied and there is a constant expense
for small things about a car, includ-
ing repfacements Of worn and broken
parts. requirements Of lost or stolen
tools polishing preparations, cham
ois skins and cloths for wiping the
cars. These all cost money and the
total additional expense for the up
keen of the cars in FL PasO can easily
be figured up at $22,7 $50 a year, max
ing the total expense for the upkeep
OF cars S75O,0OO or three-quarters OF a
million.
This is one of the best barometers
of prosperity in the city, for it shows
that the people OF FL Paso can afford
Iuxuries. The automobile IS not q lux