Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-02-28
HARRISBURG is BIG
AUTOMOBILE CENTER
Hundreds Of Cars Have Been Sold Here
and the Business Is Only
in Its Infancy

Harrisburg's automobile business has
grown in the past ten years from
almost nothing to one of the most i'm
, portant branches Of trade in the city.
! There is no town in the land where
more people Of moderate means own
and operate cars than In Harrisburg,
and many enthusiasts own several
The automobile delivery trucks and
cars are as numerous in the streets
almost as horses and in time will ex-
ceed the number of horse drawn
vehicles, while the motorcycle is al
most as numerous as the bicycle used
to be. The number of cars sold in this
locality would total an immense for
tune. Differing from the bicycle. the
auto has come to stay and is fast
developing into one of the citys best
lines of industry.
In this vicinity the automobile has
passed the luxury stage. Where 1t has
not become a necessity it has at least
taken on the air Of very desirable
convenience. This is amply indicated
by the ever-increasing sale of cars. A
years ago dealers began to fear that
the market would be too small to ac-
commodate the large number of firms
and agencies that went into business.
but the opposite has been the case.
Not only have all of the old firms that
have enjoyed good management pros
pered, but new ones are appearing
every year. and there seems to be no
end to the business which their shrewd
statesmen are capable of developing.
Many Garages
The large number of garages spring
ing up on the side streets are ample
proof that there is an ever-increasing
demand for housing room and repair
shop facilities.
Harrisburg is popular with touring
parties and during the Spring, summer
and FAN the local garages are con-
stantly filled with cars stored for the
night. AS the road system of the State
is developed these touring parties will
increase in number. In time, it Is pre-
dicted, Harrisburg will become as i'm
portant an automobile stop-off as are
many of the cities scattered through
out New England which derive thou.
sands of dollars annually from the
automobilists who spend their vaca-
tion in that picturesque region of
| splendid highways. Just now poor
roads and inadequate hotel facilities
are a bar to the rapid growth of this
business.
Scores of business trucks are also
stored in these garages at reasonable
rentals per month, the public garage
having the advantage over the private
| storage place of possessing equipment
for washing and repairing cars during
| the night when they are not in active
| use. The business when conducted
| along progressive lines is proving
profitable and there is room for more
of them as the number of cars in use
in the city increases.
1t is estimated that there are more
than two score public garages in Har-
risburg and the small towns immedi=
ately surrounding.
! Business is Good
During the past two years the num-
| ber of automobiles sold by Harrisburg
and Dauphin county dealers has nearly
doubled. The demand at present is
good, but the selling season will not
open properly until after the automo-
bile show, which will be held in
March. All manner of cars will be
shown and it is expected that the
| sales will show q sharp increase as
soon as the weather opens up and the
buyers have had an OPP ortunity to
study fully the new styles in ma
chimes and equipment
The physician, minister or profess
sional man of Harrisburg that does
not own a car for use in connection
| with his business Is the exception
rather than the rule and the Dauphin
county farmer who is not up on the
new wrinkles in 1914 models is looked
upon by his neighbor with scorn. The
horse is fast giving way to the auto
in the rural regions surrounding Har-
risburg in favor of the roadster or the
| five-passenger car
The motorcycle is even more popu-
lar than the auto in the farming dis
| tricts as well as the city. The young
man who cannot afford car or fast
| horse now invests in a motorcycle
built for two and he and his "girl''
can cover more ground on it in one
| evening than his father used to do