The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1914-06-19
STARTLING FIGURES OF THE
FORD MOTOR COMPANY.
In Ten Years Sold s2O5, 1901, 625 Worth
Of Cars.


10 the hundreds OF people in Car
roll county who own and run Ford
automobile, it might be of interest to
know something OF the enormous
output of the Ford Company. We re-
produce from the Wall Street Journal
the following interesting figures:
Having seen the tremendous sue
cess of the Ford Motor Co., started
eleven years ago by mechanic, not
an ordinary mechanic, but an extra
ordinary one. automobile makers and
manufacturers generally have been
posing in the popular waiting atti-
tude and watching for the effects of
the new S. a day minimum wage
scale upon the Ford workers.
When a man announces that he
will give away S10,000,000, he is US
ually pronounced foolish or a philan-
thropist-or both. MIR. Ford was
called foolish and other things. Mr..
Ford's first experiment i'm the auto
mobile line was called "Ford's Folly"
So was his present experiment with
human nature and the economic laws
as laid down by the manufacturing
world.
lin this country alone there are
probably 100000 Fords in use, out Of
a total of over 100000 machines of
all makes.
From the time the company start
ed in 1903 to the close of 1913, 1t sold
$2O5, 897 ,625 worth OF cars and re
tanned net profits of $60,406,832.
For 1913, profits were $25,OOO,O00;
and it is expected the current sea
son will do as we'll, if not better. The
workmen will get half the profits,
whatever they amount to.
Production figures are most inter
esting. In 1908, 1,O78 cars were
made; in 1908, 5000. BY 1910 the
total jumped to 10000, by 1911 to
$1,000, in 1912 to $4,000, and in 1913
some $4,000 were Produced This
season will see over 100000 if the
present rate OF production ID main
tanned.
Figuring on a basis of 1000 cars
day, 120 must be completed every
hour, or two every minute of an
eight-hour shift. Two hundred and
fifty men are employed in tie as
sembling department, and each man
completes four cars a day. These
men handle an aggregate Of 100000
tons Of materials daily, consisting Of
1000 tires, 1000 gallons Of gaso-
line, 1000 pints of oil, 5000 pounds
of grease, 5000 gallons of water for
the radiators, 1000 springs, 5000
lamps, $4,000 wheel spokes and 200,-
900 cotter pins. In the course of a
year the output absorbs among other
materials over 100000 lamps, some
100000 wheels and tires and 100000
pounds Of hair for upholstering.
Last year Mr. Ford, as owner of
81 per cent. of the 100000 capital
stock Of the Ford Motor Co., re-
ceived some $8.OO0,OOO in dividends.
The company has only seven stock
holders, Henry Ford and James Coz
zens, vice-president and general man
ager holding the reins. The cor
poration has no bonds, no fixed
charges, and never has to borrow
money, as there is usually some $15,-
000,0 900 cash on hand.
The balance sheet at the close of
the last fiscal year, September 80,
1913, showed cash of $13,225,711, a
surplus Of $28,124,174. and total as
sets of 5,033, $50, and capital stock
Of $2,0O0,000. Clearly, the riparian
rights Of the corporation were never
considered. The Standard Oil Com
pany i'm its palmiest days never had
such ratio Of profits to capitaliza-
tion