Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1915-07-15
280 Automobiles Sold in
Alma Since Early Spring
by Local Dealers
FORD WITH 1870 SALES LEADS
Sale of 1910 Cars Beginning With
Best Prospects in Auto
History.


The industry and persuasive powers
of the seven leading automobile sales
men of Alma, are fast putting Gratiot
county on wheels. If these same sew
en- men and their assistants had been
supplied with all the cars for which
they had orders they would have easily
doubled the total Gratiot county auto
purchases for the past few months.
The 1915 season is about closed and
up to date two hundred eight cars have
been sold and delivered by these same
seven industrious and persuasive gen
tlemen in this county. The majority
of these have gone to Alma purchas-
ers or farmers living near the city.
The Ford sales, of course, top those
of any other car. Approximately one
hundred thirty have been delivered by
Johnson & Mitchell, while they be-
lieve that their sales would have top
ped the two hundred fifty mark if they
could have secured the cars from the
factory. Practically all of these Fords
are touring cars, though few roads
ters were sold and delivered. Fifty
one 1915 Studebakers have been sold
since early spring and several 1916
orders remain untitled. Mr.. Perrigo
says that he could have sold sixty had
he been able to secure them from the
factory. A solitary one Of this num-
Der was a roadster, all others being
touring cars.
Mr.. Wyant has enjoyed an excellent
season with his REQ and Saxon cars.
Of the latter he has sold seventeen
touring cars and four roadsters; while
REQ cars he has sold twelve touring
and three roadsters. Besides these
new cars he sold, he bought and sold
many second hand autos.
During the month of June, Will Bor-
ton sold nineteen Chevrolet autos, but
has since been forced to curtail his
efforts along the sales line because of
the impossibility of securing cars for
the trade.
Maxwell five passengers have also
been very popular. Frank Smith re-
ports the sale of twenty so far this
year and a double contract order for
1916 cars. His order for 1915 cars
called for the sale of twenty. The
Overland which is also handled by Nit
chell & Johnson, has found sixteen
buyers-all of whom expressed prefer
ence for the larger model. Though
he has been selling autos for only a
short time Nelson Smith has supplied
five Hupmobiles to customers, while
George Moore devoting much less time
to it, has sold three Chambers.
Placing the average price of these
cars at seven hundred fifty dollars,
which would not seem to be overesti-
mating their selling value in the least
$210, 100000 has been expended by AL
ma citizens and farmers for the privi-
lege of providing and directing their
own locomotion; for pleasure purposes
principally. Of course there have been
several Republic trucks sold in the
city which are being put to CONNER
cial purposes and which are earning
their own outlay and keep several
times over
Without doubt the Unprecedented
sales for the spring and early summer
of 1915 are only circumstance to the
amount of business which these mer
will do with their 1916 models. These
are being exhibited and advertised by
the big auto concerns. AS rule they
follow the streamline, or yatch desigr
in style and the downward, common
peepul' design in price. From one Il
three hundred dollars have been shaw
ed off the previous prices of the vari
Gus makes. Economy in manufacture
and competition in trade seems to b.
the prime factors in the lowering o
the selling price.