New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-05
Motor Car Builders Are
vitality Interested in
Campaign
BOOM TIMES IN
AUTOMOBILE CITIES
Cleveland, Indianapolis,
Toledo and Akron
All Flush"

There is not one Of the Middle West
cities in the automobile industry that
is not right now enjoying what may
be called boom times. This statement
is true Of Detroit, Cleveland. indian
apolis. Toledo and Akron. The last
named city is not strictly an automo-
bile town. but II Is the place where
prominent tire makers have their
plants. and actually IL is a very impor-
tant part Of the motor car industry.
For although the motor car manu-
fscturers would have to 80 out Of
business il the tire factories shut
down. the tire makers would not have
10 close up shop if the automobile
makers quit They could go on for
wears making tires TO replace those al
ready 30 use on the thousands of cars
that are running. although IN course
of time all would come TO the scrap
heap and then there would be an end.
Writing 10 The Tribune a couple OF
weeks ago. called attention 10 the
state of affairs in Detroit. where la
Dor is high and hard to find and
where real estate values have gone up
30 rapidly that as great fortunes have
been made out Of the turnover of
propcrty as have come out Of some of
The great automobile factories.
10 is worth while noting that De-
trc.t ls right now N the thrOcs Of a
Prohibition campaign. and D. would
surprise no one greatly who has had a
chance 90 talk 20 some Of the leading
manufacturers lf Detroit went dry.
With the manufacturers DO Is largely
an economic matter The present sit
nation calls for constant and sustained
,for, ly tho workmcn employed. Those
who have had experience IN the dry
towns report they find q greater eth-
cheney better manufacturing, with
lower costs than when the town rs
wet and the workmen readily find
places TO spend money on pay nights.
They have found 10 so DO Lansing,
SAYS q. Lc Roy pclletier, who is writ
ing the advertising for the drys m the
present statewide campaign and who
knows about Lansing through his as
ISOLATION with the REQ Motor Car Com
many Lansing was dry once before
and then went wet. The REQ man
acemcnt was active In the dry cam
paign. and was censured by some out
side stockholders for not attending
strictly 20 business Some OF these
Very stockholders came 20 tho REQ
people after the town had gone wet
and asked 10 have efforts made TO put
3D. in the dry column again. They
found that workmen got drunk on
paydays and then stayed away couple
of extra days When they did show
mn for work 10 usually took another
dav for them 10 get into fit condition
for labor. This meant increased costs,
poor workmanship and less dividends.
Flint. another of the important auto
mobile centres, is dry. This is whore
the Buick. bort and Chevrolet plants
are Lansing has the REQ and Olds
plants. Henry Ford. Hugh Chalmers
and Henry VI. Leland are some Of the
leading automobile manufacturers OF
Detroit who arc helping actively IN
tho dry movement. The campaign is
being wared with great earnestness.
As far as real estate goes Detroit l.
like Long Island in that II seems that
almost AN of 10 has gone for real es-
tate Developments. Away out toward
Pontiac every rod Of the way on Wood
ward Avenue there is development al
ter development. or. as they call them,
subdivisions. Farm land that seemed
20 the owners year or so ago very
moderately productive now rs held AZ
fancy prices If IL happens 70 be in the
way of progress. Detroit is suffering
from overgrowth in that IL seems to
have not enough places 10 house all
that arc there and coming every day.
10 has either passed Cleveland and Us
now the sixth city in tie United States
or 10 is separated by only small diff
ference from that place. The popula-
ton is about 100000. Cleveland has
grown "a lot. too. and denies that De-
troit is ahead Of it.
cleveland has rather more room in
which 20 grow than has Detroit and
isn't taking its expansion as an auto
mobile centre as so hard a matter "a
handle Cleveland has advantages
over Detroit IN location. railroad facil-
tiles and other points, and the enor-
mously high prices for land and labor
ir Detroit have encouraged many new
corners 30 locate there and have con-
frmed those already in the Forest
City. The White Company. the big
gest maker of trucks in the business
is in Cleveland, and other oldtimers
are the Winton, Peerless, Stearns and
Baker X. and l.. Company.
The Chandler has been there for