The Washington herald., 1917-09-23
4,242,139 CARS in THE U. S.;
DISTRICT HAS l4,525 AUTOS
One Automobile to Every Twenty four Per.
sons in the District of Columbia Up to
July, 1, Reports Show.

In the six months ended June 80,
1917, 70O 401 motor vehicles were added
to the 3,541,73S registered at the end of
1916. This figure is all the more re-
markable when one takes into consid-
Grafton the entry of the United States
into the world war.
Compared with the registration fig
ures for the first six months OF 1916,
the increase this year is 1Sl,724 greater
than for the first six months of last
year, when the gain was 50S,677. This
fact is all the more significant show
ing, as it does, that in spite of changes
wrought by the war situation, and the
consequent reduction in production
schedules by manufacturers. has not
slowed up the motor vehicle business,
as many predicted it would
Using the latest figures of the United
States Census Bureau, the present
registration of motor vehicles shows
that there is a motor car or truck in
service for every twenty-four persons
in the United States, compared with
one to twenty-nine at the beginning
of this year.
Another interesting point shown is
that one-third OF the States have reg
istered three-fourths of the total mo-
or vehicles in the United States. Sew
enty-flve per cent of all the motor
vehicles in this country are registered
in the territory embraced between the
Rocky Mountain States and Cape Cod,
and north of the Ohio River with the
exception of one State, California,
which stands by itself. Figuring the
number of cars per mile of road in the
sixteen leading States. Massachusetts,
ranks first with IL. New Jersey sec
ond with 6.S. California and New York
tied with 4, Ohio next with 3.4 and
Illinois with 3>for the mile. Thus If
registered motor vehicles were equal
ly distributed in their respective
states on country roads every mile of
highway in Massachusetts, would have
more than seven cars, New Jersey
nearly seven. California four and New
York four. while Ohio would have
three and four-tenths and Illinois
three.
The State of Iowa leads in the ratio
of cars to the population, there being
one vehicle for every nine persons in
the State. Nebraska is second, with
one car for every ten; California
third, with one for every twelve, while
New York. which has the most We
hicles registered of any State. has one
for each thirty persons
1t must be borne in mind that the
registration statistics cover all We
hicles. including not only passenger
cars. but motor trucks. taxlcabs and
buses as well. The bulk of the regis
tration is composed of passenger cars,
but 1t is estimated that commercial
vehicles total approximately 500, 600 for
the entire country.
There are seven States with regis
trations of 100000 or over. and eight
States with registrations between 1O0,-
900 and 100000. New York leads in
registration, Ohio is second, Illinois
third. Pennsylvania fourth and Cali
fornia fifth, Nevada is at the bottom
of the list with 6,615 motor vehicles.
Iowa shows the greatest individual
gain, in number 1888. and in percen-
tage Al. Twenty-Five States showed a
gain for the six months of 10000 or
over.
The number of motor cars and
trucks in the United States on July /,
1917 follows.