Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1917-02-12
INCREASE OF AUTOMOBILES u
TEXAS.

In commenting the other day on the
bill to create a state highway depart.
ment, the News suggested that the
nearly 1 1000 automobiles registered
in Dallas county probably constituted
one-tenth the number In the state. It
is no longer under need to estimate.
or, rather, It has data for making a
closer estimate, for II has been sup
piled with a table showing the total
registrations In every county In the
state on January 1. 1916.
Up to the first OF this year the total
registrations had been 1851. In
Dallas county they had been 1850,
so that the estimate Of 10 per cent Of
the total for Dallas county was not
far astray. On January I, 1916, the
total for the state was 137.S07. and
for Dallas county 12.715. again ap'
proximately the ratio was ten to one.
Since the increase for the year was
almost 10000 for the whole state. II
is safe to assume that the registra'
tons since January l have been
enough to bring the present total vel
above 100000. or course the number
registered is not equivalent to the
number In use. There is many Q
number which records only a recol
lection. Just how much OF the totaI
OF registrations would have to be dis
counted to get approximately III,
number OF autos now In use Is a ques
tlon which only the statisticians o.
the trade would be competent TO an
swer. Possibly even they would hes
itate to do {.
Next to Dallas county In point o
registrations Is Harris county. will
1908: and then come Bexar. will
1864; Tarrant. with i0.035: III Paso
s.i6i; McLennan. 4.913: jefferson
3.772; Travis. 3.6i3; Galveston. 1886
Ellis, 3.2i6: Williamson. 2.si6; wich
ita. Ass; Grayson. 400: Bell 1895
HIN. 1883; Navarro, 2.325: Collin
2.0s3. No other county In the stat,
has as many as 1000.
For the state as n whole. the In
crease for the year was equal to 4
per cent. II this rate OF incrcas
should continue for the next fiv
years-and II Is not unreasonable I
expect that Il will-Texas will hav
nearly half n million automobiles. TIL
interest OF this speculation lies In II
. suggestion Of the mount OF none
which a tax averaging probably $40
car would yield every year for bull,
ing m maintaining good roads.
would not be only the $4,000. 900 thI
comes OF that calculation. but $1,000
600 plus the sum which would be 80
I ten every year from the federal 20
J. eminent. and plus again the indlvi
n ual contributions Of counties and pr
!. cincts. Just what this aggrcgaI
would be. there Ia no way Of caiculu
Ing. but one secs that II must
!. large enough 10 urge the ADVISABLE
h OF making u future construction
!. very much more durable type thu
those we have been accustomed TO.
we are in reality TO have any su'
n revenue as these calculations I'M
cate. there could be no Excuse I
cheap construction.
p II IL worth observing that this
4 crease Of a. per cent In the numb
h Of automobiles during the year.
Il though great. must be regarded
= being more likely under than abo
normal. For the prosperity viii
the high price OF cotton brought
n was not felt until thrce.fourths Of 4
Il year TO which this increase appli
" was gone. The prosperity OF so.ce
!" cotton ought TO manifest itself mo
In the increase for this year than