The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-09-08
VALUE Of AUTOMOBILE
TO farmer IS SHOWN

The value of the automobile to the
Warmer h indicated by these facts:
Tia increase in farm values during
he twenty years prior to the end OF
hoo averaged $500. 100000 annually
During the same time our population
Increased. roughly, SO per cent. or
kl-2 Per cent per annum.
Tho incr case in farm values In the
Aaxteen ysars following these are the
latest figures available) averaged 81
DOC, 900, 900 a year, over three times as
lmuch as in the pre-aut omobile period.
lOur population increased during the
(same period 33 per cent. or per cent
Per annum.
1 While the population increased in
The twenty years o per cent and farm
tEalues 81 per cent, or 3.35 per cent IA
Eyear. the population in the sixteen
Iyears increased only 33 per cent. ana
Ithe farm values 90 per cent, or 6-25
lper cor, a year The percentage of
Hncreap of population fell off II per
Gent, but farm values gained 33 per
cent in the sixteen-ye period.
Farmers use, at a conservative esh-
8nate, 100000 automobiles every day
and drive. let US say, a ridfculously low
average OF ten miles day, totai Oh
R00. 900 years in each year. If horses
Were substituted. the loss OF time
bUould be 100000 years in each years
3nultiplied by the number OF persons
casually carried in the car.
II the car were occupied by only one
nerson. the loss of production would
oxceed $3.50 100000 which must be
multiplied by the number OF persons
usually carried in the car,
The automobile il used in the coun-
kry for the service OF the farmer. by
doctors mail carriers, commerciai
travellers, livery stable owners and tel
| erhone companies
The disappearance OF the. automo-
| bile would make 1t necessary 10 lh-
Grease the horse population by aooht
| $4,000 900 1t requires fiVe acres 10
| iced a horse This would mean Una.
hn additional l25,ooo,ooo acres must
be used :.
Ehere are now 10000 900 horses. II
these, could be disposed Of, automo-
biles substituted. and wheat raised on
khe land now required to feed them
ks value would be-;suticient 10 pay the
national debt, including the liberty
bond issues to date
There are r 100000 cars in regular
| Mse in the United states. This indi-
Acates that:
At an average mileage or 3,oop
(which which is low. the total hliltase
| EQUALS I : .0oe, 900 miles per annum
which, multiplied by an average o.
| khree passengers. means that the tota
passenger mileage Is $1,000 900, 600
The passenger mileage OF automo-
. biles exceeds that Of the railroads oS
lover 10 600 geo. 900 miles lin 1915 thf
| Df,feia( railroad passenger mileage was
&2aS+ "a $3.50
Automobiles. on basis of soc days
tnf use and an average CT only 1--WE
passengers. carried 3.0o0 oo0,ooo per
Sons. compared with the railroads To-
kai of 1915. the latest figures avdilabie
pf a76, 303.602
The value Of automobile transpor
kation at the railroad rate of cents
her mile would have been sane, cen eoh
The seating capacity OF the 100000
nu.oy, ohsies II, use III the United state
= not less than %, 10000 people.
The total seating capacity OF rail'
koad cars. of which there are aa,Foo
L. about 100000 people.
III To carry the people now carried By
hutton obiles an equal distance wohf
Require $4,000 new passenger car'
lls11 900 eaeh) at a cost of seee,oee
moo ,4s72 new locomotives ts35, oo'
each) at cost or sa@s,ooo,oVs an,
duplication OF passenger tracks. depot
and employees at an expense impossi
Die to calculate.
The automobile could have don'
This for the army;
The Carrying capacity OF our auto
mobiles IL 5000. Gee persons
Travelling at AN average of 100 milo
Der dav and assuming that our whoi'
army OF 100000 men had been mo
9S,l;xed on October !. our automobile
Spuid. between that date and the ent
III ~EaA svrt