Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-05-16
Few Shipments by Rail.

-hudtu W lHt GOV tIlllhtlll blutlS
curtailing the number of freight cars to
be used for automobile shipments,
manufacturers and distributors are
practically demanding the dealers must
drive away a large percentage of the
cars they buy. That is the reason why
so many new cars are being driven
thru this city every week But driving
out cars presents difficulties. Some
dealers, who must drive cars hundreds
of miles, and are particular that the
cars arrive in good condition, find it
hard to get reliable. careful drivers to
bring cars out. so that they Will not be
damaged by being run at high speed
which heats bearings and motors. In
spite Of these drawbacks a very large
percentage of passenger cars delivered
in this territory in the last sixty days
have been driven out.
Some Dealers Without Cars.
Some dealers jim this city have not
received a new car for several weeks
and have little prospect Of getting any
unless they drive them out. \ few
dealers who receive their cars from
distributors in the state or no farther
away than Chicago. have been getting
cars OUT III SltdtllN ulIllIlISDIIS Qudllli-
tics. A very few. who tied up their
money in cars during the winter have
cars on hand. They realize that when
those are sold others to replace them
will he difficult to get.
At the present time the automobile
trade is up in the air regarding what
the further reduction in production
the government will demand is going to
he 1t is predicted that it Will be 30
per cent of the 1917 production. but
evidence Of the cut in production and
the turning of automobile manufacture
ing machinery TO the producing of
munitions is seen in the effort some
Of the largest automobile manufacture
ers are making TO farm out large con-
tracts for parts of their cars.
Steel Embargo Important.
The production Of passenger cars
has been limited, first by the voluntary
agreement Of the makers to reduce
production 30 per cent. and also by the
communicating for government ship
building all of the output Of the steel
mills of the country for sixty days.
The mills did this at meeting with
Charles NJ. Schwab, director of the
day after that meeting was held facS
tories using steel all over the country
were notified by mills that shipments
would cease. At least one factory in
this city was notified, but it fortified
itself by going to wholesalers in the
east and buying from their stocks
sufficient Of the sizes it uses to last
q long time.
Must Use Driven Cars.
Some purchasers of new cars are
averse to buying a car that has
been driven hundreds of miles unless
they know who drove it, and whether
the car was treated decently or not
But It is probable that such particular
persons. if they want to get car be-
fore the season is over, VIII have TO
take car that has been driven out or
do without In fact there seems to be
no other probable development than
that by late in the summer, provided
further curtailment of production IS
ordered, that passenger cars in this
territory will become harder and
harder to get and deliveries will be-
come slower and slower
Dealers who see this condition not
far away are turning more and more
of their attention to the marketing OF
accessories. parts and supplies. In fact
at least one agency in this city keeps
a man out on its territory all the time
calling on farmers selling tires. oils
grease, etc. It is admitted that this
selling method Is expensive and cuts
the profit, but it is helping to keep the
| business going and as one automobile
dealer put it, I'VE in this game ought
! to be glad we are able to keep going
at all during this war"