The sun., 1919-03-02
1919 MOTOR COST
$1O,OOO,OOO,OOO
Vast Sum Shows How Impor-
ant in Nations Economic
Life Automobile Is.

~
More than 5.5oo.0oo motor cars of all
descriptions m use IN the United States
were registered in the several common
wealths in the last year. AZ may be in
-Serred from this figure. motoring has
been the means OF building UP a vast
industry. According to a report recently
made public there arc gao manufacturers
OF ps ssenger automobiles and 372 makers
Of trucks in SO States, with a capital OF
f73e.000,000 and employing $4,000
workers at the annual wage OF s275,-
100000.
The report also shows that there are
1.oSo manufacturers OF bodies. parts and
ACCESSORIES. having capital OF S336,000.-
COO employing 100000 workers and
raging sRss.0oo,000 annually In wages:
that about 1880 automobile dealers,
located In nearly every town. have a
capital Investment Of $1S&,000,000 and
employ 100000 persons. and that up to
Juno $3.50 passenger cars and 1897
trucks valued at S1s3,%l1.ooo had been
exported
q Per Cent. Foreign Cars.
These figures speak well for the
scundness of the American product, espe-
cialiy when we remember that 1t Is but
a few years since our export trade was
Insignificant, while a large number of the
motor cars in use at homo were OF for
eigu make.
AS a matter of statistics "a per cent Of
the cars used in this country are OF
American make and II comparison
werie to be made upon values this per-
centage would be still higher. for 1t
can be safely computed that the motor
cars owned In the United States aggre-
gate a present value of nearly S5,000,-
0on.o00, an estimate placed on a basis OF
rating rs per cent. OF the total number
registered last year at 81 900 each and
The remaining quarter or % per cent. at
$4,000 each, both figures being exceed
insk conservative. as the price of motor
cars varies from as low as $500 TO as
high as $4,000 for the high powered
limousine.
The statistics further sh9y that $917,-
<10.93S was spent upon the purchase OF
about 1,726,194 new cars by American
motorists last year. and to this sum Is
yet to be added the value of the Access
series, the supply Of which forms a very
substantial branch OF the motor car
trade.
but the annual expenditure for new
machines, large as II is, Is not all the
expense, as the cost of running is heavy,
witnessed by an industry which motor
Ing has built UP. namely. tire manufac-
turing. which Is becoming almost as large
Ms the HlotOr car DullulnS trdue ltstu.
Last year 100000 were made, the
value of which Is placed at $45O.000, 900.
SSO,OOO,OOO for Better Reeds.
Next to the cost of tires is that OF
gasolene and lubricating oils. which are
among the heaviest I'm the motorists ex-
penditures. Besides. the cost OF repairs,
renovations and periodical overhauls
amounts to many millions, which, add
ing to this the sum Of the annual regis
tration and license fees Preaching $685.
100000 so far this year, would bring
the total expenditure to a sum exceed
ing $35 100000. Statistics reported by
the United States Bureau of Roads in
dictate that approximately $S0,000.00o
was expended for highway Improvement
last year by several States, and largely
for the benefit Of the motorists.
While many owners keep their ma
chimes in stables converted to a new use,
large number OF motor vehicles are
stored in public garages numbering
$500, or in buildings especially rented
for that purpose. and the cost of this
service must aggregate a large sum, al
though perhaps tho heaviest expense OF
all is in looking after the driving and
care of the oars. the need OF which has
opened a new calling of a vast extent.
The total number OF professional
drivers licensed in this country during
1911 reached nearly $4,000. and since
that time their number has increased two
fold. II the wages of this number were
fixed at the rate Of SIS per week and
the compensation of others employed
about the car were added the total
would reach upward of s5.000.o00 an
nually. and thus the running expenses
OF the motorists coupled with the pur-
chase price and incidentals would reach
the enormous aggregate OF billions OF
dollars.
other Huge Items.
But these figures cover only the direct
expenditures upon cars and their opera
tfon and do not take into account dis
tribution and sales costs and the moneys
spent indirectly in connection with
motoring, such as the cost of suitable
clothing, hotel and travelling expenses
while touring.
At least half OF the cost of repair and
renewals goes to labor. while even such
items as garage expenses, registration
and license fees and insurance also mean
employment of laborerS and helpers,
collectors and clerical staff
Taking all the expenditures of owners
OF motor cars, the benefits to the In
dustrial classes must iexceed in the
aggregate a billion dollars annually.
II the average of the wages and salaries
other connected industries be taken into
consideration as thousand per annum
II means that upward OF 1000, 900 per-
sons obtain ther employment by that
industry. and that something like 5000
400 OF the population are directly or
indirectly supported by the manufac-
ture OF motor cars.
Then there remains very important
item of depreciation which. although not
one of direct out OF the pocket expendi-
ture, is one, nevertheless. representing a
loss of capital and should therefore be
G2S'uded. II this were done 1t would
add another vast sum 10 the total. so
that II these items are considered II Is
certain that at the present rate of in
crease the gross expenditure upon all
branches of motoring will, before the
present year Is out. reach the enormous
sum of $4,000, 10000