The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-03-04
1913 MOTOR COST FIXED
 AT TEN MILLION DOLLARS
Vast Sum Shows How Important In Nations
 Economic Life Automobile Is

More than 5.5oo.o0o motor cars of 1 all descriptions in use In the United States were registered in the several commonwealths in the last year. As may be inferred from this figure, mo- toring has been the means of holding up a vast industry. According to a report recently made public there are 2S0 manufa cturers of passenger auto mobiles and 372 makers of trucks in 32 states, with a capital of $736, ,0OO,- 000 and employing 2S0,O0O workers at the annual wage of $275, 100000.
 The report also shows that there are 1,080 manufacturers of bodies, parts and accessories, having capital of s336, 900, ,0OO, employing 32O,000 workers and paying $288, 100000 an nua1ly in wages; that about 2T,8OO automobile dealers, located in nearly every town, have a capital investment of s184, 100000 and employ 23O, 900 persons, and that up to June l 64,- s34 passenger cars and 15,977 trucks valued at 91S3, All, 900 had been ex- ported.
 6 Fer Cent Foreign Cars
 These figures speak well for the soundness of the American product especially 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 a, home were of foreign make.
 As 8 matter of statistics 94 per cent. of the cars used in this coun- try are of American make and If a comparison were to be made upon values this percentage would be still higher, for 1t can be safely computed he "A United States aggregate a present value of nearly $5,000, 900, 900, an es- innate placed on a, basis of rating T5 per cent. of the total number regis tered last year at 900 each and the remaining quarter or 25 per cent at s2.00o each, both figures being ex- ceedingly conservative, as the price of motor cars varies from as low as s4O0 to as high as s6,000 for the high powered limousine.
 The statistics further show that S917.470,938 was spent upon the pur- chase 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 accessories, the supply of which forms a very substantial branch of the motor car trade
 But the annual expenditure for new machines, large as it ts Is not all the expense, as the cost of run ming is heavy, witnessed by an in- dustry which motoring has built up. namely, tire manufa curing, which is becoming almost as large as the mo- tor car building trade itself. Last year 18,00O, 900 were made, the value of which is placed at $450,OOO,- 900.
 Sso ,OOO, OOO for Better Roads.
 Next to the cost of tires is that of gasoIene and lubricating oils, which are among the heaviest in the mo- tortst's expenditures. Besides. the cost of repairs, renovations and peri odical overhauls amounts to many millions, which, adding to this the sum of the annual registration and H. cense fees Preaching $25, 100000 so far this year) would bring the total expenditure to a sum exceeding s35.- 100000. Statistics reported by the United States Bureau of Roads indi- cate that approximately SSO.OOO,OO was expended for highway improve ment last year by several states, and largely for the benefit of the mo- torists.
 While many owners keep their ma chimes In stables converted to q new use, a large number Of motor vehicles