The Washington times., 1920-01-03
AUTO PRODUCTION
GREW FAST IN 1878
Years Output Of Motor Vehicles
Exceeds All Previous Records,
Including 1917.
| ny ALFRED REEVES
General Manager, National Automo

bile Chamber OF Commerce.
Notwithstanding the small produc
tion during the Arst three months o.
1919, following the armistice, wher
the industry was on practically 1ot
per cent war basis, motor car manu-
, facturers made such gigantic strides
during the other nine months thai
the years production of ] ,sI ,92o mo-
tor vehicles exceeds all previous rec
ords, including 1917, when 1.S6S,OO1
cars and trucks were produced. The
wholesale value brought the industry
almost to the $1,000, 100000 class.
Laws Are Less Rigid.
IL was only twenty years ago when
automobiles were barred from Central
Park-yet within these two decades
no year has gone by except the war
year Of 1918. which has not seen an
increased demand for these time-sav-
'ng vehicles now such an important
part of our American life, having al
vanced from the position of toys Tor
the rich to position on a par with
the telephone, telegraph and the rail-
roads, in their work OF transporting
men and merchandise.
Passenger car production was
slightly less than In 1917, totaling
.5ss, ,7s7 as against 1,740.ooo for 1917.
Che truck production, however, in
creased substantially, rising from
227 900 in 1918 to more than 100000
in 1919.
Wholesale Value.
The total wholesale value OF pas
,enger cars was s1,399, ,2s2, ,995, an
average of ssS2 per car: while the
truck value was 'S4Os,311 ,5s5 an aver.
lge of 81 .33s per vehicle.
The total value OF these products
was 81, 1907, ,594.5So, which. when COM
5ined with the wholesale value OF
bodies, spare tires, and accessories to
equip the cars or trucks ready for the
Dwner's use, brings the industry close
20 the two billion dollars class with n
practical certainty that this year its
position will be second only to steel
rmong the manufacturing industries
Of the country.
Truck Makes Advance.
Tho rapid advance of the truck has
resulted from its mcritorious perform
lnce in the war. in general CONNER
motor express lines and in practically
every other department of commerce.
Buses arc increasing in great number
t being worthy Of note that in
Scwark. ". j., 100000 passengers
we're carried by buses during the first
half OF 1919, the fares amounting to
$500, 900.
Total motor vehicle production in
1919 was sol 800. valued wholesale
1t s1,S07, ,594.5S0.
Passenger car production In 1920
should be not far from two and a
quarter million cars, with truck pro-
'uction 400, 900 to 425.0O0. 1t will
iepend largely on materials, particu.
larly in connection with closed cars
for which the demand Is increasing
tremendously
Value OF Exports,
Exports are now only about S11o.
900, 900. but this should increase sub e
stantially during the next few years
The worlds markets are being COW
cred by tho automobile industry, our
automobiles going last year to eighty.
ono different countries, including lee
land, which bought twenty cars
and two trucks. There Is a normal
replacement annually of about 10 pei
cent of the cars and trucks in use
Final figures from the various StatcS
would indicate that almost 600. 900
motor vehicles are now registered
and running In tho United States. or
this number about 10 per cent are
trucks.
Watch Out For Children Neay