The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1920-02-19
GARAGES SHOW
RAPID INCREASE
AUTOMOBILE BUSINESS Is BOOMING
Many New Buildings Arise and Agencies
Galore Are Established Truck
AGd Tractor Interest heen

On a contemplation the other day 9f
the Increase in agencies for automobile
vehicles a prominent citizen remarke, ::
Hood River mas more garages than
/ The Dalies. in her palmiest days. had
saloons. "
And for one who was acquainted with
I possibilities for irrigation in Nasco
|county's capital % years ago and this
man was, having formerly been resi-
dent of The Dalles the statement
gives comprehensive indication Of
/ the Ample Valleys motor business ac-
/ tivjty. Indeed, TODAY the automobile
business is by far in the lead here.
+ j he city Of Hood River alone has l3
+ garages. all but one of them the
I agency for from one to a half dozen
makes of automobiles.
| The oDening of the Columbia High
way our years ago resulted in a boom
/ Of the motor ear business and two new
earg5ges, the cost of each of which
would exceed $50, 900 today, were
erected. At present two additional
concrete garage structures, the cost Of
zach estimated at an approximate S25. =
/ 0O0 are under way. OF the agencies
now in existence here six have been
established this year. Other agencies
are being contemplated.
The automobiles which were handled
here last year and which are being
continued are as follows: Ford, Dodge
Chevrolet, Nash, Haynes, Hupmobile.
Chandler, Maxwell. Studebaker. Oak
land Mitchell Hudson and Buick
New agencies have been established
for the following makes: Overland,
Lexington, Cleveland, Scripps- Booth,
/ Dixie Flyer, Pan.American. Moon,
Chummy Monitor and Stephens Salient
| SIX.
The records Of the county assessor
show that taxes will be paid on 543
cars this year. This. however, only
includes automobiles tnat We're owned
up to March !. Records of dealers
show that 266 new automobiles were
purchased last year. Indications are
that sales this season viii be larger.
Indeed with agents for popular makes
of medium priced cars, the problem is
merely one of getting the machines
Orders in hands of dealers already eX
ceed he hundred marx, ana more thar
50 ears have already been delivered
this season.
Facilities for repairing automobiles
and service stations have kept pace
with the increase IN car agencies. Fol
Ilts population of approximately 0Ot
/ people H0oG River probably cannot b6
eNc He'd IN facilities for automobile
repair Or for service for motorists
Ine Highway has. of course, beeI
largely responsible FOR this.
The motor business has spread t,
valley cross roads and rural centers
The orStWhile horse5hoeing and black
smith shop has been converted into {
garage. All country stores keep I
limited supply of automobile accessor
! les and tires.
Prospects fer truck sales the coming
year, m the estimation Of many deal
ers, are equal or better than those fo
passenger motor vehicles. As resul
1 praetl ally all agencies have added on,
, or more lines OF motor trucks.
The utilization Of motor trucks il
/ transporting apples during the harve5
| Of the unpre ce1entod crop of 1919 gav,
/ the business Its greatest boost. Indeed
3 itdlCIo dhlHlL lHdl ldth VI iOiG0iSIk II
/ laying in stocks Of trucks lost then
+ much business last tall. With al
+ available local trucks put into com
/ mission early IN the season, the ton
| mage attracted out of town truck men
! AhO came here and earned neat rev
+ enue hiring their cars.
The orchardist probably finds tn,
motor truck more useful than mos
, farmers. Especially is this true of tn,
] strawberry rancher. 1t is necessar,
. for him to get his product to shipping
point with utmost dispatch and witt
, As little jostllng as possible. AS re
] suit most berry growers own small
trucks. Japanese farm the greater per
centage of the strawberry tracts. Tn,
s NIpponese ranchers last year bought |
trucks. The apple grower. too, ha
/ found the truck economical. He is Il
hurry to get his fruit to storag
j quarters before freezing weather, am
] the motor truck is now considered
| necessity. Many owners of large acre
| age own trucks, some Of them NOR
! than one.
] Today Hood River dealers are hand
! ling a total of IA makes Of tractors
4 While the number Of tractors up to las
year was negligible, dealers sold s
I last season.
Orchardists are now taking kee
/ interest in tractors. In instances grow
4 ers owning small acreage have pur
chased tractors to be hired to neigh
bors. A total of five makes of tractor
I are offered here. Since the first of tn
I year sales have reached Is.