Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-09-05
DEVELOP use OF CARS
in COMMERCIAL WAY
Farmers Are Absorbing Practically
S5 Per Cent OF All Autos
Manufactured.
TRUCK HAULING is COSTLY
Working Man Finds II Possible,
Through Ownership Of Second
Hand Automobiles. to Live Life OF
Suburbnnitc.
NN - 4. I>tlNI,
Local Cas Nlanufarturvr and President
of the tichmOnd Nutum"tiNr
Trade Association, Inc.

Ten years ago the annual produc-
t!on of motor passenger cars in this
country was lSl,oCc. The production
Schedule for 1920 is in round mum
: hers, a,o0o,OGo cars.
The gains in production has been
steady, except in lalS, when restric-
tions imposed by war conGltious
the end of 1919 there were more than
i-a0o,000 cars and trucks registered
in sic United states. and i; is cst!-
mated the reglstra lions VIII soon
reach l0,00G.00O.
The question is sometimes asked
what is the saturation point in the
automobile business The question is
not readily answered. Some people
thought it was IN sight several years
ago. when registrations were only
half VIII; they are today. II is diff
used for pleasure and cars used for
business or some economic purpose.
One fact is outstanding That The
motor vehicle has firmly established
transportation system. whether used
for CARRYING passengers OF freight.
We see lines without end OF passen
ger cars and trucks in our larSr CT
lcd 10 the impression perhaps that
the motor vehicle is part Of the ma :
chinery of urban life. as matter of
fact the automotive industry has made
its greatest progress in recent years
In rural communities
Farmers Own Most Cars.
Statistics show that the increase in
registrations Of motor vehicles in the
agricultural sections OF the country
in the last tive years has been far
greater than the increase IN the In
tus;rlal sections. In some sections
Of the country IL has been found sales
OF automobiles TO farmers are greater
than sales TO all other classes - poo
10.
Western state IL has been found that
only about - per cent OF the cars u
Tho state We're Registered from the
largest cities, the remaining ~ per
towns and rural districts II il csii-
mated that about one-third Of the
ears registered at the END of 1919
are owned by farmers. The motor
vehicle has had a far-reaChing innu-
c1vo on rural life and this influences
is increasing rather than diminish
ir-. as viii he pointed out later. At
this point mention should be made
o. he part that the motor vehicle
Mays IN the agricultural and indus
trial life OF the country under trans
have prevailed for some months past.
Trucking of agricultural produce
and Of manufactured products over
long distances is now hens done on
a large scale.
While the motor truck is not he
l'evcd TO be economical for long
the congestion and impaired service
of our railroads has. nevertheless,
caused a very large amount of long
haul trucking TO hc done for such
long distances as from New England
to the Middle West Such long
haul trucking may be uncconomical.
hut IL serves at least to provide
transportation means 10 move goods
and thereby To ease the strain on the
credit situation. For short haul traf-
No II Is, OF course, generally conceded
that the ADVANTAGE is with the mo :
tor truck
Helps Solve House Shortage.
Recently The automobile has com.
10 play an important part In every
day life in connection with the hous-
ing problem. In many OF our cities
aud towns there is great shortage