The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-09-23
OTHERS SIT PAT
Topeka Motor Dealers Can't See
General Price Drop.
Two Even Predict Increases in
Face of New Cut.

With the second startling announce
ment of big reductions in automobile
prices in a week.-Mrs. time by the
Franklin Manufacturing company
refusing to predict that a general
slash in automobile prices would fol-
low On the contrary, at least two
dealers say their prices are going
higher.
Press dispatches from Syracuse.
N Y, home of the Franklin company,
today stated that H. H. Fra nklin,
president of the company, had an
nounced a reduction of II to 21 per
cent in the price of his cars. f. D.
Kellam, local Franklin agent, had not
yet received word of the reduction and
expressed surprise when informed of
1t by The State Journal. He said news
of the decrease was welcome, however.
With the announcements today, two
cars, one in the high priced class and
prices to practically the pre-war level.
There has been much speculation,
since the Ford reduction, as to
whether the other cars, especially the
lower priced makes. would follow suit
Now the speculation extends to the
higher priced cars.
A B. Kirkpatrick. proprietor of the
Capital Auto and Supply company,
Maxwell and Chalmers agents. said he
did not look for any decrease in the
duction costs went down.
But, Topeka automobile men say no.
l. W. Huey. manager of the HUDSON
Essex agency, said he was looking for
a raise on closed cars. He was unable
to state how much the raise would be.
o. n. Himelburger. agent for the
Gardner and Apperson cars. declared
both of these cars were due for 800
price jump soon.
Noel Wood. Buick and Cadillac
agent. said there would be no reduc-
ton on the Buick. Cadillac, Oldsmo-
bile, Scripps-Booth, Sheridan "a new
carr or G. NJ. c. trucks. all made by
the General Motors company.
Since November, 1918. he said. the
Buick has advanced only 5000 and the
Cadillac only s400, or about 10 per
cent on each. His company is now
behind from thirty to forty orders on
both cars, he declared. Wood said he
was in Kansas City this week and that
the Buick plant there was not look
ing for price cut
In the lower priced cars. the local
agents are not looking for their cars
to land on the price toboggan with
the Ford L. w. Rowles. Overland
manager, gave IT as his opinion that
Overland prices would not go down
until labor costs were reduced. To
lower the price would mean to cut
down the quality of the car. he said.
E. G. Kinley. Briscoe agent, said he
did not see a reduction in Briscoes.
The Taft Motor company was non
committa1 on Chevrolet prices. Allen
Hayes. agent for the bort, Auburn and
Peerless cars. was of the opinion that
prices on these three makes would
stay where they are.
The Trefry Motor company and the
George Badders company. local Ford
agents. suid today that czders for
Fords had begun to pile in with the
announcement of Ford's price slash.
Both dealers declared that used Fords
would also depreciate in price. Ire
FRY gave the percentage of decrease in
new Ford prices as follows: Touring
car. 21.5 per cent; coupe, 12.5; sedan.
1s.5 and one-ton truck Is, making an
average of 1873 per cent. instead of the
Al per cent as originally announced
in press reports from Detroit Bad
ders said that used Ford prices would
decrease even more, possibly 80 per
cent
Advertisements run by the Ford
agents in the State Journal list the
new Ford prices as following (de-
livered in Topeka: