Pueblo chieftain., 1922-01-17

telegram from New York the
other day contained the following IN
terestins data regarding the automo-
bile industry of this country
Nineteen twenty-one has been a big
year for few OF the automobile COM
spanics. but lean year for the indus
try. When another year has passed
similar comment will probably again
he in order. aud for several years to
come the same thing is likely to be
true For the first time In its quar-
ter century of existence this giant
young industry is now experiencing the
risors OF a serious business depression.
In earlier Years It has passed thru
period. that were hard times for other
Industries, but it harciy felt them. 1t
va. improving its methods and It's
models so rapidly that its history was
one long succession OF triumphs and
Achievements r. was making good
In the best sense of rne term. and It's
markets were expanding so rapidly
that 1t could not keep up with them.
In 1921. for tho first time, 1t has
had the experience. which has be-
come a familiar story TO older indus
tries, or running Into a major busi-
ners depression II mas noted win
amazement that some companies kept
up their production and sales ana
'made profits. while most OF them had
small outputs and made little money
When all the figures are in 1t Will
probably be found that the total regis
trat!on .or 1921, FOR both passenger
and commercial cars, viii bc In the
neighborhood OF 100000, but this
will not mean that this number OF
cars had been In actual use at any
ore time The average number used
At any time during the year will IN
reality have been mus- less than this
l-k ss~.. -N.s = hA
car, that have been put Into use dur
ing the year. plus the old ones Sar-
ricd over from last year. u begins
with the old cars IN January and In
cresses all the t!n,c up TO the end OF
December. During these twelve
months care are being destroyed In
collisions bl.ued or otherwise wreck
end and scrapped aud sold for junk. but
each ono Of them that Is run at all
Is registered All thru he year tho
number iu use is lower than the total
registration and ty tine end Of the
wear II = much lower.
As the Industry settles down from
-. period OF abnormally rapid growth
md Increasing production, the num-
be- of these eliminated cars increases
zach year ard the difference between
the registration figures and the aver
age number OF cars in use at any one
time grows greater. With tho INDUS
try on a basis such that the number
~ automobiles used remained relative
" stable. tho number OF cars olimi-
mated annually would become about
chual to tho yearly production.
Something approach.rS this has prob
ably happened for the first time fur-
ing 1921. The number Of new cars
nut into use Was probably not greatly
IN excess OF tho number ot old cars
eliminated. The average life OF car
is about SIX seasons. ana the first year
'r which tho output OF tho Industry
reached anything like Its present pro
portions was SIX years ago. In lsle
Many OF the cars produced then arc
now going out OF use. and the indus
try has Just entered period In
which It can count from yesr TO year
IN n substantial amount Of business
merely thru the replacement of old
cars. From now on scales TO new
drivers will be less and less OF fac
tor. and requirements for experienced
driver a greater one.
When the complete figures for pro-
tuctIon during 1921 become aeailahlc.
ii Is likely that they will show "A total
Of about i503,o new cars made In
tho year. OF these about s3s,ooo Viii
he Ford cars and about $4,000 all other
makes combined In 1920 the total out
put was about 92o5 COO cars. of which
1923, coo were Fords aud 1,l'I,ooo we're
cars Of other makes.
In 1918 the Ford output was - per
cent OF the total number Of cars made
In 1890 It WAS 4, per cent. In 1921 II
was So per cont and shat of all tho
other 100 makers combined was only
% per cent In 1921 tho number OF Ford
cars produced was almost equal to tho
output In 1890. while that of the other
makes was only little more than
Nslf a large as during the previous
wear. Perhaps still more important
aspect OF this same situation Is that
tho output of Fords was twice as
great In 1920 a in 1916. while that OF
ell the other makes had hardly in
creased at all
Tho Implication Of these figures is
clear. and u Is that the market for
now cars OF the more expensive makes
is slowing down. This is entirely nat
tural and to he expected. I, had to
come some time, and II has hcen
merely hastcncd by tho present period
of depression 1t is roughly. true that