Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1922-07-22
Maryland Has A MOTOR Vehicle
For Each 9.75 Persons In State
Figures Based On 1922 Registration And Last Census
Nationwide Comparison For 1921 Places Common
wealth In Lead For Atlantic Coast

Maryland is very definitely on the
automobile map of the United States.
With the 1922 registration of l4S,307
motor vehicles to population of l.
l49,66l, according to the census of
1920, there is one such vehicle to every
81 persons in the State.
However, in making comparisons
with other States it is not fair to use
the 1922 registration figures, because
il is impossible to obtain them for the
other States. The only registration
figures that cover the country are
those for 1921, which are supplied by
the National Automobile Chamber of
Commerce. These give 1921 registra
tion figures for all the States, and on
the basis of the 1921 registration of
l36,2I7 motor vehicles in Maryland
this State would have an automobile
for every 10 2-3 persons.
At that Maryland makes better
showing for the ownership of motor
vehicles than do any of the States
along the Atlantic seaboard which
have large cities within their borders;
better than New York. Pennsylvania,
Massachusetts, or New Jersey.
New York Well Under Maryland.
New York has an automobile for
each l3 l-3 persons; Pennsylvania has
one for every II 2-3 persons; New
Jersey, one for every III persons, and
Massachusetts is very close to Mary
land, with one for every 10 2-3 per-
sons.
Ii is necessary to work out the per-
centage of automobiles to population
down to three decimal points to show
that Maryland actually has more auto
mobiles than Massachusetts. The only
States East of the Rockies which con-
tain large cities and which make a
better showing than Maryland are
Illinois, which has Chicago, and Mis-
souri,, which has St. Louis. Illinois
has an automobile for each 81 per-
sons, while Missouri is very slightly
behind her with an automobile for
each Q AS persons.
The State which has the greatest
number of automobiles in proportion
to its population is California, with
a machine for little more than every
five persons in the State. Iowa, in
the Corn Belt. comes next with ma
chine for each ) is persons; South
Dakota is third with one for each
5 l-3 persons and Nebraska is fourth
with one for every 81 persons.
A comparison of the automobile
registration of the various States
with the population of those States
shows that it is not the big, prosper
Gus States that have the greater num-
ber of motor cars in proportion to pop
ulation, but the sparsely settled
States of the Far West. Aside from
the States already mentioned as lead
ing, Kansas, Colorado, Oregon and
North Dakota have an automobile for
fewer than every seven persons in
those States; Nevada, Wyoming,
Washington, Indiana. Minnesota,
Michigan, West Virginia and Ohio
have one for fewer than every eight
persons in those States; Idaho and
Utah have one for fewer than every
nine persons. and Oklahoma, Mon
tana, Texas. Vermont, Florida, Maine,
Illinois and Missouri have one for
fewer than every ten persons in those
States.
Mississippi has the fewest machines
in proportion to its population. There
is only one machine for each pa
persons. Arkansas comes next with
one for each 26 persons; Louisiana
third with one for each 23 persons,