The Washington times., 1923-04-28
Happenings
of Interest
to the Trade

|
The proposal is that, the Japanese
government shall buy motor truck
and bus equipment, to possibly as
many as 10000 vehicles, to supple
ment the service of the state rail
| ways. Japan needs better and more
comprehensive transportation facili.
ties both for goods and passengers.
Extension of the railways would be
| tremendously expensive, and this idea
has been advanced to give the need.
ed transportation facilities at lesser
cost. Many prominent railway men
are behind the movement. the motor
| service would be state operated, and
within few months definite action
| will probably be taken. If the plan
is actually put into effect, the Japa.
nese government will be In the mar.
ket for great numbers OF motor
vehicles. Most of these will proba-
bly, be bought in America.
The revenue authorities at Wash
! inEton have recently made q public
! ruling Of interest to all motor vehi-
| Gle owners. II is to the effect that
| the purchase price OF motor car
IL not deductible from income tax
returns, as it is considered an in
vestment The cost OF gasoline; re-
pairs, upkeep generally may be de.
Quoted, IL the vehicle 10 used wholly
for business purposes II 1t Is used
partly for business and partly for
peronal ends, the upkeep of the car
1 should be appOrtioned and the
amount charged against business use
may be deducted from the return.
/ The production of tires during
| 1922 in this country was 30.6SS, 13a,
as against 21,S19 900 in 1921. On
the other hand 3S,1S7 900 inner
tubes were made In 1922, compared
with 27,107, 900 in 1921.
The Ford Motor Company has re-.
Gently completed purchase of the
Allegheny Plate Glass Company, at
Glassmere, Pa This plant will fur.
nish the Ford organization with
100000 square feet of plate glass
per annunn.
That three Packard skies are en-
tered for the indianapolis race on
Decoration Day, under the captain.
ship of Ralph De Palma, Is an in
! teresting announcement of the last
! few weeks. The governor OF In
1
would have outlawed the Decora-
ton Day race. SO that this classic
| will be the feature OF the spring
racing season as usual.
Durant has purchased the plant
of the American Plate Glass Com.
pany, Kane, Pa, which will give
him an output of about 5000, 900
square feet of glass per annum. It
is rather a startling fact that Ford,
Durant and Fisher Body now con.
troll one.third Of this country's to.
tai output OF plate glass.
A recent report of the Census
Bureau at Washington. shows that
the total output OF motor vehicles
for 1922 was 2.577,765, of which
t2,334.790 were passenger cars and
f242 1915 were motor trucks. During
January 1928, the total OUTPUT OF
motor vehicles was 240,90S. In
January, 1922. the total was 81 900.
so that the beginning of the year
would appear to indicate a record
production for 1928.
Reports received during March
| show that the month of winds was
| running far ahead of January and
| February in automobile production.
The one fly in the ointment is the
railway situation. Many makers
are having difficulty In getting cars
to carry their shipments. With
| the spring opening Of the roads we
are likely to see some driveaways
and unless the rail situation opens
up, the number of cars delivered
over the roads may break all
records During March Ford built
! about 100000 cars. Some other
companies and their daily produc
ton at the present time follow.
Chevrolet, 1900; Buick. Dodge,
Studebaker, 500 to 700: Hudson.
Essex. 300; Hupp, Paige, Odds and
Oakland, from 1876 to $50; Durant
$50 Stars and so tours; Gray, 100:
| Rickenbacker, about so.
The insurance companies have re.
Gently announced reduction in liza.
| bility policies, amounting TO 10 to
! so per cent in the case of motor
! trucks and other commercial We.
hicles. There are some reductions
for passenger car. liability policies
in certain areas. Another reduction
announced is on collision insurance
and this applies to both trucks and
pdSSCnBCI CATS.
Dodge Brothers is sending to it's
dealer organization a new flat rate
book Of $40 pages. In addition to
giving the proper. cost for each re-
pair and replacement operation on
Dodge cars, the book tells how each
lob should he carried out IT is an
instruction book as well As a flat
rate manual.
Nash shipments during the first
six weeks of 1928 equaled the total
achieved during the first three
months of 1922.
The foreign Automotive Associa-
ton has been organ MED in New
York with membership of seven
renresentattves of foreign cars. as
follows: Fiat, Benx. Hotchkiss,
Renault. Voisin. Panhard, Lanches-
Ter. Headquarters have been onened
at $50 West Fiftv.seventh street.
with j. G. Wilcox as secretary.
| The first salon will be held next
! November 40 at the Hotel Astor