The Washington times., 1923-02-11
LACK OF CARS TIES
AUTO PRODUCTION
Shortage Hampers Many Fac
tories; Dealers Blamed
for the Delay.
SOME Rim TO CAPACITY
Steel and Plate Glass DefiCien-
oy Limits Making of En-
closed Cars.
SOME RIM TO CAPACITY
By ROY C. HAYES,

Special Correspondent Universal Service.
DETROIT. Mich, Feb 10.-Pro-
ducUon O automobiles in the Detroit
ton of au'oa 'obi;es in the Detroit
district is lin.i:ed only by the freight
car shortage In some cases, and the
capacity of the factories in others.
The unusually fine buying spirit
evidenced at tie 'arger automobile
shows is reflected in the increasing
production scheduled in local plants.
The few Detroit far tories now not
on capacity schedules are hampered
by a shortage o. steel and plate
glass. The shortage of plate glass
is the only factor retarding the
closed car production, which, in spite
of obstacles. is steadily increasing.
DEALERS DELAY.
Failure of some dealers to take
their shipments from the railroad
cars promptly is hampering certain
companies. This is true particularly
Of Gray. Embargoes declared east
of Buffalo and Pittsburgh have
slowed delivery of many large con-
eignments of Grays to those dis
tricts. Gray has several hundred
orders on hand which cannot be fill
ed 70. this reason.
Production of Gray cars for Feb
ruary will approximate $500 cars.
Beginning March /, the schedule
calls for an output of 100 a day.
Dodge Bros. filled an immense or
der last week for dealer in Provi-
dence. The shipment consisted Of
fifty freight cars, containing more
than 200 automobiles, with an APP
proximate value of $1S0,000. Pro-
dueeion continues at 700 cars day.
The Oakland Motor Company is MAX
ing IFS cars a day, the capacity of
the plant.
Production of Ford cars is gov
erned only by the capacity of the
plant. During the last week % ,083
cars were made.
An early resumption of manufac-
turing operations in the Wills st.
Clair plant, in Marysville, and the
lifting of the receivership is looked
for as a result OF the decision on
the part of the Boston bankers to
proceed with an immediate reorgani-
cation OF the company. 1t is esti-
mated that the Wills company can
break even on 6,00O-car annual
production, which should not be diff
ficult now that the car is established
and well liked. The plant has a ca
pacity of $4,000 cars a year.
NEW DURANT.
Another new Durant product has
been announced. 1t will be a low
priced car and will be made in Flint,
at least for the present, and will. be
known as tie Star Special. Nothing
definite about the price has been an
nounced. Durant plans call for a
production of $4,000 cars this year
and a capacity production of 100000
cars in 1924.
Automobile prices have reached
rock bottom. according to Eddie
Rickenbacker, vice president of the
Rickenbacker Motor Car Company,
and from now on will show a ten
deucy to increase. Captain Ricken-
hacker looks for a general price in
crease throughout the industry in
the next ninety days.
The orders already reported on
hand in the great steel centers of
the country for the raw material that
goes into the production of automo-
biles indicate more eloquently than
anything else that the industry is
70 enjoy a most prosperous year, &C.