San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-09
Building Activity Expert
encing Unusually Large
Increase.
GARAGE A FEATURE
Madison Completes One Of
Most Modern Buildings
in Southwest Texas.

building in this city, both in the busi-
ness and residence sections, has passed
the 81 100000 mark in the year 1923,
and thus far in 1924 approximately
$250,000 has been expended in new
construction of public and private i'm
provements.
Among the new business structures,
one of the most prominent is that of
the fireproof Madison garage built of
reinforced concrete and occupying one
fourth of block in the center of the
business section. 1t is said by tourists
to be one Of most modern garages in
all Southwest Texas. This building
comes as a direct result of the pro-
gressive spirit of the owner, Amos
Madison, who has been engaged in tse
garage business in Del Rio since 1912
and as Ford dealer during the last
eleven years.
The building has 24,100 square feet
of floor space. Equipment installed
alone cost $4,000, including a 30
ton hydraulic press for solid tires in
addition to the complete Ford repair
equipment. The modern filling station
has three gasoline pumps and three
latest type compressed air oil pumps.
Six separate departments are operated
with the number of employees for each
as follows: office and sales force, six
employees; filling station, three; bat
terry department, two; repair shop,
ten; vulcanizing plant, two. and paint
shop, one. This gives total of "a
employees who have an annual payroll
of $4,000 or $500 each month.
Sells 263 Fords.
Prior to completion Of the new
building, sixteen men were employed.
An outstanding feature of the or
ganization, which displays a char
acter trait of Mr.. Madison, is por-
trayed in the fact that one employe
| Clifford King, manager of the repair
department, has been with his genial
employer for the last ten years. Other
men employed for five years are: sales
manager, Otta Smith, and office man
ager and bookeeper, Robert Hudson
Some idea of the volume of business
done by A. Madison may be gathered
from the comparative statement that
in 1913 he sold % Fords and in 192;;
sold 263. The latter figure applies
only to Val Verde county. while at the
beginning of his leadership, Madison
had all the territory of the counties
of Val Verde, Terrell, Kinney and
Maverick. Today there are two Fords
for all other makes combined in this
county. Some months this dealer has
sold over an average of a car day.
The first motor number on an auto
mobile delivered by Madison here was
$50, 900 and today the motor number
runs around 100000, giving an in
sight into Henry Ford's production
during the period of eleven years.
Many Achievements to Credit.
Mr.. Madison has served on the good
roads committee of the Del Rio Cham
Der of Commerce for five years and
during that period has devoted much
time and materially assisted in carry
ing a S45O, 900 road bond issue in Ed
wards county as we'll as bond issue
of twice that amount in this county.
He was on the committee that Sc
cured the construction of the highway
bridge over Pecos river in this coun-
ty, which stands as the largest single
road project of Texas and shortens
the mileage between Del Rio and FL
Paso BY over 100 miles, and brings
the land "West of the Pecos" to this
city as its trading center.
Aside from being engaged actively
in matters that pertain to business,
Mr.. Madison finds time for golf as a
pastime and is on the board of COVER
hors of the San Felipe Country Club
here.
Tourist Travel Increases.
In connection with +. X. Senior,
manager of the chamber Of commerce,
Madison is now engaged in logging the
military border highway from Browns
Vile to Ell Paso through Del Rio. Be-
cause of the completion of the Pecos
bride on this highway, tourist travel
over the southern route from San An
tonic to Ell Paso has greatly increased
and almost daily the St.. Charles Ho
tel, Del Rios leading hosiery il
crowded with automobile visitors fror'
different states.