The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-16
fBTO HASVITAL
 BUSINESS EFFECT
f1|0OO,OOO Cars In Operation Stimulate Prosperity In
 All Lines

perity and increased production of au-. tornobiIes this year, it is interesting to nofe sthe powerful influence of the mo toxs car over our manner ot living ana arers business in. general. Investlga- 2 tions made within the past few months throw considerable light on the bene- ficialr effects of the motor car on lines of husiness entirely foreign to the au- a tonobile industry says E. H. Me Carty, general sales manager, the Nasn Motors company.
 e,Tbe vast army. of tourists that fravels the main highways of the coun- fry Throughout the summer months by vfrt,,e of its< very numbers has opened rev avenues of business, has extended thes business of the small mer- ehank has increased the revenue of the farutar, the hotel keeper, the manufac- tt,ren of cameras, of fishing and hunt il,e cduipment, of the maker of knit go11a of soap and of toilet prepara- fioIssaf and meanwhile the widespread nf1option of the automobile as con venitnt means of transportation has jnefeused suburban real estate values, basS built up outlying business commit nitles, such as department stores, fur nikure stores and theatres, and with 1t m has brought health and happiness to zbiliions.
 $ 1spo Tourist Trade Large
 s<Nfany interesting facts have been brought to light in the investigations s | refer to. For instance, a merchant i5aa r small town in central western xtate bought $5,000 worth of knit goods ir; 1922. Last year his order called for 3cxs than one-third of the same kind Of goods. The knitting mill with which fhis man did business immediately sent \ renfesentative to investigate. He dis ctyvered that the town in which thelr cs,sfofner conducted his general store was on one of four principal highways m his state. It had been found neces- kary to make some extensive repairs on this highway just outside the merchants foxxn. and traffic was being detoured Tn aifofher direction. Lack of this tourist frsrt3efiaccounted for the decided slump IF demand for knit goods at this par iieaIlar store. Merchants in these small sr towns on main travel highways are stocking better grade, of goods, and many are buying merchandise Of char seter that they never carried before. Demand, inspired by the passing tour ist, having brought the merchandise to fhe shelf, has resulted in subsequent demand for these articles by the towns people themselves. The effect obvious lv has been extremely beneficial not olslva to the merchant, but to the manu- facturer of these various products as well automatically providing him a wider. market for his goods.
 Report Shows Many Tour
 xssThe extent to which motor travel has developed is indicated in the report of one association on. the number of tourists that have visited the lake sec tinn in this particular state from the rpriod of 1917 to 1922. In brief the report shows:
 1917 ........... IT ,O00 visitors
 1918 ......... 10000 visitors
 1910 ..... 145, 900 visitors 1
 1920 100000 visitors
 1921 3O0O00 visitors
 1922 .500, 900 visitors ssfhe same ratio of travel has pre- vnffed. throughout all similar sections of the country. e--4'i s- r.
 sTn1 the state of Minnesota the fish and game commission reports that in 1917 S,011 licenses were issued, the fol- ldwing year this was. increased to 15,- Ob0, in 1919 the figure was 1S,0OO, and iri 1921 it issued 24 900 licenses to hsfnters and fishermen. Reports of in- yestigators show that the manufacture Of Fishing rods have increased approxi- niateIy 800 per cent. Tent nranufac- tuners, camp stove makers and scores of others have enjoyed within the. past years the huge expansion of their re spactive industries.
 tsHundreds of thousands of, farmers throughout many sections of the coun- try are taking advantage of the mod ekn .fornhsSof transportation which brings the city man and his family right to his door. An actual count made this past summer showed that in tho state of Wisconsin alone one farm ef out of every three, along the main trunk roads, erected market stand near the highway; in Iowa one farm eF out of every four had his produce stand and in the Michigan fruit belt one out of every three.
 IA Produce Is BOOmed
 gtsf similar ratios prevailed in other agricultural and fruit states this mod etn method of marketing must have brought millions of dollars to the farm CTS of the country. An interesting side light is brought out in a report of an investigation made by the produce merchants in one of the large cities. While the city man in increasing num- bers was buying fresh vegetables, poul- t1y. butter and eggs, as well as fruit, directly from the farmer, the city market Rfsn showed every evidence of healthy dfn3and, the answer being these stalls create q new appetite for farm produce aad thus make for the sur rounding growers larger market than ever be- fore.
 From reports at hand it would ap- pear that the clothing manufacturer eaibo is among the beneiciaries of the general use of automobiles, he finds the motorist demanding better grades of clothing, golf attire, light overcoats for fall and spring driving and heavy ovefcoats of more substantial quality -fof the winter months.
 The soap industry reports that the 1&000, 900 motor car owners and their families have provided ill the past ten yeRks an additional market for soap csltlAf to the market of the whole United States at the time of the Civil war. Cos inestic makers and manufacturers in many lines have shown remarkable advances as result of automobile tra- vSl.g In addition to it's direct effect on sueh industries as steel, glass. leather and lumber, the automobile in hundreds of ways has created new trade, devel- opeA industry, and, at the same time, it has given the American people broader visi1n and greater understanding of Americas greatness"
 " PARKING POINTERS
 When parking the ear head first up hiIl most drivers cut the front wheels so that if the car should start coasting