Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-31
HUGE STRIDES IN AUTO INDUSTRY
SHOWN in STATISTICS FOR 1925

cognized as essential to the develop
ment Of national life.
Still more significant figures are
available to indicate the vital position
which the automotive industry occu.
pies in relation to other business. 1t
IS surprising enough TO learn the
great number of motor cars and
trucks which have been produced
during the last year; but 1t is not less
amazing to know the immense guam
tity of material which went into the
more than 100000 automobiles pro-
duced. Again it is evidence of the
contribution which the automobile
has made TO business as n whole.
Having resulted in the upbuildinG Of
one of the large industries. the motor
car continues to confer its benefits
on all other branches of commerce.
The railroads profited to the extent
Of 100000 carloads of automotiVe
freight shipped during 1925. The rub
Der industry, one of the large proper
tons in the United States, gave 81 per
cent of its product used in this country
last year to the automobile industry.
| Crude rubber used in the manufacture
Of tires attained the huge quantity of
| 100 100000 pounds. Half the plate
! glass found automotive uses. Eleven
per cent of all the iron and steel manu-
! featured likewise went into the auto
| mobile Industry, d 5 did per cent OF
the copper. The leather industry fur
nished 60 per cent of its product in the
| shape Of upholstery material. Cotton
fabric used in manufacturing tires
amounted to 226 ,oO0,o 900 pounds.
A striking commentary on the use
| of motor vehicles during 1925 is the
consumption of 7,494 100000 gallons of
| gasoline. Not only does it represent the
extraordinary utility of the automobile,
l~,,% loo &l,< i,lt tor
dom played the part of consumer for
another great business-the oil indus
! try.
Wide Use of Buses.
Use Of the motor bus and motor
| truck definitely indicates the CONNER
| cial Importance of the automobile.
The bus has been put to wide use.
which is shown by the fact that
! 10000 were being patronized by the
American people during the last year.
| The total production of busses dur
| ing the last twelve months was 1 5. 900.
AS valuable adjunct to transpor-
tation. the bus experienced many ad-
vances since the beginning of last
year. Other forms of transportation
adopted the bus as an aid to giving
patrons satisfactory service. There
We're 251 street railways using 5000
motor buses, while 90 steam rail
roads had 367 buses in service. In
addition. 1870 railroads were using
gasoline rail motor coaches on short
lines. To facilitate shipping, 81 rail
roads used motor trucks.
Progress OF the automobile indus
try, however. was not confined to the
! United States. Exports increas ed Al
per cent over 1924. The number OF
motor vehicles exported during 1925
reached $4,000, which represented a
value of 1892 500, 900. AS compared
with the total production of motor
vehicles. the percentage exported was
| 1872. Importation totaled $40 vehicles.
| And. now. a glance at the retail side
of the business in this country during
+, the last year. The total number of
car and truck dealers was 47.014.
Public garages serving motorists
numbered $1,000, while automotive
first aid was given in 1906 service
stations and repair shops. Besides,
61.617 supply stores were catering to
| motoring needs.
/ From every standpoint the automo.
tive industry was highly successful
during 1925. and there is every tndi-
cation that this success will continue
undated during 1925.
Copyright. 1920