Evening star., 1936-08-30

As a result 1887 motor vehicles Will
make their bow to the public from four
floors, with the trailers nesting In COM
pletely equipped trailer camps.
The trailer floor will be converted
into an outdoor setting, providing
sort of national park atmosphere for
the stay-home- while e-you-see-the world
exhibit. Considering the remarkable
strides the young trailer industry has
made in the last few seasons the dis
play should be popular part OF the
show this year. Simply constructed
trailers designed for the slender purse
will take their place along with others
that are said to be virtually palaces on
wheels.
In addition to cabin-type trailers,
smaller two-wheeled affairs for trans
porting light loads, but not for hous-
ing, will be shown.
At this show this years innovations
in cars ard trucks will be exhibited for
the first time. 1t will be open week,
closing Wednesday, November l8. AS
usual. the exhibition is under the aus
pices of the Automobile Manufacturers
Association, with Alfred Reeves as gen.
eral manager.
DROUGHT conditions throughout
~ the Middle West will cut heavily
into Fall motor sales. as farmers once
more put off until another year the
purchases of cars that would otherwise
swell the business of dealers in the
Mississippi Valley and along its west
ern fringes.
This fact stands out in survey OF
automotive prospects for September
and october just completed, according
to a copyrighted dispatch from the
North American Newspaper Alliance,
Inc.
The dry, hot weather and its damage
TO farm purchasing power has defln-
itely affected automobile sales in the
small towns. Ofsetting this from the
national standpoint and. therefore, Of
some encouragement to the manufac-
turers, is the continued demand Tor
cars in urban areas.
In some quarters there is feeling
that mad sales in the farm districts
risen during the last few weeks to the
corresponding level of earlier urban
sales (the peak in car purchases
among the farmers lags three or four
months behind the peak season for the
rest Of the country, there might be
serious car shortage Stocks have been
holding to such low point that many
dealers will have cleared their floors
long before the 1887 models are ready
fer shipment.
To the dealers in farming communi-
ties there is little balm, however, IN
the fact that heavy new-car demands
are drying up the available stocks IN
other territories. As recently as last
Spring these same dealers had been
looking ahead to the best harvest sales
in six years.
THE experience of a dealer at
- Creighton, Nebr., is fair sample
Of what has been encountered in the
dust bowl:
I'VE have delivered only one new car
since July 10. We should have sold
about IA cars" He accordingly labels
Edll pTUSpCCtS do NCly POOi.
A slightly less pessimistic picture is
presented by a firm in Alliance, Neb.
I'VE have had very few orders can
celled," the owner reports. But at
the same time few future orders are
being placed" He foresees that his
own business for the Fall months will
be probably 20 to rs per cent
under 1885"
Quite a few reports indicate that
new car sales have been cut as much
as rs per cent in certain areas. This
has been the experience, at any rate,
of one dealer in Perry, Iowa. He finds
some hope of improvement in the next
few weeks, however, and declares that
Fall deliveries may be about 40 per
cent of normal.
A firm in Crosby, S. Oak, has been
able to avoid cancellation of any new
car deals on the basis of deposits pre-
viously made, the manager reports.
Farmers, he declared, have shown no
eagerness to buy. He, too, estimates
that his sales have been reduced rs
per cent and sees nothing more than
fair possibilities" for Autumn de-
mand.
"A MISSOURI dealer declares that
purchases of new cars have been
cut so per cent. He believes that the
Fall will show some improvement. He
predicts that used cars may move
more freely, with the statement that
some who would have bought new cars
will turn during the next few months
to reconditioned motors, of which
there is plentiful supply.
A few of the small towns in the
drought area are experiencing help
from the rise in pay rolls in small
manufacturing establishments. This
has been factor in maintaining sales
to a degree, an Illinois dealer de-
clares.
A Deadwood, S. OAK, dealer says
that while farmers have purchased
ABOUT 40 per cent fewer cars than ex-
pected, late Summer sales have been
only about Is per cent below early
estimates. Local pay rolls have been
good, he adds.
Farmers outside of the Middle West
appear to be in better position to buy
cars than year ago.
Reports from California show, in
fact, that the automobile business has
been aided by better prices for farm
products. Similarly from Georgia
comes this statement: Business here
is helped by good prices for tobacco
and good prospects for the cotton
crop. The farmers in this section are
in a better shape than they have been
for years."
To the optimistic side of the picture
must be added the information from
Illinois dealers that rains within the
last two weeks have cheered the farm
ers and give some impetus to busi-
ness in the rural areas there.
MORE than so per cent of all
American motorists today would
be better drivers with corrected vision