Milford chronicle., 1950-09-08
Census Shows
AutomOtive Trades
Taking Big Part
In Delaware's
Economic Life

The motor vehicle is playing an
important role in Delaware's grow
ing retail, wholesale and service
trades, according to the latest U. S.
Census of business.
Preliminary results Of the 194S
census show great expansion of
business activity for the state since
1889, both in dollar volume and
employment. 1t also indicates that
large share of this increase in
trade is traceable to the motor We
hicle and its use.
More than IA per cent of the bus
mess establishments in the state
covered by the census were auto
motive. These firms accounted for
los per cent Of all 1948 sales and
receipts. They provided 1913 per
cent Of the total employment re-
ported by Delaware retail, whole
sale and service businesses, the
Bureau of the Census figures indi-
Gates.
Although partly result of in
fiatiOn, the increase in the states
total dollar volume of trade, since
the 1889 Census Of Business, is inn
pressive.
Preliminary reports reveal that
retail sales in the state during 1948
aggregated 1881, 100000 - an in
crease of 247 per cent over 1899
Wholesale volume showed a 209
per cent rise for the same nine
year period. Service trades report
ed receipts totaling S15,6OO,OOO,
compared with only $6,2O0,OOO in
1899.
A big employment increase for
Delaware also was reported. Re-
tail establishments employed 49,
544 persons full or part time in
1948, compared with II ,499 in 1889.
Wholesale businesses we're credit
ed with 5,216 employees by the new
census, but only 1852 in 1889. The
194S figure for service trades was
2,516, an increase Of nearly 7O0
For the census year, the report
lists 1872 retail automotive estab-
lishments in Delaware. This figure
includes motor vehicle dealers
and merchandisers of automOtive
parts and accessories. These enter
prises took in $5S,700,OOO during
the year and employed about 1883
Delaware men and women.
A total of 434 gasoline service
stations were counted, whose sales
and receipts amounted to 1882
OOO Employees numbered 688.
Delaware automotive repair and
service establishments, numbering
209, employed 800 persons and had
sales and receipts amounting to
$2,S7O, 900.
Petroleum bulk plants and ter
minals numbered 39. The volume
of their business reached $685. |
600 and they employed 216.
Employment figures above do not
include thousands Of owners Of un-
incorporated businesses.
During the year, 36 tourist
courts and camps throughout the
state collected $224,OOO in sales and
receipts.
The census is the latest, most
comprehensive count of retail,
wholesale, and service businesses |
in Delaware and the country as a |
whole. Yet, it tells but part Of the
story. The great industrial giants
of manufacture and transport, for
example, are not included.
To round out the economic pic
tura the Automobile Manufactur- |
ers has just released new statistics
from its annual publication, AU-
TOMOBILE FACTS & FIGURES,
which show that:
Delaware has 1869 residents en-
ployed in automotive manufactur-
ing activities:
1888 truck drivers;
23S common carrier bus employ
ees; and
1,OO5 persons employed on the
highway system.
Total automotive employment in
the state, according to this source,
is now about 21,574.
In the United States, autOmotive
production and employment, and
motor vehicle use are all now at
new high levels. Car and truck
registrations in 1949 were more
than 44,461, 900. The registration
books of Delaware alone carried
1862 passenger cars and 1881
trucks.
Total U. S. employment traceable
to the motor vehicle and its use is
estimated at more than nine mil
lion, or one out Of every persons
in the natinn.