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About The gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 8, 1914)
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION The Motor Car Industry EVERY few days something happens, to call the attention of the think ing men to the tremendous growth of the motor car industry, fifteen years ago an automobile was a toy. Ten years ago it had been so far per fected that far-seeing business men had becomo interested in the business. Since that time thousands of engineers the world over have devoted their time and intellect to the building and per fecting of motor cars, trucks and trac tors so that now almost every man, woman or child knows something about the gasoline driven vehicle. Automobiles and trucks, to say noth ing of motorcycles, have become so common on the streets and roads that they have ceased to attract any par ticular attention. But even with all this there are few people who realize to what an extent this industry has already grown. As near as figures can be gathered according to the leading motor maga zines whose authority is not questioned, there is in present use practically a mil lion and a half automobiles and the amount of money invested in this enormous number of machines could hardly bo estimated. Probably fifteen hundred dollars as an average first eost would be low, but this amount totals more than the entire produc tion of gold since Columbus discovered America. The Automobile Trade Journal in a recent issue, makes an estimate in it's editorial column that the amount of money spent this year, 1914, for pleas ure machines alone, will be six hun , dred . and ninety million dollars, and this takes no account of trucks or trac tors. This is almost seven dollars per capita for every man, woman and child under the American flag. It is surely a wonderful business to be built up in practically ten years. The same authority goes on to state that at least one hundred and fifty million dollars of this enormous sum is being expended this year for light, cheap cars, of the class represented by the Ford, and it is interesting in this connection to follow out the reason for this great demand for cheap cars. Primarily the small light car is not a pleasure car, for while there are thou sands of them sold for that purpose, they are rather an all purpose car de signed for business uses and utilized for pleasure incidentally. The cheap, light cars like the Ford, Metz, Hup East Third and Burnslde Streets Princess Hotel . Portland, Oregon. FIBEFROOP. Rates 50c, 75c, $1 and $1.50 per day; 12.50 per week; with bath, $3.30 and up. All outside rooms. Under Personal Supervision of Owners. , THE HOUSE OP WELCOME. ., WHEN IN PORTLAND atop at the incomparable Hotel Benson CENTRAL, FIREPROOF, MODERN, LOW RATES Bend for free book. Carl Stanley, Mgr. tlonal Livestock Exposition, Union, Stock- yards. Dee. 7-13, Portland, Or, Oregon Poultry and Pet Stock Show. and the small studebaker and Buick have built up their business because there. was a demand for the cheap car. This has been especially true of the Ford, which was the first cheap automobile made that was a real auto mobile. The result has been that they are expecting to turn out 300,000 cars the present year. This movement, or the development of this industry, is along the lines of evolution. All business is built up in response to a demand, otherwise it would not be a staple business. Prob ably no one thing has caused as much study and thought as the question of rapid individual transportation. It was this that built the bicycle, then the safety and then the automobile, but after the automobilo had been me chanically perfected the tendency in price was up instead of down, so that the poor man or woman was little bet ter off than before until the cheap automobile came into use. This is the feature that creates the demand for a still cheaper car and that will build up the cycle car industry even faster, in the opinion of most authorities, than the automobile business itself has been built up. The cycle car business will in no way affect the general auto mobile business it is a new branch of the industry. The fact that there is a demand, and an enormous demand for cycle cars, is fully borne out by the state ment that there are already nearly thirty factories in the East, all of them being offered all of the business they want, and one of the latest in the first four months has sold 6,000 cars. These little cars sell in the East at $350, and up until the establishment of the Elbert Motor Car Company in Seattle there have been no factories on the Pacific Coast Tho new company is building a car that sells for $295, and is receiving inquiries for cars and for agencies from such widespread sources and of such a character that they arc firm in the belief that they are going to be offered a tremendous volume of business. The geographical position should give the local factory firdt call on tho business of the far East, much of which has heretofore been handled in Europe, and much of which is new business. Naturally the European manufacturers are at the present time unable to de liver the goods, and there are very few of them that manufacture narrow tread cars. The narrow tread car seems to be absolutely essential for the Chinese and Japanese trade, principally because they must follow narrow trails. The car must be cheap in first cost, low in upkeep, simple in construction and have sufficient power to go anywhere there is a fair road. There does not seem to be any limit to the business that can be built up by a factory on this coast. Many author ities are iirm in the belief that the, light car business will within five years equal the present volume of the entire industry, This does not seem unreasonable when we take into consideration the fact that there are over 100,000,000 peoplo under the American flag. Cer tainly not all of them could own even a cheap automobile, but that many people will count for more than 25, 000,000 families, and surely one out of each five families could afford a mo tor car that only costs $300 and can be operated at an expense no greater than street car faro. We have then five million possible customers, or more than threo times as many as there are motor cars of all descriptions now in use. Figuring on a basis of $300 per car we come back to the figures fore casted in tho Automobile Trado Jour nal. One excellent exercise for bringing into play unused muscles is that of steadying oneself by holding lightly to the back of the chair and then kicking, not exceedingly high, eight times with each leg twice to each side. It is said, too, that besides exercising unused muscles this exercise frees and stimu lates the large nerves of the lower por tion of the spinal column, and this, of course, makes for health. This exercise may be repeated every day or every other day to advantage. PACITIO NORTHWEST PAIRS. Oct. 1617, St. Johns, Wash., Harvest Carnival. Oct. za-Nov. 14. Portland, Or,, Manuf c turns' and Land Products Show. Oct. 28-31, Tneoma, Wash., Washington Boys' and Girls' Agricultural and Induatrial Contest. Nov. IB 21, Spokane, Wash., Spokane Na tional Apple Show. Nor. 25-28, Walla Walla, Wash., O.-W. R. ft N. Com Show. Not. 80-Deo. 5, Lewiston, Idaho, North west Livestock Annual Show, Doc, 7-13, Portland, Or., Puciflo Interna- 3ERTLE FIELDS f made doubly productive by study ing our complete course in Agricul ture and Fruit Raising. It contain! facts of unusual value and explains in concise, clean-cut lan guage what to do and how to do it. A big help to all wishing to secure the best results from land. Endorsed by Home In dustry League. Chartered 1803. Booklet describes this and 60 other money-making courses sent FREE. Dept. 6. Modern School of Correspondence Underwood Bldg., San Francisco. Lewis Audible Speed Indicator A simple contri vance which at taches to the crank handle of any separator and is adjusted to the required speed. Until the right speed is reached an alarm bell rings; when the right speed is at tained, the bell stops ring, but there is a clearly audi ble click to be heard with each revo lution. When the proper speed is passed and the machine is turned too rapidly, the click ceases. COLUMBIA DAIRY SUPPLY CO. Portland, Oregon. Profitable Trade A practical trade makes you inde pendent. Takes, only a few months to learn. Positions guaranteed. WATCH MAKING ENGRAVING OPTICAL SCHOOL 216 Commonwealth Bldg., Portland, Or. I HAVE SPECIALIZED 1 I IN THIS WOEK FOB I V YEARS V WILSONS AUCTION HOUSE 166-8 First St, Portland, Oregon. LARGEST AUCTION HOUSE ON THE COAST. SALES DAYS Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Goods Sold at Private Sale at All Times. Auctions conducted in any part of the State. J. O. WILSON, Auctioneer. WORK 12 YEARS GLASSES BY MAIL 12.00 1 The same kind you pay others four and five dollars for. By our new method we can make you the best pair of reading glasses you have had. Send us your address and we will send you our complete outfit for testing tho eyes and measuring the face. They are simple, a child can use them. Our glasses are of good quality, gold filled, warranted for ten years. 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Particu lar attention is now being paid to prompt, efficient and courteous service. DAILY RATES $2.00 Up With Private Bath $1.00 Up Withont Private Bath Hotel Butler Cafe THE FINEST IN SEATTLE Service the Best Cuisine Unexcelled BOBEBT J. ROBINSON Manager, Wh en in Seattle EFRYE in tiaaiajsa Seattle s Greatest Hotel