Harrisburg telegraph. (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, March 14, 1914, Image 16

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The Chalmers Sixes, the Htudebaker Fours and Sixes, and th« new little Saxon roadster are represented by
Robert L. Morton, manager of the Keystone Motor Car Company. Models of these makea will be displayed at
the ehew, besides a stripped chassis of the Chalmers "Six." In addition to the local agency for these cars,
the Keystone hua tho wholesale distribution for a number of counties throughout Central Pennsylvania.
THE MILL!! IRE
SUPfDRTEDBYAIITOS
Comprehensive Analysis of Indus
try by Mitchell May, New York's
Secretary of State
"Over 1,146,000 motor cars of all
descriptions in use in the United States
were registered in the several States
last yoar, and of this number 88 per
cent, vvero pleasure cars, and the re
gaining 12 per cent, commercial, this
proportion being based upon the regis
tration returns in New York Slate,
where of the total registrations of
186,000 motor vehicles, upwards of
16,000 were commercial," says Mit
chell May, Secretary of State.
"As may be inferred from these fig
ures, motoring has been the means of
building up a vast industry. The
TTnltod Stales Commerce and Industry
Hoport, recently made public, shows
that the number of foreign cars im
ported into this country during the
Jifl-st three years lias been neglihlc,
88s than 4,000, while the number ex
ported lias been enormous, ligures
Which speak wull for the soundness
at the American product, especially
when it is to bo remembered that it is
but threo or four years since our ex
{>ort trade Was insignificant, while a
arge number of the motor cars in use
at home were of foreign make.
"As a matter of statistics, 9 4 per
cent, of the cars used in this country
are of American manufacture, and if
a comparison were made upon values
this percentage would be still higher,
for it can bo safely computed that the
motor cars owned in the United States
aggregate a present value of nearly two
billions of dollars, an estimate placed
upon a basis of rating one-half of the
total number of cars registered last
year at SI,OOO each, and the remain
ing hall' at $2,000 each, both figures
being exceedingly conservative, as the
price of motor cars varies from as low
as S4OO to as high as $6,000 for the six
cylinder limousine. The statistics fur
ther show that close to $600,000 was
spent upon the purchase of new cars
by American motorists last year, and
to this sum is yet to be added the
value of the accessories, the supply of
which forms a very substantial
branch of the motor car trade.
License Fees a Great Expense
"But the annual expenditure for
new machines, large as it is, is not all
the expense, as the cost of running la
heavy, witnessed by an industry
which motoring has built up. namely,
tire manufacturing, which is becom
ing almost as large as the motor-car
building trade itself. Next to the
tires is the cost of gasoline and lu
bricating oil, which is among the
heaviest of the motorist's expendi
tures. Besides the cost in repairs,
renovation, and periodical 'overhauls'
amounts to many millions, while add
ed to this is the sum of the annual
registration and license fees, which,
since 1911, when a careful collection
of statistics from thirty-six States was
made by the Secretary of State's of
fice, amounted to exactly $3,740,938.-
SpmmnmmtffiE mttromusm w wmg
Do You Ever Ride on the |
8 Rear Seat of Your Car? i
So —AND GET THE FULL BENEFIT OF THOSE HARD, ZZ
♦♦ JOLTING BUMPS SO FREQUENTLY MET WITH ON g
£► DAILY ROUTINE AND TOURING? 3
Perhaps not. Most owners drive their own cars, sitting iZ
». ► far from the region of bumps and jars.
8 Now, Mr. Owner-Driver, suppose you take a trial trip
on that rear seat. THEN you will experience the'-misery XX
Zo which your passengers are forced to endure on every trip. ZZ
THEN is the time to resolve to put on those much abused g
rear springs, a pair of 2
SIM-FLEX I
| -PLICITY ||| -IBILITY $
$! Automobile Shock Absorbers g
f | "Keal Comfort «t little cost." "Moat simple device of Its kind." 5
- SEE THE SIMFLEX AT THE AUTO SHOW U
It does all that any other will, at from one-half to one- g
£ * third the price. Take a two weeks' free trial. If unsatisfac- g
tj ! tory, take them off; Costs you nothing. ISN'T THAT Tf
fc; CONVINCING? v g
£ ► SIMFLEX are $20.00 per pair put on. Others cost from S
C | $50.00 to $75.00. Nothing "cheap" about them. Best of ma- tt
XZ terials. Wearing parts case hardened. Y*
|| Eureka Wagon Works, Agents |
XI Wagon Building and Repairing a Specialty—Auto Delivery ||
x ► Bodies Built Auto and Wagon Painting it
TJ A, H BAILEY Bell Pone 1348 J 614-18 North St. fi
SATURDAY EVENING, &ARRISBURG TELEGRAPH • MARCH 14,1914.
ROBERT L MORTON IN CHALMERS SIX
66. Since that time, especially during
last year, over twice this license record
was shown, totaling approximately
$9,500,000 in' license tees.
"While many owners keop their cars
In stables converted to a new use, a
large number of motor vehicles are
stored in public garages, or In build
ings especially rented for that purpose,
and the cost of this service must ag
gregate a large sum, although per
haps the heaviest expense of all is in
looking after the driving and care of
the cars, the need for which has
opened a new calling of vast extent.
The actual number of professional
drivers licensed in this country during
1011 was 174,087, and since that time
the number in this country has In
creased l'our-fold. If the wages of
these chauffeurs were fixed at a yate
of sls per week, and the compensa
tion of others employed about the car
were added, the total would reach up
wards of eleven millions annually,
and thus the running expenses of the
motorists added to the purchase cost
and incidentals, would reach the enor
mous aggregate of some billions of
dollars.
"But these figures cover only tins
direct expenditure upon cars and their
operation and do not tako into ac
count the moneys expended indirectly
in connection with motoring, such as
the cost of suitable clothing, hotel,
and traveling expenses while touring,
which must add several millions to
the total amount. The spending of this
money benefits, directly or otherwise,
a great number of people, especially
tho industrial classes. The propor
tion of direct labor expended in tho
actual production of the car varies
greatly according to conditions under
which It is produced. It la low whero
highly organized machinery is en
gaged in the production of the stand
ardized mechanical details of the
chassis, and correspondingly high in
regard to the parts of the body to
which standardization cannot be ap
plied.
Indirect Cost of Motoring
"The average of direct labor upon
the car is small, but this does not by
any means cover the entire Cost to the
manufacturer as it only covers the
labor directly employed upon the con
struction In the motor-car manufac
tories. There are, in addition to the
items of rent, rates, and taxes, heat
ing, lighting, and power, the wages of
the unskilled labor throughout tho
works, the salaries of the managers
and the staff of supervisors, the highly
skilled draughtsmen and the testing
staffs, and the clerical assistants who
deal With the supplies and keep check
on the work. Moreover, the manu
facturers', purchases are high In the
way of material which is not 'raw,'
but the finished and partly finished
products of other trades. When a
machine is finished, still more labor
is required for its distribution and sale,
and there is a large staff of clerks In
commercial departments of Several
lirnis, managers, travelers, and sales
men, and thousands of depots and
agencies all over the country and for
eign lands, all employing labor in
taking care of and selling cars.
"From the first to the last over one-
I half of the cost of the motorcar repre-
I sents labor, whide the balance Is not
i manufacturers' profit, but such items
as rent, rates, fuel, lighting, heating,
advertising, traveling expenses, office
expenses, agents' commissions, depre
ciation of plant and machinery, all of
which represent a loss and profit
which must be distributed in dividends
often representing but a slight per
centage of the whole, while even in
tho numerous items mentioned as
making up the balanco between the
cost of labor, an appreciable amount
goes to labor In one lorm or another.
"Apart from tho cost of cars, If
other items are analyzed similarly af
fecting the expenditure or upkeep, as
already pointed out, it would be tound
that each and all pay their quota or
share to labor. Tire prices, for in
stance, probably cover a large pro
portion of the wages to the laborers
of this country, apart from their in
fluence an labor abroad In the manu
facture of rubber and cotton goods.
Fuel and oil, while produced almost
entirely here, and representing a vast
Industry, call for work in relining
which, with other handling in distri
bution, count for a good part of their
price.
"At least half of the cost of repairs
and renewals goes to labor, while even
such Items as garago expenses, regis
tration. and license fees and insur
ance also mean the employment of
laborers and helpers, collectors, and
clerical staff. Taking ail the expendi
tures of owners of motor-cars, the
benefits directjy to the industrial
classes must aggregate close to a bil
lion dollars annually. If the average
of the wages and salaries of all en
gaged in the motor trade and other
connected industries bo taken Into
consideration es SBOO per annum, it
means that upwards of a million ob
tain their employment by that indus
try and that something like three
millions of the population are directly
or indirectly supported by the manu
facture of motor-cars.
"Thou there remains a very impor
tant item of depreciation which, al
though not one of direct, out-of-the
pocket expenditure, is one nevertheless
representing a loss of capital and
should therefore be included. If this
were done it would add another vast
sum to the total so that if these items
are considered, it is certain that at the
present rate of increase the gross ex
penditure upon all branches of mo
toring will, before the present yoar
Is out, reach the enormous suni of
over three billions of dollars."
Electric Gear Shift a
Feature of Haynes Car
"The car with the electric chauf
feur," Is the tel'm by which the Haynes
car is fast becoming known. Speak
ing of the electric year shift, George
G. McFarland, manager of the Harris
burg Automobile Company, said:
"For a number of years the pas
senger compartment of high grade
limousines has been equipped with a
series of buttons controlling various
colored lights on the dash by means of
which the occupant may signal the
driver to start, stop, drive home, to
the club, or to tho office, as the case
may be.
"On the Haynea car the rider does
the same thing, only he signals the
car itself. He presses a button mark
ed "S" und the motor starts; he press
es button No. 1 and the car moves off
in low speed; another button and he
is travelling in second, and then he
signals in the same manner for third
or high speed.
"By means of this electric mechan
ism the operation of shifting gears is
rendered absolutely "fool proof."
When the clutch is thrown out, there
is a gentle tug, which developes into
a steady vigorous pull; It is impossible
for It to Jerk, or in other words, the
possibility of stripping a gear is over
come. With such a car the driver be
comes expert in its control and op
eration as soon as ho has learned to
steer, and tho Haynes representative
states it takes the average man but
twenty-five minutes to learn this."
Simflex Shock Absorber
Have Interesting Exhibit
The Simflex shock absorber will be
exhibited in a novel manner at the
auto show next week by the Eureka
Wagon Works, local agents. The ex
hibit will consist of an ordinary auto
mobile spring fitted with one of the
Simflex absorbers and a long bar at
tached to the upper part, tho whole
mounted on a small stand. Moving
the bar with the hand shows the
action of the Simflex.
The parts are built in proportion,
lighter than the regular equipment, so
that a plain demonstration may be
given by one person. This equipment
will be mounted in the Eureka Wagon
Works' space in Accessory Row this
afternoon. .
All local motorists who have seen
or tried the Simflex since it has been
shown here in the past two weeks were
favorably impressed with it. Quite a
number of Harrisburg automobile
owners have already placed the Sim
flex on their cars and more have or
dered them for installation in the near
future.
"Nothing but the highest grade of
material is used in the construction
of the Simflex," said a representative
of the local agency this morning. "All
friction parts of this little shock ab
sorber are case hardened, just like the
transmission gears of an automobile
However, It is not felt that these parts,
hard as they are, will wear forever!
and an adjustment in tho form of a
number of liners is therefore provided.
The removal of one of these as re
quired will Insure continued perfect
action.
"The man who Is particular with hie
car knows that in tho majority of
cases the ordinary spring action will
not prevent a severe wear and tear
at vital points. One of tho chief duties
of the Simflex aside from comfort for
the passenger is adding to the life of
the ear."
Drinking fountains along the Lin
coln Highway throughout Illinois will
be established by a wealthy Los An
geles man In memory of his mother
who was a native of the Sucker State
The fountains will be painted red,
White and blue, to harmonize with the,
."ilea along tho way, J
PACKARD MODELS AT I
LOCAL Bp OFFICE
Well-known Motor Car Company
Maintains Service Station
Here For Packard Owners
Tlio Packard Motor Car Company
|is one of the very few high-grade
automobile companies represented in
Harrisburg to-day. The local office
was opened over two years ago by the
Packard Motor Car Company of
Philadelphia. There has been a steady
Increase in Packard sales in the terri
tory from that time.
Tho Harrisburg office has been as
signed a large territory, • which has
bten completely covered and worked
with grettt. success.
Under the management of B. B,
Harrington the Harrisburg oHlce has
secured approximately 570,000 worth
of business in now cars since the llrst
of September, which is remarkable,
Inasmuch as the cars were sold during
the winter months.
A large accessory business, which
Includes tires, special Packard lubri
cants and Packard parts, has been de
veloped and Packard owners through
out the territory deal exclusively with
the local office because of the service
and attention rendered.
Special attention Is being paid to the
sale of Packard trucks and the results
have been exceptionally gratifying.
The "2-38" and tho "4-48" models
which the Packard Motor Car Com
pany is now exhibiting have proved to
be the most popular evor exploited by
the company. The local office has a
"2-38" demonstrator of the seven
passenger type and a great amount of
favorable comment has been created
by the appearance of the car and the
extraordinary comfort obtained whllt.
driving in winter. The features of
having the side curtains opening and
closing with the doors, together with
the one-man top, converts the car into
a closed carriage for winter purposes.
The Packard Motor Car Company is
carrying on at tho present timo two
sales contests, one for pleasure cars
Hupmo b i I e
The car of TKe Anvericaiv Foirtvll^
Why?
Motor cars, like men, generally "get streamline, tho' it was not designated
what is coming to them." by that name.
If the Hupmobile were not, in fact, "tHe . . . . - , .
car of the American family," ten mil- Pe ° ple In that design, and In
lion gallons of printer's ink could not the engine ' a marked advance ta
make it so. ci P le practice..
If it were not, indeed, "the best car of its For, two years ago, the Hupmobile
class in the world," ten million repeti- showed at New York, for the first time
tions of the phrase could not achieve i n America, the small-bore, long*
that reputation. stroke motor, a type since very
Sooner or later, the American people will widely adopted,
put each and every motor car where it ' And thousands of owners began spnad ,
belongs. i n g the conviction that the Hupmobile
They have different opinions about differ- was "the best car of its class in the
ent cars, but only one opinion—every- world" partly because of the pulling
where about the Hupmobile. powcr of that motor .
Why? Well, let's go back to the beginning. , t has been £n every detail of
We said, then, that we would build a car ing development,
which would compare with the costliest
cars, as a smaU diamond compares with The Hupmobile has never forgotten that
a large one. fir®t promise concerning the large dia
mond and the small one.
That meant more money, and more care,
in the chassis a car of higher It has come to be recognized
caliber at a popular price. as essentially economical.
first Hupmo- " Its owners are
Unit en bloc poww plant, amatl-bor*. lootf-atroka motor, 3k-inrl> W« Vr n O t C T C 1 y
bile. oH-iact (trokti (rsukli-Droof carliurtton (sll-ilMtlai ntr ult. With rt|ul» , . J
equipment, touring ear or roadster type. sloso[ with alcotrle atartinf an A S a t 18116(1'
lighting, demountable rima, overaisa tlrea and tire aarriee, 11200,1. o.b. Detroit.
Th pn came the p<,,l,en ' er baa regular equipment of oversize tires, demountable rims and th € V are
men came L tire carrier, price J1200: with electric lighting and starting SI3OO, f.o. b. Detroit
Hupmobile HUPP MOTOR CAR COMPANY DETROIT,MICHIGAN actually fond
touring car— of it.
of equally individual design. That is why it has become known as
That design was the fa the" of this year's "the car of the American family."
universally adopted "streamline." « .
That is why so many of our owners
Two years ago—at the New York believe with us —that it is "the best
Show—the Hupmobile revealed the car of its class in the world.".
NEIGHBORS MOTOR COMPANY, of Cleveland, Ohio
Retail and Wholesale Distributors
HARRISBURG BRANCH 120 Market Street (Senate Hotel Block)
Wholesale
H. C. BWEIUOK T. *. WILDBHMTTTH
Huifw Kwufw
BILL PHOWE 3471
REO THE FIFTH AND "KING" GEORGE THE FIRST
R«o the Fifth is ffulded by a master hand In this territory, and considering the large number of Rons h«
has placed In this vicinity, Georgo O. McFarland will soon be entitled to the honor of king umong Reo distribu
tors. Besides the Reo pleasure cars and trucks, the Haynes and National cars ure represented here by the llar
rlsburg Automobile Company, as well as the Chase trucks.
and one for trucks, and the Harris
burg office has obtained a high rating
in both contests.
Mr. Harrington is well known
locally and well liked among the Har
risburg Packard owners.
PREVENT DOORS RATTLING
After a car has been in use some
time, especially If the body be rather
weak, the wood unseasoned or the
frame unduly springy, the doors will
rattle. Although the actual play may
be very small, still It makes a most
annoying noise, and in these days
of noiseless engines and quiet trans-
missions, body rattles and body
squeaks are exceedingly irritating. All
that is requlrod to stop a rattling door
is to get a thin brass plate, or if pre
ferred, a thin piece of fibre or leather,
and fix It on to the doorpost. Of course
a little Judgment is required In doing
this. You should see that the thick
ness of the plate is only lnflnitesimally
greater than the amount of play in the
door, and If the door is loose all the
way down another plate should be fit
ted about an Inch or so from the
lower end of the doorjamb. It is ob
viously a makeshift, but there is no
other easily applied remedy, as noth
ing but entirely refitting the doors
would stop the looseness, and this
would necessitate repainting.
COURT UPHOLDS TAX LAW
The Supreme Court of the State of
Ohio has decided that the State high
way law levying a half mill tax for
road purposes, is constitutional. This
assures the collection of about SB,-
500,000 annually for aiding the coun
ties and for building a system of main
roads. It will be remembered that a
bond Issue was defeated in Ohio In
1912, and the Legislature of 1913 en
acted a law levying one-half mill on
all property, which the courts hav»
now upheld.