Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 86, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 July 1909 — Reports Say People of Indiana Are Automobile Mad. [ARTICLE]

Reports Say People of Indiana Are Automobile Mad.

The . people of Indiana are automobile mad, as is shown by the figures at the office of the secretary of state as to the number of new machines sold during the three months from April Ito July 1. These figures show that the secretary of state Issued 2,591 automobile licenses during those three months. In the first eight days of this month he issued 249 licenses, an average of thirty-one a day. This makes a total of 3,200 automobile licenses issued from the first of April to the ninth of July. Of course, not all of these were new machines, but it is said that the proportion of second-hand machines sold in the state and included in these figures was small. When a person buys a machine, no matter whether it bd a new one or an old one, he is required by the law to take out automobile license before he is allowed to run the thing in the state. It is estimated that the average price paid for an automobile in this state is at least $1,500. But when you consider the number of second-hand machines sold in the state for an average price of much less than it is safe to figure, that the average price for all of the 3,200 will be at least sl,000 each. This makes a total of $3,200,000 which people in Indiana spent for automobiles during the 100 days embraced In the time mentioned. This is $32,000 a day. In the same length of time last year the records show that 1,550 automobile licenses were issued. Therefore, the automobile sales this year are practically double what they were last year. It is said that most of the machines that are being sold now in Indiana are being sold to farmers. It appears to have become a fad for the well-to-do farmer to have his automobile, and this is especially true of the farmer who retires from active farm work and moved to town to enjoy the fruits of his labors. He almost invariably has his automobile to run back and forth to “the place.” Whether all of this indicates that farmers are becoming extravagant or whether it means that they are more than ordinarily prosperous Is a question, but it is a fact that millions of dollars will be spent by Indiana farmers this year for automobiles. At the office of the secretary of state it is said that nearly all of the sales of automobiles this year are made for. cash. In some cases notes are taken for the purchase price, but these are said to be rare cases. The dealers do not have to sell the machines on credit. They can sell all they can get forcash, for the automobile factories are being worked to their limit of capacity, and still are not able to turn out the machines fast enough to supply the demand. Therefore, it is cash that talks in the automobile business, and not credit. There are now about 12,300 automobiles in use in Indiana, as shown by the records in the office of the secretary of state.