Indiana Auto Industry Value - 1909

Attachment AutoIndustry092609 contains an article published September 26, 1909 in the Indianapolis Star. It discusses the value of the Hoosier state's automobile industry at that time.
 
The article is problematic in that it reports a $2,000,000 sales figure but it is not at all clear to what that number refers. The sales figure was apparently revealed at a just concluded three day Premier Motor Manufacturing Company dealer convention. Premier was an Indianapolis-based automobile manufacturer. The number is confusing on a couple of levels. The article does not make it clear whether it refers to Premier or all Indianapolis-based manufacturers. Apparently, it is not in reference to statewide sales despite the fact that the headline would leave you to believe that.
 
The article underscores impressive industry growth by asserting that the entire market was less than $2,000,000 just nine years prior. It also notes that Premier was not a particularly large manufacturer. Indiana was second to Michigan in total output although no numbers are cited.
 
Among the features of the Premier convention was the celebration of their "Century Car" and a two-day endurance run to French Lick, Indiana and back. The mileage over the trip was almost 300 miles. The Century Car was a part of the trip as a 1908 Premier Glidden Tour entry which had already accumulated some 50,000 miles of road use. The Century Car has been in service for more than 30,000 miles. These were impressive figures in the day.