Indianapolis Auto Industry - 1909

This article was originally published in the Indianapolis Star on Decemer 5, 1909 as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway looked forward to its first time trial event after paving the track with bricks.
 
This article is a commentary on the health of the Indianapolis automobile manufacturing industry entering 1910. It is an upbeat report that provides hard numbers leading to conclusions.
 
Will H. Brown, vice president of the Overland Automobile Company commented:
 
"The present automobile manufacturers in Indianapolis alone - eleven in number - are preparing to build and have already placed orders for stock and parts to make more than 20,000 automobiles during the year 1910, the Overland Automobile Company heading the list with with 8,000 automoblies to be made in their Indianapolis factories."
 
Brown drew conclusions from the 20,000 figure. Given that there were only 300 working days in the year it meant that 67 cars had to be produced each day. He knew that 2.5 cars could be shipped in each freight cars, which meant 8,000 frieight cars would be required to carry the cars to their destinations. He extrapolated further that the reported volume required 5,000 laborers but also thousands more in the industry infrastructure involved with accessory parts, castings, steel and other raw materials. The total value, Brown concluded, would be $35,000,000 in sales.
 
For perspective other sources indicate Ford sold 32,053 cars in 1910, making it the market leader with Overland second at 18,200. This article was published just days prior to the December time trials event at the Speedway.