The Elbert County tribune., 1906-12-20
TRAFFIC OF CHICAGO
ts HEAVIEST ON EARTH ACCORD
ING TO AN AUTHORITY.
City Leads World in Extent Of Team
Ing Interests and In Investment
Fortune Paid Out Daily
for Wages.

Chicago.-This city is the greatest
teaming city In the world. No other
area anywhere on the face OF the
globe bears the burden Of so great a
traffic as is daily carried in the
streets bounded by Chicago avenue,
Halsted and Eighteenth streets.
Exclusive OF the stock yards team
tng. almost 10000 trucks rattle every
day over the streets of the business
district according to T. J. Cavanagh,
editor of the American Team Owner.
At the rate of n driver. and two men
for unloading each wagon. 100000
men are directly employed in trans
porting freight through the city
streets. An additional army OF at
least % 900 men find work in the care
Of the teams.
The amount of freight carried across
town by teams has trebled in Is
years. over 100000 tons of freight
are hauled through the downtown
streets daily, in addition to the vol
ume OF freight traffic now handled by
the tunnels and the 1900 tons of
freight handled through South Water
street.
Data gathered in connection with
the wide-tire ordinance shows that
$50. .000.0 900 is conservative figure
for the Investment represented in the
trucks, teams and equipments. This
figure is based upon an estimated cost
of $1150 for a two-horse truck, team
and harness, and includes no minor
equipment.
l. 10.
own their own teams. The teamlng
business is considered as much of
speciality as lighting or heating. and
Is subject to men who do nothing
else. Probably rs per cent. of all
teaming is done through big teaming
companies.
For team drivers and helpers Chi
cago pays s250,000 in wages every
day. If the wages of the men who
load and unload the wagons be includ
ed then 100000 every night goes to
pay for the maintenance of Chicagos
street traffic. These figures. accord
ing to expert opinion. are moderate.
Elaborate systems. extending down
20 the salt fed to the horses are cred
tied with the economies of the pres
ent system. Some barns in Chicago
can. If required, turn out a six-ton
truck every two weeks without going
beyond their doors for supplies.
Blacksmiths for repairs, horseshoers,
painters. even, are regularly employed
by the management of the great
barns. In many instances no horse
is ever shod except by the horse
al ff n A 70
pr needed repairs are noted by team
sters as they return at night to the
barn, and a tag conveniently at
tached to the horses stall indicates
that the animal Is to be shod.
Feed for the horses is ground in
electric machines and automatically
measured, a special spread being pro-
vided In some barns on Saturday
night. Occasionally a lump of rock
salt is hung above the horses head.
within easy reach. it being believed
that all the salt the animal can lick
off before firing out will not do him
any injury.
The most elaborate precautions In
ventilation. feeding and stabling the
horses are declared to be in the end
economical. Despite the rapid in
crease of motor trucks. draft horses
are relatively scarcer and cost more
than ever before. good team will
bring at least $500. and If one horse
dies the other is hard to match.
Prominent dealers declare that the
outlook. In view of the tremendous
Increase in volume of freight now car
ried on the streets, Is puzzllng. While
the streets could stand twice the traf-
he they now carry. according to good
authority. such h condition would ex-
clude all other interests, including
street cars and pedestrians. Motor
trucks. tunnels ane an extension of
the business district are the solutions
most frequently offered