The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-02-09
TRAFFIC OF CHICAGO
10 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.

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 q
traffic as is daily carried in the
streets bounded by Chicago avenue,
Halsted and Eighteenth streets.
Exclusive of the stock yards team
ing, almost 100000 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 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 $4,000 men find work in the care
of the teams.
The amount of freight carried across
town by teams has trebled In Is
years. Over 10000 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
$60,000,000 Is a conservative figure
for the investment represented in the
trucks, teams and equipments. This
figure is based upon an estimated cost
of $1,150 for a two-horse truck, team
and harness, and includes no minor
equipment.
Few big manufacturers in Chicago
own their own teams. The teaming
business is considered as much of a
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 $250.000 in wages every
day. II 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 Chicago's
street traffic. These figures, accord
ing to expert opinion, are moderate.
Elaborate systems, extending down
to the salt fed to the horses, are cred
tied with the economies of the pres
emit system. Some barns in Chicago
can, II required, turn out 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
shoers of the company. All accidents
or needed repairs are noted by team
sters as they return at night to the
barn, and 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 lump of rock
salt is hung above the horses head,
within easy reach, 1t being believed
that all the salt the animal can lick
OF 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 A 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 puzzling. While |
the streets could stand twice the traf-
fic they now carry. according to good |
such condition would ex-
clude all other interests, including |
street cars and pedestrians Motor I
trucks, tunnels and an extension of |
the business district are the solutions
most frequently offered.