The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-12
Motoring Notes,
Good Roads News
and Trade Matters

In the weight OF all sizes of trucks.
indicating that in the Judgment of
the manufacturers. the trucks Of 1911
were too light. said E. s. Foijambe.
editor of the Commercial Car Journal,
Philadelphia, in a paper read before
the August meeting OF the Philadel-
phia Branch Of the Society Of Auto
mobile Engineers The largest in
crease ~ in the l. o0o-pound trucks, the
average weight being $3.50 pounds
for 1912. an average increase OF 736
pounds. The weissIrs of the other
sizes have increased from one to two
hundred pounds. There Is also
noticeable increase In the rear, over
hang of all the models. fve-ton
trucks increasing from IS inches to
rs inches.
The facts presented TO the en-
gineers were from specifications and
data taken from 423 different models
representing 3fa different American
makers. The Information covered
1871 and lel2 and showed that the
most popular sized truck is the one
ton type, represented by Is per cent
OF all the trucks listed by the makers.
Prom curves of speed plotted from
this data, 1t was found that there
has been a drop IN the speeds as
recommended by the makers, of about
one TO one and one-hait miles an
hour on all models between 1900
pounds and four-tons capacity: the
speeds recommended for the small
- re ha In
ing practically the came as IN 1911.
But even the 1912 speeds are from
two to three miles per hour higher
than those recommended by the Ma
Eonal Association of Automobile
Manufacturers The speeds Of the
smaller trucks are increasing and nut
decreasing. thes beng due to the
growing use OF pneumatic tires.
In this connection rae figures show
that there has been a remarkable in
crease in the use of pneumatics on
the 1900 pound models. namely, from
liz per cent last year to SO per cent
In 1912; In other words Ane-haif OF the
1,50o-pound models are now fitted
with pneumatic ttrea
Engine location - still mooted
question, foreign practice favors the
position under the mood. American
the seat or floor boards The present
figures show that this Is not now
standard American practice Mr.,
Foliambe exhibited curve of engine
location which showed conclusively
that there has been decrease Ia
the under the-seat- location OF the
motor on all the smaller capacity
machines, including everything up to
enc tone. On the one and a half to
three-tone models there has been
practically no change, while on the
four and FIVE ton trucks there has
been an increase In the underline
relocation.
Sat Up TO Read Book.
Thousands OF dollars Are spent each
year by the leading automobile COM
panies ON selling literature. Many
devices are used to mako, this an Ell
fective selling force for the COM
pany. Perhaps one of the most
unique methods Of increasing sales
efficiency and getting the attention Of
q large organisation to q piece OF
literature war recently originated by
Hugh Chalmers.
The Chalmers company had gotten
CUT book. STORY Of the Chalmers
Csr'-whieh In a newsy story OF how
a t,halmera car IN built from de-
axner's hoard to shipping platform.
Mr.. Cnalmers wanted ali dealers to
read this hook carefully 20 that IL
might be used most fntetttgpntty IN
promoting sales. So he dictated two
letters. The first put members of
his organization on their honor not
to omen the second until August goth.
The second letter. sealed In a sep
arate envelope. offered 4 new suit
or clothes 10 the firet two dealers
who should read the STORY of the
Chalmers car from cover to cover
and .end an affidayit to that erect
Postmarka on the enyeloner contain
ing afiidayits were to determine
priority.
Chalmers dealers throughout the
country were All cur,ositv nna mall
ed tina mysterious letter 10 his once
ms.,i ~ th.x ~ ~hn,,ts -. <,.n.