Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1912-08-22
MOTOR TRUCK HELPS FARMERS
AND SMALL MERCHANTS.
Widespread Use Of Autocars by some
truck Men Proves it Is not The
Big Concerns Alone Who Can
Profit by Modern Trans
portation Methods.


lBy Charles H. Spencer, of the
Autocar Company, Ardmore, Pa
1t is not simply the large business
concerns who can profitably use mo-
tor trucks. Abundant evidence Of
this is seen in the experiences of
small houses who are expanding their
business and covering new territory
by the purchase of power vehicles
and the turning of their wagon driv-l
ers into chauffeurs
How rapidly but small the progress
sive farmers and merchants are adopt
is shown by the increasing number
of cars which the Autocar Company
is selling to these men.
Along this line the experience of
Albert Hansell, well known fruit
grower of Burlington, N. J., is espec-
tally interesting. His experience
shows that his Autocar does the work
of six horses in hauling fruit and
produce to the Philadelphia market
and does it far more satisfactorily
and at a great saving in cost.
Among our list of users there are
now scores of business concerns of
moderate esources-laundries gro
ceries, bakeries, butchers, and the
like-whose purchase of one car has
resulted in immediate business
growth. In many cases as these men
state, this growth has exceeded their
highest expectations.
Old Argument Fallaci0us.
The motor truck used to be con-
sidered out of the reach of the man
of moderate means. 1T is all right
for the big fellows to install trucks,
these men would declare. They have
to do things on a big scale. They
have large plants, they get skilled
men to care for their cars, they build
their own garages, buy gasoline at re-
duced rates, and profit all along the
line by the cost reductions that are
possible to transactions in volume
Hence they can operate each We
hicle SO cheaply that it is good bust
ness for them to have trucks. | can't
do that, and besides l don't have
much more than enough work to keep
two horses and a team busy don't
need a truck. / couldn't keep it busy.
There seems plausibility and bust
ness discretion in this argument un-
til it is analysed and examined, then
it will be found that like nearly every
proposition which is opposed to pro-
gress it is based on unsound reason
ing.
The business man who resigns
himself to small volume of business
and it not concerned in installing
facilities for handling an increase is
never likely to get the business. He
is foredestined to stand still.
Motor Trucks Get the Business.
Some more enterprising rival who
is on the alert to grasp opportunities
and who is unwilling to limit his
permitted by horses and wagons is
going to get out and land the busi-
ness.
The city merchant not equipped
with the commercial vehicle is now
finding himself compelled either to
abandon the effort to do big business
in the suburbs or to expend sum of
money on horses that consumes hts
profits and makes his venture I'M
profitable.
This condition of affairs is forcing
the adoption of the motor truck which
knows no fatigue and is impervious
to the dangers of slippery streets, in
winter or hot sun in summer.
One fact too seldom considered by
the man who is weighing the cost of
motor trucks with that of horses is
that the truck costs money while 1t
is working only. The horse costs al
ways. 1t must be fed and maintained
at all times, in dull seasons as Well
as busy ones. AS it ages its useful
ness constantly lessons whether it is
being worked hard or kept in aDso-
lutte idleness
The reverse is true of the truck.
1T is only subject to wear and tear
when actually doing the work for
which it was purchased.
Left in the garage for months dur
ing season of poor business, it is
notsuffering the slightest depreciation
Its motor is as good as ever, its tires
are not being consumed, there is no
loss whatever
Chauffeurs Easily Trained.
Many business men are detrred
from buying motor trucks by the fear
that their wagon drivers cannot learn
to be chauffeurs
There is no more intelligence re-
quired to operate and take care of a
car than to take proper care of a
horse. The Autocar Company con-
ducts schools for drivers at its ser
vice buildings, in Philadelphia, New
York and Boston, and it is our ex-
perience that the average teaster can
readily be educated to operate a car.
New York has more power vehicles
than any city in the country. A great.
er percentage of the chauffenrs are
men who drove horses before the
truck began to take its commanding
place. In the congested streets of
the metropolis chauffeurs deal with
conditions more difficult than any
where else. Yet, statistics of violent
deaths on the streets of New York
City show that a smaller percentage
i. 49,. II. 1,