The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1912-09-05

,pected with good roads that is quite
as vital as those ! have described.
There Is a vast amount of freight
andled short distances by the rail-
roads that could be transported by
auto trucks If the highways were IN
roper condition.
The handling of al freight matter
n loading and unloading is a heavy
mart of the cost of transportation;
once the goods are loaded, the cost
nee mile per ton is often ridiculously
small. | am now paying about one
half a cent for hauling ton OF liquid
asphalt one mile, but in this case
nv ton Is being hauled two thousand
miles: but on the other hand, am
charged over cents for hauling a
ton of the same material mile when
the total haul is only one hundred and
fourteen miles. The difference be-
tween these charges is, Of course,
largely due to competition, but con-
siderable amount of the difference In
these charges is properly accounted
for by the fact that the terminal
charges in both cases would be the
same, and being distributed In each
care over the total number Of miles
hauled, would reasonably make the
cost per mile greater In the case OF
the short haul.
Now, apply this: The wholesale
merchant can load a shipment OF gro
ceries on his auto truck and deliver
! il to the store of his retail customer
twenty miles away over a good road,
for very little more than it would cost
him to deliver the same load to his
local freight depot, the only excess in
cost would be the cost Of fuel and
oil, wages OF driver, and proper al
lowance for use of the machine. Ow-
Jug to the usual delay at the railroad
station 1t is highly probable that the
twenty mile trip could be made, the
shipment safely and surely delivered
to the purchaser and the auto truck
be back for another load as soon as
il would have been from the freight
station.
In many locations where good
roads are the rule instead of the ex-
ception, freight lines running auto
trucks have been established and
y erchandise Is regularly hauled, and
delivered when required, quickly and
at reasonable cost
Here 10 a way in which good roads
will help to reduce or check the dread
fully high cost of living, for, not only
was the cost of railway transportation
eliminated in the case nave describ.
ed, but had the goods come by rail.
road the receiver must have paid for
loading and unloading the goods into
wagon or truck at his end of the
, line and for the cost Of hauling from
, the depot TO his store. He must car
, ry a larger stock because OF the un
: lNi IldlIly VI ldllNag INV az
: must charge loss of use of money
7 tied up in this larger stock and fol
Y probable loss or damage to stool
r through having to keep it on hand ;
d longer time.
Ii is not now at all unusual to NEE
a an auto truck carrying a great Loaf
8 of lumber, doors, sash and blind
l. fifty to a hundred miles from the mil
l. direct to the spot where the buye
d road such trip would be made in
o day, and four landings of the toti
n ad would be saved and the materi'
q delivered in perfect condition, jul
le as II came out of the mill. If anythir
N Is short, the seller is clearly respo
IL sible and the buyer is not forced
now, to the unsatisfactory course
H. taking up the question OF shorta
- with the transportation company.
- The people rarely have reason
quarrel with the railroads over TIT
charges for hauling freight long q
tances, as / have shown Their cha
es in that case are remarkably lc
and are constantly going lower
their roadbeds are being rebu
grades reduced, curves eliminated q
rails provided of such section
makes possible the use of enorm'
locomotives capable of hauling tn
sands of tons in place of the hundr
formerly constituting tralnloads.
y the local short haul charges REM
NJ and in many cases must remain
7 ! same on account of the cost Of
essary repeated handling Of the &c
therefore one great hope OF redut
the cost of living or at least OF CHI
inc tie further rise iipg In thf,