New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-22
ALC0 TRUCK ENDS TRIP
Great Ovation to Crew at End
of Long Journey.
GREETED BY MAYOR R0LPH
Run from Philadelphia to San
Francisco Hampered Many
Times by Bad Roads.

city, escorted by Gordon OF motor trucks
and platoon OF police. and welcomed at
the City Hall by public officials, the
transcnntinental Alec truck that has
made the first trip on record In ectual
commercial service reached San Fran
cisco with its cargo on Friday from
Philadelphia.
Thousands Joined in the ovation accord
ed the vehicle from the time IL rolled of
the ferry until II became the centre OF In
terest at a public demonstration, where
Mayor RoIph was presented with mes
sage carried by the crew OF the truck
from Mayor Blankenburg OF Philadelphia.
In response the Mayor spoke words Of
praise Of the undertaking. In addition
there was big reception for the plucky
crew, consisting OF f. l. Ferguson, pilot:
Frank NORM and Frank Colburn, drivers,
and John Cambon. assistant
The arrival OF the truck marked the cul-
minaton OF journey that started from
the factory OF the owners, Charles W.
Young & CO.. OF Philadelphia. The vehicle
was taken out Of It's regular daily service,
and. laden with a three-ton consignment
for a silk company. set out June 20 on
it's coast-to-coast Journey. a delivery OF
i,oS9 miles. this trip through fifteen states
was fraught with many thrills from the
tlmo tho truck struck heavy sands in Ohio
until It crossed the highest point OF the
slerras and journeyed down the roads OF
California
AZ times the vehicle ran over boulevard
highways At others IL encountered
snowstorms. cloudbursts broken bridges
and steep grades. reaching as much as -
per cent II was forced often TO pull
through candy roads two feet deep and
through alkali mud up TO its hubs. on
occasions IL followed trails that were
merely deep ruts with high ground be-
tween Sometimes there were no trails nj
an. when the truck made detOurs from
,hc beaten path. ..-.
Departing from Philadelphia, after
heading a parade in which more than
I've hundred vehicles joined, the truck
checked in AT New York the first nigh, Of
boa overland journey. and continued By
way of Albany. Schenectady. Utica. SYRIA
c-a". Rochester and Buffalo; thence
across Northern Pennsylvania. by way OF
Erie into Cleveland The route from this
point led 10 Toledo. where the first ex-
pcriences with roads OF deep sand were
mot Rains the following day on tho way
to Edgerton Ohio. turned the going into
mud. Across Western Illinois, beyond
Chicago, tho Alco ran into roads OF gumbo
that wrapped around the wheels and gave
tests TO the trucks pulling power. Many
sharp grades had TO be climbed in reach
! ing Clinton. Iowa.
The Journey across Town by way OF
I Boone and Arlon was accompanied by
many thrilling experiences with bridges,
which were the weakest In any state ira
versed Several gave way. and In three
days at least five hundred were inspect
I'd by the crew one hundred were re
planked. braced or given other attention.
b Conditions in Nebraska were ideal By
I comparison with what the truck had
pulled through. the roads being better and
the bridges stronger. Most OF the way
across the state the crew were guests OF
various road boosting associations.
I Near Sterling Col, the vehicle was en-
quilted In a sea Of alksli mud when the
huge Irrigation canal in that section OF
the country overnowed. Trapped for
B twenty-soven hours. the crew were with
out food and cut off from communication
I with the world Even worse experiences
were the almost daily programme across
I Wyoming. which proved by far the most
difficult In negotiating. In eight days
there were ten cloudbursts In one section.
and the roads were at best but merely
trails, too narrow for the truck. There
were some gulleys as deep as fourteen
I feet. which the truck was forced 10 cross.
A. times one hundred miles from habita-
ton, tho crew encountered roads sub
merged under two feet OF water.
/ On the way TO Rock Springs the driv-
ers were forced 10 build dam 70 keep
back tho rush OF water. and ended their
vivid experiences IN the State Of Wyoming
I by rescuing touring party and a
stranded motor cyclist, marooned on an
alkali fat.
The rest Of the way To the coast by
way OF Utah. Idaho and Nevada was q
journey FOR the most part over narrow
cliffside roads and mountain passes that
compelled many stifr climbs. particularly
In Nevada From Carson City across Cali
fornla the roads were better. being down
grade n considerable part OF the way.