The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-04-21
More Direct Distribution of Per.
ishable Food Is Needed, Says
Henry harrington
GROCERS HAVE INVESTED
$5,5OO,OOO IN AUTOS
Motor Truck Authority Puts
Peter Smith & Sons in List
of Progressive Firms
az HENRY HARRINGTON,
Editor of 1.-The Power Wagon.


The coat of living to the people OF
the United States is at least $1,20o,-
noO o0O more than II should be. And
this loss IL directly attributable 10
the present wasteiui methous Vi """
ling food products. ,,,.,,
6uicker and more direct distrlou-
ton NJ perishable food will largely de-
crease its final cost to the consumer
and will also improve the average
Quality 10 a noticeable degree. .,
In the movement now going on al.
over the coutry to reduce the cost Oh
living. the more progressive grocers
are doing their share by throwing OUT
the expensive and obsolete system Oh
del,very by horse wagons, and are III
stalling motors In their places.
4 careful census reveal the aston
,shing fact that grocers in these
Irni,ed States have invested upwards
of 800. 900 in motor wagons. ABOUT
. OOO grocers operate total or Z,ooo
motor wagons. varying in CARVING
capacity from 800 pounds 10 'ohs
each. -. 1870,
These are distributed In 46 states
and territories No less tnan $50
towns appear on the list. so II VIII De
seen that the distribution Is country
wide and fully representative or Am
erican progress
Most OF these grocers own and oper-
ate only one machine each, put tnere
are several hundreds with more tnan
one u.. 4,
One OF the biggest installations Is
that OF the Acme Tea company, pro-
gressive concern operating chaln or
retail grocery stores in Phiiadelphla'
This Arm has 81 motor trucks at pres
ent. and has expressed the intention
of buying 200 more in the near future
The largest fleet OF motor wagons
owned by one grocery company Is tnat
OF James Butler, Inc, the Dig New
York chain-store grocer. This concern
has 35 machines. valued at $15o,ooo
The Peter Smith & Sons Co. De
troit. Mich. has just bought 23 motor
wagons. after having fully tried OUT
machines for some time previous:
Other grocers having installations
OF more than one motor wagon lnclude'
One with 10 machines. one with ~
three with 9. two with s, three with q,
seven with 6. eight with ., Al with A.
SO with 3, and 277 with 2.
Practically ALI of these commenced
with a single motor wagon, and bought
the rest on the showing OF their first
machine-some because the machine
brought extra trade-which is sum-
cient evidence OF the ability OF the
mower wagon to make good in the
grocery business.
Compared with the use or motor
trucks in the country at large. three
figures are comparatively insignia
cant. There are about $4,000 power
wagons in road service in this coun-
try. The total investment Is $l5O,-
100000. There are 10 concerns with
an average installation OF over so ma
chimes each, and an aggregate Invest
ment Of S15,OO0,000, which shows the
confidence OF the big business men or
this country In the motor truck idea
A small grocer in Chicago said he
would not consider the motor wagon
for some years. until II was properly
developed" But he changed his tune
when told OF the foregoing particulars.
And he was utterly astonished when
shown list Of nearly 100 grocers In
Chicago who have total Of l26 ma
chimes
This individual is typical OF thou
sands OF others. and such men. when
they finally do buy motor wagons.
often make the mistake of purchasing
machines wholly unsuited to their
reeds.
The obvious way to avoid this fatal
mistakes is to buy machines only from
manufacturers who have an establish
ed reputation. The officials OF such
concerns have learned to avoid mis-
takes, for their pioneering work was
done long ago. and they possess in
formation from which to advise pros
pective customers what machines TO
buy and how to apply and administer
them Also they are practically sure
to remain in business. which is an
insurance to their customers that the
machines they buy will be assured OF
continued service.
n motor truck company mas been
in business for several years. or II Its
offcials are men OF known reputation
In the power wagon industry. II is
usually a safe bet TO buy its machines,
especially when IL can refer to a long
list OF satisfied customers.
There Is no longer the slightest rea-
son for a grocer--or anv other trades
man-for not having motor delivery.
m nearly every large city there are
professional motor truck operators
who lease or rent the services Of ma
chimes, some by the day, week or
month, others on longtime contracts
Of from one TO three years. And II
nearly always happens that the price
for such service. considering the ton
mage moved and the miles covered. Ia
much cheaper than operating horse
wagons
Thus. II grocer wants to try ont
motor delivery. he can lease from a
professional. or course, the motor
truck operator makes profit. but
then no also guarantees service and
besides. be can administer large
number OF machines much more
cheaplv In proportion than an individ.
usI concern can one or two
There II another way In which the
up-to-date grocer can have the benefits
OF motor delivery without taking the