Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1913-01-02
Motor Truck Development.

MOUOT ITuCk OeVelOplueuU.
When the automobile first made it's
appearance in practical form, it was
generally believed that its use would
be largely confined to pleasure and re-
creation. However, the industry has
grown beyond the most sanguine ex-
pectations of the first few small manu-
facturers; more and more practical
uses for the auto have been found by
enterprising makers, and now it APP
pears that the automobile industry is
to record its greatest growth and
achievements in the designing and man.
ufacturing of motor trucks and delivery
wagons for commercial, industrial and
municipal purposes.
Fifty thousand motor trucks and de-
livery wagons is believed to be a con-
sentative estimate of the number now
in use in the United States. Carefully
compiled reports made at the beginning
of the year showed that there were then,
in round figures, close to 10000, and
state and city registrations of motor
vehicles compared with those of year
before proved that the number of these
vehicles is doubling annually.
Estimates of the probable production
for the coming year vary widely, be-
cause many motor car manufacturers
can regulate their output to correspond
with demand. Based on the rate of in
crease in the past, the output should
reach about $4,000. Rapid as has been
the yearly increase in the number of
pleasure automobiles, the percentage of
increase in trucks and delivery wagons
has been almost twice as great. There
oil of io1 II,
America now than there are manufac-
turers of pleasure vehicles, the list COM
prising more than 300 names. Fully
one-third of these will display their new
models at the national automobile shows
in New York and Chicago from Janu-
airy 20 to rs, and February 10 to Is, re-
spectively.
Motor vehicles are used for industrial
commercial, municipal and federal pur-
poses by more than $50 distinct lines of
business. More than 1000 are operated
in New York, and more than 1000 are
registered in Chicago.
The total average cost of operation
and maintenance of gasoline machines
ranges from about $3.50 per day for a
one-ton truck, to $3.50 a day for a ten
ton truck. The average for electric We
hicles is approximately two-thirds OF
these figures, but their mileage is pro
portionately less. 1t costs a little more
than $3.50 day to keep and use one
horse outfit, and $3.50 day for two
horse team; but a horse or team can
not average more than Is miles a Gay
against 50 miles for a fve-ton motto
truck, to 10Ofor more for a one-tor
truck.
The actual cost per ton mile of haul
ing with horses in the city is from ii Il
IS cents with a double team, and from
20 to 35 cents with a single horse. TIL
cost per ton-mile with motor trucks, al
items of overhead expense included, /
from about cents for a fve-ton trucl
TO II IS cents for a one-ton truck. Ii
, department store work, with electric We
hicles, the cost of delivery varies iron
about cents to 10 cents per package.
The lower cost of doing work wit
power wagons is, however. only one o
the principal advantages realized fror
, their use. Their increased speed an
mileage capabilities enable a store t
reach out into new territory too far t
be served by horse delivery, and to gal
new customers by the quicker servic,
> They also are more dependable and res
: ular than horses in bad winter weathe
4 and during the midsummer season. A
large users testify to this.
: Most of the truck makers have adde
o entirely new models to their lines fc
y the coming year, and have embodied in
. provements that increase the efficienc,
> economy, durability, dependability an
i convenience, and improve the appea
: ance, of the power wagon. No bus
}. ness man can be sure that he is not 10
$ ing money on his hauling or delivery Sc
vice, or that he is posted on mote
trucks until he has seen and compare
the latest models.