Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-10-25
PACKARD NAN
SAYS TRUCK
BUSINESS GOOD

Several weeks ago there appeared
In. the Commercial Bulletin q series
sof interviews with the leaders Of the
automobile industry as to Whats
the Matter with the Motor Truck
Trader! Although there was some
criticism among super-optimists that
the suggestion should have been
raised at all, the views OF the CON
aervative leaders in the trade ifidf-
Gated a strong belief that there was
something the matter. bur that it was
tie Inevitable working out of the ma
turai plumbers of unwise promoters,
manufacturers and statesmen who had
rushed into the Industry with I'm.
sound business ideals, relying on the
same sort OF Wild clamor for trucks
that characterized the early stagesof
/ the passenger aHtomobffe to make
them suddenly rich
As AlvaI MacauIay, vfea-presfdent
and general manager OF the Packard
/; Company, enc or the leading factors
Z of the motor truck business, said m d
recent lettera man With the type
who Is disfilusioned as TO the motor
truck trade and appreciates IT'S true
Many expected trucks to sen as read
fly as automobiles They haven't and
never wifi Their advantages over
kcrses are undesirable, but the truck
I il not luxury. It's q business equip
ment, which business men are always
slow to buy and careful IN buying Z
with 4 view TO testing the opin.
ions OF the trade leaders. IN the light
of these recent developments, sew
/ trial prominent trade leaders have
been invited to express their views
of the outlook through the journal Of
Commerce. The first reply Of the
series is printed herewith the views
of Avian MacauleY who is the exec
lutive head of the big Packard com
lpany and regarded as one OF the alb.
lest men IN the industry.
Years ago 1t was apparent that IN
the course of time many thousands of
trucks would be sold, since it was
apparent that in due course they
would largely, If not wholly supple
ment hcrse-drawn vehicles. With the
certainty CT so large an ultimate mar
ket, many concerns rushed into the
field to reap the harvest. They found
many unexpected problems confront
ing them. There was no repetition
of the early motor car days, when the
public eagerly purchased anything oh]
wheels. Motor cars were until re-
Gently Injuries, and owners bought
cars to indulge their taste for fast,
comfortable locomotfon. They did not
carefully weigh the expense against
the gain
but with motor fuckg it Is diner
eas f tiis ms R rsn IS
port freight or goods fastsr Of At less
expense per ton mn lfhan horses.
These questionss IN the ease Of trucks,
were weighed most carefully by con.
serVative business men. with reanas
of statistical figures IN their records.
The change from horse-draWn vehicles
was complicated by the fact that the
prospective buyers already had their
equipment Of horses, wagons. and
horse-draWn trucks. They had to
weigh against the, truck the expense
and inconvenience involved in chang
ing over their stables into garages:
their drivers into chauffeurs; their
stable men into automobile mechanics.
So many considerations were involved
that business men have been slower
than was expected in making up their
minds to make the change.
''The sale of trucks will certainly
continue to increase. for the economic
reason that they have, on the whole,
many advantages over horse-draWnl
traffic. But no great fortunes viii be /
- \ r IIllurun