El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-06-21

- BY any chance conditions in Mex
leo should require the sending Of
\ United states troops into that
country the use of army motor trucks
would play an important part in the
military operations. For some time
several of these modern vehicles OF
transportation have been In regular
service on the Rio Granoe DOrder- I45y
nave been put 10 some relll-L tAf-DL 7
tests in their trips through the rough
semi-deserr region ana nave proved 10
the satisfaction Of the men in charge
Of the commissary department of the
border military patrol that they are
wen suited for the toughest character
Of country where IL was shown Dy past
experience TO be Impossible Tor the
old time army wagons and mules
The distance from Zapata TO- La
redo, which is the nearest railroad
country is a succession Of rocky hills
and deep desert sand 1t IS such a
hard road to travel that until the IN
PRODUCTION Of the army motor truck
the means Of transportation between
the two towns was confined CHIEFLY 70
the ancient type OF Mexican oXcarLs-
These twO-Wheeled vehicles, drawn
usually by four yoke of oxen, were
wont TO Wend their way over the rOugn
road at a rate of about two miles per
hour 1t takes a good two days Tor
the ox-carts to make the trip between
ZauaLa and Laredo. The motor trucks
have cut down. this time TO about
hours when heavily loaded
The introduction of the motor truck
in the border region mas marked the
inauguration of a new transpOrta-
territory The fact that there are
number Of communities scattered along
the Rio Grande which are situated from
so to 100 miles from a rallroad point
makes the employment Of the trucks
especially valuable to the border mill
tary patrol whose camps are scattered
all along the river at intervals OF
about every p miles
Besides the army motor truck which
is in service between Zapata and Fort
Mcintosh. the latter post being located
at Laredo. there are several other We
hicles Of the same type IN operation
along the upper stretches OF the IN
ternatiOnal boundary stream
Drivers Statement
W. c. Schneue. Of san Antonio. VINO
drove the truck on It's IlrsL TIP 70
Zapata from Fort Mcintosh made the
following interesting statement
"The truck was loaded with three
tons of cOmmissary supplies ana pu1-eq
a trailer carrying two tons we crossed
arrOyas with grades all the way from
II to 40 percent We also Travelled
through three miles Of sand that IS
very difficult 20 go through with an
never missed shot, and there was
only two quarts Of oil placed In the
car outside Of the fun crank case
which we had at the time or leaving
Fort Mcintosh There was not a drop
of water placed in the radiator after
we started on the trip. On this first
l journey we were accompanied by troop
L of the 18th United states cavalry
and on this account we Travelled oy
easy STAGES. We made the return trip
with the empty truck and trailer IN
six hours and so minutes I viii frank
Z ~ say that when we made pulls Win
the loaded truck and trailer over some
places that should anyone have told US
could have been done we would not
have believed It, The average tune
made by a motor truck in the lower
border region is six miles an hour,
which is about three times that made
by the Old-time OEteam that was used
until recently for Transporting commits
! sary supplies 70 the camps Of the Dor