The Washington times., 1915-12-11
ARMY MOTOR TRUCK
DOES GREAT WORK
Performance at Fort Myer
Astonishing to All Those Who
Saw Test.

The army officials and newspaper men
who witnessed the astounding performs
ances OF a truck at Fort Myer Tuesday
came away with one certain satlsfac-
tion--that, thanks to this wonderful ac-
complishment Of the Thomas II. Jeffery
Company-the Jeffery quad, four-wheel
steer and drive-the United States has
unquestionable preparedness" in one
Important department Of the army,
namely, It's trucks.
The quad did stunts that stamp II
ideal for service in practically any sort
OF country. Alone, II climbed in and
out Of almost every sort of difficulty
mudholes. Eullies, stiffest grades. and
embankments-with such astonishing
ease that Capt. Arthur Cranston, for
merly United States Army. special rep
resentative of the Jeffery Company, re-
quested that army "trailers," laden with
scrap Iron and stones, be hitched be-
Two of these wagons were loaded and
hitched to the quad. The truck, itself
heavily laden, then pulled the trailers
over the same difficult entertainments,
through the same cuts, and UP the same
steep stretches that II iiad traVersed
alone few minutes before.
A. regulation artillery set, with gun
ana caisson. were then hauled out and
the quad began what was the most re.
nsrkabIe Of all its performances OF the
afternoon.
II turned abruptly to the left and be
gan a climb of fifteen-foot embank-
ment so steep that. as it started up
ward. the sharp angle reminded on
lockers OF nothing SO much as a spirited
horse, thrown back on it's launches, it's
forefeet In mid air. The front wheels
ot the truck we'll up on the side of the
embankment, the rear wheels at it's
base, the quad, without the slightest
hesitancy. climbed up to the top, hauling
lts train of artillery after.
Then, in rapid succession, it duplicated
the performances 1t had made earlier
in the afternoon, this time pulling -
almost Indifferent of the great weight
1T seemed-the artillery along in its
Several of the embankments and gull
Hes through which the quad pulled its
heavy loads were so steep and afforded
sIich poor traction that It is doubtful
II even the most powerful of pleasure
cara could climb them.
One of these was SO sharp, both in
tie descent on the approaching side
snc N The ascent on the opposite side
-liats. the A'rillery in the rear and the
tTaek ~ front formed two sides Of n
". Hull Wav up the far enbankment,
sD1 3itEiu VI feet OF the top. II SEEM
r7 though he truck must fail.
Jte whecl9 ost traction and the dead
weight in the rear was making the
trucks front wheels dig deeper holes in
the bank. But foot by foot the truck
gained ground until the front wheels
rested at the top. Then with a lusty
roar the big truck pulled its peace ar
guments along to the summit.
One Of the newspaper men who was
present expressed most aptly the futil-
ity of resume of the quad's exhibl-
ton. After the party left the parade
ground for Washington. he remarked:
H, don't believe it."
The audience was made UP as fol-
lows:
Army--CoI. Samuel Reber. Chief of
Aviation Corps; Major Wallace. Signal
Corps; Colonels Littell and Baker of
the ouartermaster Corps: Capt. Morti-
Iuer. Field Artillery: Cant. Wilson.
Coast Artillery: Captains KinRman and
Paulis Engineer Corps. and Mrs. Brit
ton. civilian ex pert. Q. NJ. c.
Marine Corps-Col. Lajeune. Major
Roosevelt. Capt. Breckenridge. Capt.
Fortson and Can't. Williams.
Navy-Capt. Wheeler and Chief Gum
ner Martin.
c. A. Carlson. local manager Of the
Troy Wagon Works. whose trailers
were used in the test: ]. S. Combs head
OF the Combs Motor Comrany. Wash
inRton representatives for Jeffery pleas
ure cars; II. z. Duckstein. of the Post.
and the Times automobile editor.