New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-15
GEN. WOOD SOUNDS THE BUCIEF FOR MOTORISTS TO

used by Captains Boiling and Smedberg. Captain
Boiling said this car gave remarkable service, and
he did not recall that the driver had gone out OF
high speed but once twice during the entire trip
Aside from carrying several officers. the car was
loaded down with ammunition and baggage.
A Ford chassis, fitted with transportation body
and mounted with machine gun, gave quite
practical demonstration Of the value Of the light
car for army purposes
R. A. Derby a plantation owner from Jackson
Springs y. c., which is in the Sand Hill country,
accompanied by Ralph W. Page, Of Aberdeen, y. C.,
entered the Ford experiment.
Mr. Derby said that ne is convinced the light
car is the practical thing for army use and that
upon his return TO North Carolina, after the in
struction camp is closed, he will organize COM
pany OF 100 Ford cars, and it is his intention 70
mount them with machine guns and drive from
North Carolina to the encampment next year he
thinks this idea should be taken up by Ford owners
in all parts Of the country, and next year ne says
we should have 100000 Fords ready for use against
the invader.
The Buick company supplied q transportation
wagon, mounted with a Colt machine gun
There was also a Cadillac field hospital, which
attracted considerable attention.
Inc SlmpieA CVmPahy SehN Nio"NfN'~
wagon, mounted with a machine gun.
There Mack one-ton truck, OF 80 horse
power fitted with steel plates designed as a
transportation wagon, to be used in emergency for
defensive purposes. This vehicle was fitted with
Imperial tires in front and Goodyear tires in the
rear.
Mack ga ton truck, armored with steel plates,
carried a machine gun and towed gun carriage
and field piece.
A Saurer fve-ton truck was heavily loaded with
ammunition and and lowed a gun carriage and
field piece
Motorcycles were employed by the non-commis-
stoned officers Of the three divisions comprising the
train. These were found useful in scouting ahead
for roads, carrying messages and reports and as
mail carriers.
Among the enlisted men of the company wers
Percy D. Houghton, Norman W. Cabot, ]. W. Far
ley, Crawford Bagdon, G. II. Poe, d. G. Herring,
D. A. Reed, A. R. and R. E. Finn, Charles Dupuy,
R. L. Bacon, A. A. Fowler, J. G. Milbourne, Langdon
P. Marvin, Basil Miles, A. Derby, R. W. Page, X.
Livermore, Benjamin Joy, G. R. Fearing, jr, A. L.
Wheeler, A. W. Markham, George Ross, R. H. Ball
ing E. Mex. Hunt, J. NJ Long, D. Toomey, Elihu
Root, IT, Charles Reed, c. s. Helgeser, j. D. Ertz,
R. c. Foster, Z. B. Vsl Grant Curry, j. NJ. Magee,
Herbert R. Longacre. P. A. Carol, A. Ferguson,
W. K. StauSberry, Is. > 1oung, van y MerIe-Smlth,
William B. Scott, y. B. Fox +. " Lloyd, H. F.
Harris R. II. Gardiner, jr, J. T. Miller, S. H. Borne
mann, James McTernan and G. O. Kayser.
Every vehicle in the train loaded to full
capacity, but the drivers told me they had very
little tire trouble and there engine trouble
which delayed any Of the for longer than
few moments. Upon leaving New York the motor
company was supplied with rations for the entire
trip and the cars also carried tents, one piece Of
baggage for each man and the regulation army
cooking utensils.
The Autocar company searchlight wagon fur
nished ample light for the entire camp at night. In
fact, the men said they could read letters and
newspapers shave themselves two hundred feet
away from either Of the lights
The only thing about the motor train which
seemed to me to be impractical was the method OF
towing steel tired, high wheeled gun carriages and
field pieces behind rubber tired wagons which were
designed to travel at the rate Of twenty miles an
hour II was difficult for the these gun
carriages to hold on at speed of ten miles
hour The guns swayed constantly from one side
of the road to the other and the terrific joting
would put even a cast-iron soldier out of business
in about one week of travel If Il is necessary TO
tow field pieces in this manner, they must be pro-
vded with rubber tired wheels placed upon
rubber tired carrier, which will stand the speed
and eliminate the vibration which would put both
the men and the guns out OF commission