El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-02-27
AUTO TRUCK IS
AMONEY SAVER
U. S. Geodetic Survey Saves
80 Percent Over Former
Cost of Teams.

An unusual feature Of the work Of
| the United States Coast and Geodeuc
{ survey, department Of commerce dur
; ing the past summer, was the successful
use of one Oue-half-tOn automobile
truck i'm transporting an Astronomical
party and outfit through a portion or
the Southwest which is generally dread
ed by the transcOntinental tourist. The
party was in charge of G Y. IOdgSOu
/ and was in the field from May to Octo-
Der The trip is the more remarkable
when the fact is taken into COnsidera-
/ ton that the requirements of the work
! prevented a close adherence to the
routes usually followed. Observations
: were frequently made on mountain
peaks, so the journey was from mount
ain to mountain. rather than along main
travelled roads from city TO city.
The general route followed by Nj.
HOdGsOu and his party was from Dem
yer, Col. to PeCoS, Tex, then southwest
almost to FL PasO where a detOur was
made through southern New Mexico into
Arizona. The central and southern pOr-
tons of the latter state were rather
well covered. the itinerary including
SOlOmOnsville, Douglas, Benson, Tucson,
Globe, Phoenix, Yuma and Parker. The
auto truck was then driven across Cal
ifOTnia to San Diego and the San ia
cintO Mountains, thence via Los An
Eeles, MOjave and Sacramento to Carson
City. New. Astronomical observations
We're carried along the CalifOrnia-Ne-
vada boundary to Needles, Cal, where
the season ended. During the season
the truck, carrying a capacity load, was
run more than 5000 miles. under road
conditions varying from the deep mud
encountered in New Mexico and Texas,
and the heavy sands of the Colorado
River and Nevada desert regions, to the
splendid roads Of southern and central
California.
Caught in a CIoudburst.
On a canyon road in western Texas,
Mr.. HOdgsOn's party and outfit had
narrow escape when n small clOudburst
in -fu-rn Too 81 Il =
into a river, as the water came rushing
down the canyon from the mountains
above. There was no time to put on
chains, but ropes were quickly wrapped
around the rear wheels. and the truck
was run up 2 steep slope until stalled
in the rising and rushing water. The
truck was then mOOred to mesquite
bushes. and the outcome awaited with
considerable anxiety. but the water soon
ceased to rise, and the danger was past.
1t was in the desert sands, however,
that the greatest difficulties were en-
COuntered. as the truck was fitted with
ordinary solid rubber tires dual be-
hind which cut in deeply. Many ex-
pedients were tried, but the most sue
cessful one was the use of green poles
placed In front OF the dual-tired rear
wheels i'm as rapid succession as posi-
BILE These poles gave traction and kept
the wheels from sinking into the sand.
The cost sheets of the season show
JnaL Ihc work was done at saving of
at least 50 per cent. from the cost had
teams been used. The cost per mile for
oil and gas varied from 81 cents to 6. s
cents in different sections of the coun-
try, and averaged 80 cents for the en-
tire season. A remarkable feature Of
the performance Of the truck and a
tribute to the good work of the driver
was the fact that, from the time of
leaving Colorado Springs to the end of
the season, about six months during
which the truck was run over 5000
miles. only two hours were lost on the
road on account of engine troubles.