El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-01-15

-HE first motor truck in use IN the
United States army was a five
= ton truck purchased in 1897 and
placed in service at the Philadelphia
depot Of the quartermaster corps
The first gasoline motor trucks pur-
! chased and put in opera alton in the mill
tary service was in 1910.
In April 1872 q test run was made
with several makes OF trucks from
Washington, D. c, to Fort Benjamin
Harrison. Ind, and later in the year
another test run was made from Du-
view TO determining whether motor
trucks. as at that time constructed.
could be used in the military service
an lieu Of animal drawn transporta-
! ton.
Efficiency Is Determined.
General use has been made BY the
QuartermasterN corps of trucks during
the fiscal year ended June g. 1915.
4 careful record has been kept Of the
operation Of III motcr trucks in the
service OF the Quartermaster corps,
and au trucks have been carefully OBJ
served and reported upoa with a view
10 determining their efficiency, dura-
bility. and economical operation From
experience obtained during the last
fiscal year with titis class Of transpOr-
tatiOn in connection With transporting
supplies between base depctS and out
lying camps on The Texas border il
would appear that this class Of trans
portation is entirely dependable when
operating over suitable roads.
Specifications have been adopted by
the quartermaster corps for motor
trucks for military service. These
specifications provide for d truck with
q capacity Of one and half tons. with
q safe overload of 20 percent
los Trucks in Use.
At the present time there are 1O5
motor trucks, consisting Of - differ
eut makes, in use in the quar-
rermaster corps In order TO deter
mine the suitability Of motor trucks
for army use and the extent 10 which
they should be used TO displace animal
drawn vehicles the operation of the
trucks on hand was carefully observed
and reported upon commencing with
the fiscal year 1912. and tests under
service conditions are made whenever
practica bic. During the last few years
a great deal Of practical experience
with motor vehicles has been obtained
in connection with the transportation
of supplies between depOts and camps
on the Texas border This experience
shows that motor transportation is en-
tirely dependable for such purposes
when fairly suitable roads are avail
able
It has been found that the one-and-
a-half-ton truck is best suited for field
use Of the United States army, this
acter Of country roads and the strength
Of bridges It also fits in conveniently
with the supply system Of troops be-
ing the same as the capacity Of the
standard four-mule escort wagon. For
use in cities and at depots and arsenals
the considerations just mentioned do
not apply, and trucks are bought in
sizes suitable for the work to be per-
formed by them.
Revise Specifications.
Specifications We're adopted by the
qua-termaster corps, and Under these
most Of the motor trucks were bought {
The experience OF this corps and re-
cent developments in the trade make
it necessary to revise these specifica- I
tons from time to time This revision /!
is now under way, and is being care I
fully and thoroughly done In pre- /
pairing these specifications CORE I
spondence has been had with all the /
leading truck makers OF the country
and the Association Of Automobile En-
gineers; working drawings and speci-
ficatiOns have been obtained from them
their latest ideas All data
submitted by observers with foreign I
armies on motor transportation is also
recorded for reference and use. This
revision OF the specifications is under