Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1916-08-03
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army enlisted men, detailed to drive the type OF
truck tentatively adopted. The others are chauf-
feurs of all sorts, Adventures from all over the
country, college men in search of experience, ana
even ex-taxicab drivers from New York city. With
some of the trucks under probation are men from
the factories.
1t is a more picturesque body than any as
semblage of mule SINNERS. The types are more
varied and the views upon things in general are
more interesting. Moreover, the army chauffeur
in the aggregate is naturally more intelligent than
the mule skinner, whose close association with the
mule has given him some of the traits of that noble
animal.
To the average army chauffeur the stQIid-looking,
numbering auto truck is a beautiful and a living
thing.
on. the road to Namiquipa l listened to a coIored
sergeant of the Ninth cavalry who had been de-
tailed to drive a fye-ton truck. He was addressing
his vehicle.
"Yes, Betsy, old girl" he was saying, "Ah knows
that this here cheap government gasoline amt the
proper nourishment for a heightened lady truck
like you. But when we gets to Corallitas Ah'm go
ing to put some of that nice cool spring water In
your radiator. That'H freshen you up a whole lot,
Betsy.
"Does you-all want a little more Oil in your bear
ings, Betsy? If you does, jes' say so. Taint no
trouble at all for me. All jes' thought you might,
because your pretty engine was breathing q little
hard on that last hill. All don't want any of them
fresh New York chauffeurs to think you was COM
planning, Betsy, because me and you knows that
you don't complain"
The colored trooper adjusted some pink and
green ribbon which was tied to the truck radiator.
The whistle of the truck master blew. The SER
geant whirled the crank, listened solicitously for
an instant to his motor, and swung Betsy into line
with her mates.
r.. "A ill., 4 1oyIffnCr uyhiaI thu rantain nf an
auto truck encounters is in maintaining discipline
with a mixed company of civilians and soldiers.
Civilian drivers have their own notions as to how
auto trucks should be driven. 1t is the theory or
the captain that the auto train should have a per-
feet alignment, with the trucks a hundred yards
apart.
The civilian drivers cannot see the necessity for
this. Some of them want to show that their trucks
can travel the fastest. Others insist that their
trucks be carefully handled. The result is that the
captain, Tuning inwardly, has to be a diplomat
when he is in command Of a mixed train of trucks.
One of these trains started out at the rate of IL
miles an hour. A short distance out of Columbus
it encountered bad roads. A new truck slowed
down and began to pick the going.
The captain shot 'cross-country from the rear in
his standard runabout to see what was cutting his
train in two.
'Whats the troublei" he demanded of the c-
william driver.
"No trouble at all" replied the driver. "But
eight miles is all that l am going to do with TINS
load and over this sort of road. You can go ahead
!. with those Barney Oldfields IL you want to. I'll
catch ND with you after half of those trains are
wrecked"
The captain was a trife angry. He reminded
the driver that all trains were ordered kept intact
1t was no 'cross-country race. It was a military
truck train. The driver was obdurate, and the
train had to slow down to a reasonable pace. Tht
driver was right, though very unmilitary. The
loads which the trucks were carrying were no.
needed in a hurry. But If he had happened 10 o.