Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1916-08-04
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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, and
even ex-taxicab drivers from New York city, With
some of the trucks under probation are men from
the factories.
It is 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 Of the traits of that noble
animal.
To the average army chauffeur the stolidlooking.
numbering auto truck is q beautiful and living
thing.
On the road to Namiquipa I listened to coored
sergeant of the Ninth cavalry who had been de-
tailed to drive q five-ton truck He addressing
his vehicle
"Yes, Betsy, old GIRL" he was saying "Ah knows
that this here cheap government gasoline amt the
proper nourishhent for 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'll freshen you up whole lot,
Betsy.
"Does youall want little more oil in your bear
ngs Betsy? If you does jes' say so. Tain't no
trouble at all for me. All jes' thought you might.
because your pretty engine was breathing little
hard on that last hill. All don't want any Of them
IreSn new 1Ork cuuuLeuFS lO tlluk you was cOui-
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
One of the difficulties which the captain of an
auto truck encounters is in maintaining discipline
n niy If civilians soldiers
Civilian drivers have their own notions as to how
auto trucks should be driven. 1t is the theory of
the captain that the auto train should have per-
feet alignment with the trucks 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 diplomat
when he is in command of mixed train of trucks.
One of these trains started out at the rate of II
miles an hour. short distance out of Columbus
1t encountered bad roads. new truck slowed
down and began to pick the gOing
The captain shot 'crosscountry from the rear in
his standard runabout to see what cutting his
train in two
"What's the trouble?" he demanded of the CT
william driver.
mo trouble at ALL" replied the driver. But
eight miles is all that am going to do with this
load and this sort of road. You can go ahead
with those Barney Oldfelds IL you want to. I'll
catch up with you after half Of those trains
wrecked"
The captain was tride angry. He reminded
the driver that all trains ordered kept intact
1t was no cross country race. 1t was military
truck train. The driver was obdurate, and the
train had to slow down to a reasonable pace. The
driver right, though very unmilitary. The
loads which the trucks were carrying were not
needed in hurry. But If he had happened to be