The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-10-06
Use MOTOR TRUCKS
Trade Paper Discusses Highway
Traffic as Supplementary
to Train Service.
REGULAR DELIVERY OF MAIL
Probably Effect Genuine Economy In
Post Office yDepastment--5ring
Producer and Consumer In
Closer Touch.

According to American Motorist the
post office department recognizes the
possibilities Of improved highways as
trunk lines for the transportation of
mails between distant points. This Is
indicated by the fact that 1t is install
ing motor trucks ard operating parcel
post sss ap qSr NAH sverige over distances
ticable only for raj considesa
With more than $50,o00,0o0 annually
expended for rural mail delivery; with
tens of millions of parcel post pack
ages to be delivered quickly and safely
within limited period Of time, and
with the manifest handicap on the part
of the railroads incident to hauling
parcels to the railroad stations, load
ing them on the cars and repeating
these operations at the termini, it must
the improved highway are destined to
assume an Importance in mail trans
portation comparable with that of the
railway mail service.
Boon to Small Cities.
To the thousands of small cities and
towns which have only local train serv-
ice, the quick and regular delivery of
mails from a distributing point by
motor truck will prove a real boon,
while at the same time, in all probable
ity, effecting genuine economy to the
post Office department in the opera
ton of its mail service. Parcel post for
the transportation of perishable prod
ucts and for bringing the producer and
the consumer in close touch can be
tremendously developed by this trunk
line service, thus promoting the well
fare of the producer by developing
market for him, lowering the cost to
the consumer by the practical elimina-
ton of Che middleman, and increasing
the food supply by making accessible
large producing areas between urban
communities.
In the rural delivery service it would
seem that economy of operation could
be secured by combining many of the
circuitouS routes through the establish
ment Of through trunk lines traversed
by motor trucks and attaching to the
direct service a few motorcyclists or
bicyclists to reach the outlying sec
tons contiguous to the trunk line.
Importance of Highways.
The Importance Of the highways
throughout the United States to the
safety, economy. the welfare and the
happiness of the people cannot be over
estimated.
Military requirements and possible
tiles through the use Of motor vehicles
are paramount In this age as in no
other. The operation of the parcel post
and mail delivery now calls for the use
of over 100000 miles of public high
way.
The United States government and
the state governments are spending
such large sums of money that taken
into connection with local expenditures,
an aggregate outlay OF over $500, 000,-
600 is made annually for highway con-
struction and maintenance. Over B..
100000 automobiles make use OF these
highways for profit and pleasure.
Tie vast quantities Of food produced
on the farm and necessary to the ex.
istence of our city population and fos
export to our allies must move over
the country highways. Great zones Of
suburban population nre now extend