Middletown transcript., 1917-05-26
CONTRACT FLOWING
Try Out to be Given; Tractors to
Work Day and Night
A REAL FOUR MONTHS TEST

A REAL FOUR MONTHS TEST
The Farm Tractor Service Compan!
was incorporated Thursday; its princi
pal office is Middletown; its capita
$25. 900; and its object:
"To maintain and operate, for hire
tractors or other power driven vehicles
and their attachments, to plow. har
row and do all other acts incidental tt
tilling the SOIL"
Edwin S. Goodnow, who is Presiden
OF the Company, is practical motol
vehicle operator; has owned and earned
his living driving taxicab in New
York City; he organized the 1ndepen
dent Taxi Owners Association there
was its first Secretary, and that associ
alton does $12O, to $15O.OO0 of bust
ness month, and is as busy as it car
be. except when the taxi-riding public
is away from New York City; that is
July, August and September.
During that time Mr.. Goodnow will
have enough high-priced skillful opera.
tors to man all the tractors with day
and night shifts; and nothing now re.
mains except to place the facilities be.
fore the farmers.
Mr.. H. Jones, who is doing the pre-
liminary work, and advising the taxicat
men in their business matters, is II
town, and The Transcript laid seige to
him when be brought an advertisement
in with this result:
"Mr. Goodnow and his associates,
nearly everyone of whom was born or
a farm (Goodnow came from ST.
Lawrence County farm in New York
State) understand motor vehicles thor.
oughly. They make their living run
ming taxicabs; and are successful. The
farm tractor that will do the work eff
ficiently did not exist six months ago
and it may not exist now. But bust
ness proposal put to half a dozen manu-
facturers has brought an acceptance
from one manufacturer, who backs his
tractor in four months test, right out
on the farms. That such test can be
made is the only reason this project is
undertaken.
''That test is to be made behind the
manufacturer back, when he has nc
control over the machine, and wher
ordinary conditions will have to be en-
countered and overcome by ordinary
operators.
"All the Farm Tractor Service Com.
pany will do is this: Plow at so much
per acre. No pay if the work is not
DONE If it is done, and it is not con.
venient to pay until the crop comes a.
long. the company will take the far.
mer's note. The result, not the pro.
mise, is what counts.
Have you tried this out anywhere
else?" was an inquiry we put; and as
we expected Mr.. Jones replied: "This
project has never been tried in the his
tory Of farming so far as we can learn
1t all depends upon the tractors; if the
tractors will do their work all will be
well. Mr. Goodnow would not give ter
cents for tractor, or twenty-five cent.
for two tractors; they are too uncertain
like the "Deacon's One boss chaise
when they 60 to pieces tits "All at once
nothin' first; just as bubbles do wher
they BURST" and the busted tractor il
worse than balky nag, there it stands
in the field until eight horses pull it ou
of the way. Nine days later the tracto
is back in the running and the plowine
season is over. But, with five tractors
with day shift, with night shift
and with "troubleman," capable O.
building a tractor. on hand so that re
pairs can be made instantly; it seems
good business chance to take.
Another point is this. Mr. Goodnov
selected the Delaware Maryland penin
sula because it was free from stone
and that is decided advantage in try
ing out tractor-plows. A horse will sto]
instantly he hears the pow CRATE on
stone, but tractor lacks that horse
sense; so, to give the tractor every ad
vantage, only that section is selecte'
where stone cannot be encountered.
"Then expert advice was sought; Ex
Governor Charles R Miller. was goo
enough to lend hand; and he intereste'
Dean Harry Hayward, Of Delaware Col
lege, If it is proper to speak of any one
or any project. as interesting a mai
who is so thoroughly wrapped up in tn
project of developing Delaware's splen
did agricultural resources as the Dean
Dean Hayward was told a unit OF fiv
tractors would be put in whatever par
of the state he thought it would b
most fairly tested, and he promptl
picked Middletown, that is why we ar
here. We did not have brains enougl
to come of our own accord; but we hav
perception enough to see the wlsdor
back of the selection.
1.-The next thing is to work the pre-
iect out: and shall stay right here unit
the proposition is fully understood, an
Dean Hayward's opinion is vindicatee
II is the company's intention to res
the success or failure of this proposiuo
upon the tractors doing the work.
Mav-Have TO RepIant Some Corn