Omaha daily bee., 1917-02-25
CONTRACTORS NEED
MOTOR TRUCKS NOW
Handling Jobs Twenty Miles
Away Is Made Possible by
Use Of Autos.
ESSENTIAL IN BUSINESS

The motor truck versus the horse
in the contracting business?' repeated
A, Davia, purchasing agent OF the
bravo Contracting company, Pitts
burgh. 1--WE do not need further proof
of any kind to answer that question
decisively. Come and work with US
a few days. Sit here by this tele-
phone, make note of the urgent calls
from our superintendent for quick
delivery Of almost anything from a
concrete mixer to additional work
men, then go out on the jobs and
learn why these requests for imme-
date delivery service arise unexpect-
edly and why they must be filled with
out even an hours delay, and you
will wonder how it was ever possible
to complete such contracts without
feet Of heavy-duty machines.
Urged on by prodding necessity
we ventured the purchase of three
ton motor truck in 1918. Could that
costly machine ever do enough work
to make the investment show a profit?
What would we do if it broke down?
These were few of our worries. We
even kept several teams of horses
ready, to take up the work where we
confidently expected the motor truck
to quit. We were all ready to hook
on and pull it out of the mud, but we
ended by pulling the wagons out in
stead.
Before the end of the year we had
installed another three-ton machine
and light delivery wagon. Gasoline
was cheaper than oats and is yet. The
motor trucks were over the hills and
on the job before the teams had even
started their weary climb.
Don't Need Railroads.
1--WE were independent in many
cases of railroad transportation. Ma
terial and equipment ordered in the
afternoon were delivered before the
receiving doors Of the freight depot
opened the next morning.
During 1915 we unhesitatingly pur-
chased two four and a half-ton
motor trucks to replace a small stable
of horses and babe 'goodby' to the
delays that had hampered our fore
men and workmen and to the worries
and troubles that used up so much of
our mental energy 'i'.
The bravo Contracting company
operates as general contracting
firm, but specializes on heavy founda-
ton work, the laying of substructures
for bridges, the sinking OF shafts and
caissons,. the driving of tunnels and
the building of steel barges and tow
boats, says the Power Wagon, from
which this interview is taken. Pres
emit contracts include work for the
Bethlehem Steel company at Spar
rows Point, Md; the Republic Iron
and Steel company at Youngstown,
o.; the Trumbull Steel company at
Warren, O.; the Whitaker Glessner
Steel company at Portmouth, o.;
the Labelle Iron Works at Steuben-
vile, O., and the Carnegie Steel com
pany at Charlton, Pa.
The warehouses and fabricating
plants are in Pittsburgh, as we'll as
the machine and repair shops. The
motor trucks are shifted from one
job to another as the occasion de-
mands.
Great Facility. @S
THE facility with which our MAJ
chimes can be moved from one con-
tract to another" continued Mr., Da-
via, fairly breathes economy. 1t is |
almost impossible now to hire drivers
and teams for short-time Jobs in the
various cities where we operate. The
rental is prohibitive and frequently
such equipment cannot be obtained at
any price. If we did not have our
own motor trucks we could not hope
successfully to complete some Of the
jobs. e. A I
1--WE are not dependent on the over
loaded freights for the transportation
of the motor trucks. An extra sup
ply Of gasoline not only puts them