Arizona republican., 1918-01-06
GOVERNMENT TRIES
 OUT MOTOR TRUCKS

The transportation of a train of 30 loaded army transport motor trucks, under their own power, from Detroit to the seaboard, marks a new epoch in military transport in this country.
 This fleet of thirty 3-tOn Packard motor trucks on Goodyear solid tires, left Detroit in charge of Company No. ?, division supply train No. 30S in the midst of a snowstorm which brought very heavy fall throughout the en- tire north. After an eight days battle with the snow, in places drifted almost as high as the trucks. through which Veritable tunnels were driven, the caravan reached Pittsburg, where the Lincoln highway was met and fol- lowed. All of the trucks are equipped with Goodyear solid tires
 The train is divided into three units of ten trucks each. with d sergeant in charge of each unit. The trucks are being driven by the soldiers, with two men assigned to each one. Included in the train are two 250-gallon tankers, which supply the gasoline and oil wants of the trucks, and a kitchen truck to provide emergency meals en- route
 l HIS IS tue DIOHeeI tllOEl O. the National Council of Defense to move military equipment from the central west to the eastern seahOard by motor truck. Each truck carried a load of military supplies for our armies in France.
 As the expedition is a new idea in transporting supplies. the drivers are, for the most part, unfamiliar with the route and must proceed cautiously to avoid mishap. This, coupled with the | almost incessant battles with the snow in Ohio, rendered progress somewhat slow, but invaluable experience is be- ing gained which will enable these drivers to pilot the next train through in greatly reduced time
 The expedition was joined al War ren, Ohio, by one of the Akron Bos- ton trucks of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber company, fitted with the neces- sary equipment to assist the trucks over the steep grades and to render practical assistance in getting the | trucks back on the road after bad slids.
 Thousands of motor trucks must be | brought to the eastern seabOard for 1 shipment to our forces in France, and 1 it is likely that before long the pres | ence of motor truck trains on our 1 highways will become commonplace i The difficulties encountered in moving | this train of 30 trucks-an infiniteSimal part of the thousands that the govern ment must haVe-emphasize graphical ly the great need of improving high ways
 Motor trucks. unlike many other kinds of military supplies, are capable of delivering themselves under theil own power, and if the thousands oi trucks, yet to be delivered, can be brought to the east independent n1 the railroads. the vast array of rollisa stock that would be required to haul them, may be utilized in transportin; the enormous amount of supplies that must help to keep our forces in the field.
 All of our great railroad systems are overburdened with an unprecedented volume of freight. Many have periodi- cally declared embargoes while they made frantic attempts to catch uD Meanwhile conditions have steadily be come worse, instead of better And i ohr transportation system breaks down which it is in danger of doing. tht safety of our nation will be at stake An enormous amount of freight coulC now be diverted from the railways tt the highways, if good ones existed throughout the nation, but our grea national transportation need finds u! with only one tenth of our 2,500, 00
 miles of public roads available fo
 heavy motor truck traffic.