Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-01-20

fleet include practically an the
leading makes ana an are apparent
ly mni,ng good. ln other words It
would appear that amy we'll built
truck OF modern design can take a
place In the ranks Of the allies pf the
hard ,pr' Sscd railroads and render
valuable assistance IN tho fight
against the hlorkadlng OF commerce.
II " mfc' lu 80 considerably fur
ther than merely TO say that tho
truol, * valuable as u railroad ally.
II Is probable that the most impor-
taut work of the truck ~ the relief
of railroad congestion aud viii he
for some yeurs at least until not-
NAL conditions are restored The
conclusions ~ an Independent in
vestlgatorA Archer Wall Douglas, are
of more than passing interest Writ
ing In Factory hr snysi
"liy far the most valuable use ot
motor trucks la the future viii prob
ably be that of relieving the conEcs.
uon OF the railroads IN moving
freight W to distances OF 100 miles
ar 40. Very much has already been
done In this direction by the infer
urban trolley lines, especially In the
way ot local shipments Ia less than
car lots In many eases the rail
roads are glad 10 he relieved Of a
business of this nature, which under
present conditions they cannot han
die cNpeditiously and economically
THE trolley lines are limited IN
their distribution to the towns aud
cities on their lines, and 10 the pos
sihL Hmourt OF traffic which can be
hanred by their equipment Aud often
on a single track
Motor trucks have none OF these
handicaps ana limitations, and their
mobility is practically limited only by
the nature Of the rond over which
they travel They can go wherever
sufficiently good roads are available.
and over hard surface roads that are
not handicapped BY unrlv0rauir
weather They are free from eN-
pensive Investments on which divi-
dcnds have to be paid, nor do they
need costly terminal facilities
Their mobility aud their ability 20
go most anywhere must be their
great recommendation. Rnd to this
must he added the small likelihood
OF delays In delivery. since break
down In machinery or some accident
to the machine are practically the
only dangers To be upprehended,
There is no common catastrophe
which can happen to them all, such
az the broken rails or wrecked trains
of railway ana trolley traffic.
Their principal appeals for bust
ness must naturally be not only econ.
omy In transportation, hut prompt
and efficient service. and In the lat
ter prerogative they should make
hnrd competition for the steam rail
way and the electric trolley Their
province at least for tho time being,
will be within ce1ain number of
miles haul say lpSAxriles. within
which spuce they shqIlf do an in-
creasing business
The motor truck dealer h. OF
course intensely Interested la tho
whole situation IT affects his
branch Of the industry, aud 1t adds
proof Of the importance of that
branch, all of which is gratifying
hut perhaps Ia "A rather vague way,
To come down 10 brass tarks. Just
where does the dealer stand 10 profit
by these conditions aud thcso posi-
bilitiesY There may he qutckeued
demand for his machines In some To-
calities where the use OF trucks 10 alb
solutely forced upon merchants and
manufacturers There may be less
difficulty In making sales because OF
stress uf circumstances or there
may be nothips more than ordinary
activity and there may bc oven duh
ness despite THE existence OF freight
congestion Of the most obvious sort
The use Of mnchines would benefit
large number OF shippers and
would do much Ia relieve the rail-
road But who A going 10 buy the
trucks?
This IL the question that dealers
are asking themselves who IL go
Ing 10 buy and operate the trucks
that are urgently needed 10 carry
freight for small shippers not able
individually to own and operate
them. and yet In real need of their
services7
The dealer who seeks TO answer the
question finds that he must cease to
ne motor truck dealer pure aud
simple; he must branch out and
make piarket first and then revert
10 his old trade and sell TO the mar
ket
Tho indlyiduai shipper is -o.ryinp
about his individual shipments. and
not about those OF HIS neighbor lie
wants TO know how he " going 10 get
MIS- own goods to market. and he ls
perfectly willing that the sther man
'hould stand or fall on his own pc-
tons,
But the motor truck dealer can
look upon the small shipper ma n
class not an individual. and onn see
for considering him
collectively ana benefitng him ipdI-
Vldually Assume that there is guf. |
Ilclent mnterial handled In a given
community by small shippers %
Keep certain number OF motor
trucks busy. yet the work Ia belnR
lone In the most wasteful way In a
'nrming community for instance. the
'hipper has a few barrels and crn,ea
20 be taken TO the railroad station or
he steamer wharf He may NOT have
l full load, and he cannot wait untiI
ne mas. Yet he has to take. for that
partial load, horses that ough, 10 be /
'n other work, and at least one man !
ana spend considerable tlme--often
iuch trips run into the better mart NJ
whole dRy--in merely getting his
product started toward its destinn- (
ION And numerous others are do. /
ng the same thing The result ls The !
'dltying spectacle OF many Martial
Dads, all headed In the same djrec.
lon, and huge waste OF time ,
'hich' OF course, means money.
IN many cases the little Indfvt1ua,