Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-04-27
MUST SOLVE BIG
ROAD PROBLEM
Good Highways Keynote to
Transportation by Big
Motortrucks

II sometimes wonder whether we
Americans appreciate the full signi-
flcance of these momcntous times,
said Carl Hanson, president OF the
Harrisburg Overland Co., local dis
tributors for Garford trucks, recently
IN speaking of the many big prob
lens which are confronting us to-
day. There is a great saving factor
to be taken into consideration" con-
tinued Hanson. I'VE have taken the
cold plunge and been brought face
TO race with the grim necessities of
war. But here, the problems are not
those of imm ediate need for the de-
Tense of our homes and firesides but
rather those of striving to meet the
need for unheard of industrial ac-
tivity. .. ~
Naturally these problems are i'm
portant but we have an opportunity
to realize our weaknesses and turn
them into strength, before they can
defeat us. Along with these big
facts we are boldly facing just now
has come an era of activity in all
lines which If properly turned to
advantage will make this the greatest
nation on the face of the earth in
years to come both industrially and
commercially. The government is
spending billions of dollars. Every
body is buster than ever before.
Everyone will instantly agree that
there is every reason for the great
est business optimism. They will also
agree that we have q battle before
us which is worth our best efforts
to win. do not only refer to the
struggle in the trenches, but the
tremendous responsibility we must
face as a manufacturing nation.
LAS a great nation of business
men we must get our house in order
and to get it in order, we must speed
up all kinds of transportation, for
here lies one of the greatest weak
nesses which must be speedily
remedied. We have had an opportu-
rity to study the best remedies for
this situation and to take the nee
essary steps to correct it.
During the winter just passed we
have had a fine opportunity to wit
ness great developments in using our
national highways to help in
Strengthening out tied up transpor-
tation. Trucks operating over the
open roads have proved themselves
dependable freight haulers and now
has come the demand for truck
trains operating on regular schedules
cessfully conducted in all parts OF
the country.
philadelphia. New York, St
Louis, Chicago, Detroit, Toledo, Bos-
ton, and many other enterprising
communities have already establish
ed this method of hauling. Some of
the companies not only have very
definite schedules under which they
are daily operating, but have figured
the accurate cost of hauling. In
some of these cities they find that
this form of transportation compares
favorably with express time in ship
ment and can be taken care of at
considerably less cost. There is one
argument which is decidedly in fa-
vor Of the truck. That is the fact
that it saves an immense amount of
hauling. The goods are loaded at
the shipping point, carried to their
destination and unloaded directly at
the concern to which they are con-
signed, saving two hauls, two load
ings and two unloadings. 90
I'm order to have this truck trans
port a success however, we must be-
gin to take into consideration the
matter of highway improvement as
this is the most vital part of the
entire program. We must devote
every energy to the better roads
movement for our whole system of
industrial activity is greatly depen-
dent upon our roads"
Summing up the matter, Mr.. Han
son pointed out the fact that there is
every reason to feel the proper kind
of optimism. That we must, how
ever do our utmost to aid in clear
ing up the transportation situation
by immediate a6ention to our high
ways.