Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-11-10
MAIL CARRYING MOTORS
PROVE DISTINCT SUCCESS
One Route Alone Has Melted Gov
crnmcnt Revenue Of Sf6,-
600 in Month.
COST OF OPERATION ONLY $500
Seventy Lines Arc Now i'll Opera
ton, All Being Located East OF
the Mississippi With the Exception
of One.

WASHINGTON, November Gross
country operation of mail carrying
motor trucks. tried out by the posi-
office department on an experimental,
but nevertheless big scale. during the
last yca.. has been a great success.
James l. Blaicslee. fourth assistant
postmaster general, has found that one
truck route between Philadelphia and
WASHINGTON cutting chiefly through
territory without rail connection and
costing $500 month to operate. has
in eight months developed a revenue
OF $4,000 monthly. Another route. into
Washington where twenty-eight par
GELS II day We're moved during the
first month. now shows one ton of
traffic each way each twenty four
hours.
Seventy lines now operate over the
the country. all but one east OF the
mississippi; and there are visions of 4
system which will furnish $4,000 900
annually in revenue for road construc-
ton or other purposes.
Why, General rershing has 5000
other side" said Mr.. Blakesiee telling
of the growth of the system II
don't care what condition they are in.
We want them ALL and can fix up and
What's even more important, he's go:
some boys over there shy a hand. or
hem all too. in good work n, good pay
that they can do. Congress gave us
S3eU,e00 to work with. and if we had
the earnings of the lines themselves.
As it is. S9.oo0.00O will be requested by
he division for next year. and think
II n.,, w;l' be anpr9priated. People realize
Operating at night is the most prof
table. and we have but two machines
doing that, out,of New York. The typi-
ninety miles out, and ninety miles
back.
Almost always the constant opera
ton OF the lines produces "A return
load. the universal character OF the
mail service allowing almost anything
to be taken. The mail trucks go. come
~ nigh. the lowest being about s2u
a ton, That is what makes the surplus
"of course. We'll have to have CON
crete roads. hut the business can pro
dure the money to build them. There
are some economies in distribution Of
produce that are simply amazing. II
haS added an entirely new facto- to
transconiinen'al transportation. ana
W., we shall Just begin finding it out when
more extensive operation goes into et-
icGt during The next two years"
Just why Mr.. Blakcslce sees il that
commodity price list. Milk retaus in
Washington At II cents a quart ~Milk
IS coming In ON mail trucks di-cct 10
SSonsunigyS iGr 10 cents a quart;
down with hvc-St!lon cans as con
sumers learn OF tn" possibility. The
trucks TAP. milk producing erritory
mat is out sidc the usual hauling lines.
and OF the rail arteries.
wherein the roads come from to
run 5000 trucks" he asks "VoiI
thsre are 5000 rural mail and star
routes being operated in tho United
Hla'cS now. Sometimes | think every
9ne OF ,hsm would make a truck line.
rood is being handled ten times on
rs way 10 a consumer. We can cut
nat to five.
Watching these figures. since De-
.ember. when we started has given
me new sort Of Inspiration we
S ,.ii; he moving the mails and mails
VIII include whole unexpected yarictL
Oh things in new modes before ~.
generation finishes. Airplanes for Tho
l l;Voo mile distances. trains for the
about the schedule" '