The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-01-09
MOTOR PRoDrCE ROUTES.
The Ecstablishment Of Motor Routes
Tor the Transportation OF Produce
and Parcels Between the Towns and
Farms.

Ihe ioll0wlng letter from Congress
man Lever to Postmaster Dick, ex
plains new feature in the postal ser
vice that Mr.. Lever Is endeavoring t(
have the department establish, ant
which would be of decided advantag,
to both town and country:
Dr. George w. Dick. Sumter, S. C.
My Dear DR.. Dick: The postoffict
department Is establishing number
OF motor produce routes connecting
the more important commercial citie.
OF the country. as for example Co.
'umbia and Augusta. Columbia and
Charleston. etc.
The purpose Of these produce routes
Is to furnish primarily quick and
cheap transportation, OF parcels from
the farm to the city. and from tho
city back to the farm. and second
arily as far as possible to help re.
lieve the transportation congestion
which is gripping the country and
almost paraiysinE it. Already we
have assurances Of the Establishment
of number Of these trunk line
routes. as they may be called, for the
State. believe they will perform, g
useful function and prove a genuine
service to'the people. but l. have
urged upon tho department anothe,
kind OF route In connection with thei,
own proposal which win serve the
purpose, which thay have in view a anG
at the same time servo another mos
Important purpose; namely. the utiii.
Eation of farm waste. Those of u.
who are familiar with rural cond,.
,tions know that around every farm
there Is much small waste in the
way OF fruits, vegetables, poultry
eggs ETC.. which in the aggregat.
makes tremendous amount, which
can be saved to the consuming public
II cheap and handy transportation
were available. My own idea 10 e
establish few experime entail circuitout
produce routes--that is routes that
begin at point in the morning an(
return to It in the afternoon an(
traversing a section OF the countr,
thickiy populated which is without
convenient railroad facilities. Ir
other words. would put in a rura,
route. except IL would be a produc,
route. and would handle packages
from the farm home into the cit,
and from the. city to, the farm home
Such a route should be from rs tc
100 miles long. and should have a
least in the beginning two motoi
erucks operating on It. goins In op.
posite directions and meeting q,
some convenient midway point tc
make exchanges of parcels wher.
necessary.
! have finally convinced Genera
Blakslee OF the possibility Of such
plan. and he was kind enough to sa,
that the suggestion was the best on,
that had come to his attention. ad
vocated this in my Winthrop speecl
some four years ago when was dis
cussing the economic needs of the ru
raj women.
have been looking over q maj
OF my district and carefully consider.
ing route that think might meet
the situation. and figure out two
that think would do it.. One With
Columbia as an initial point, going by
way Of Lexington. Edmund. North
orsngeburg, ST.. Matthews and re.
turn. and the other with Sumter az
an initial poipt going by way Of
Heriot. smithville. possibly to Luck.
now. to Bishopville. to St. Charles
Lynchburg. Shiloh and from Shiloh
tho straight route into Sumter, max
ins Bishopville the exchange point
or course know you have a good
road from Sumter TO Bishopvilie. bu,
7 am not familiar with roads that &C
by Smithville and from Smithville &c
Lucknow and Bishopville. know
there Is no question about the road.
from Blshppvile and on the balanc.
OF the route.
hope I have made myself plain as
70 what am driving ,at. This motor
truck Will weigh about ton anc
a-half, and should be able to trave
from about sito 1a miles an hour, and
II will therefore require little bi,
better than the ordinary road.
!, Upon receipt OF this letter want
you'to take II up with our friend
fteardon and write mo fully what yor
think of It. and II you have an,
suggestions In the way OF bette,