Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-08-12

The train Of seventeen demonstra-
ton trucks, representing thirteen man
utacturing firms accompanied by
naval band of twenty five pieces from
the Great Lakes naval training sta
ton, reached the city about $50 O'CLOCK
Monday night, two and one-half hours
behind schedule. The train, when
left Chicago, Aug. 3, on tour OF
/ $500 miles thru seven central western
states, arrived here from Cedar Raplos
and remained until this morsing, wheh
the tour was resumed southwark. Inc
| first stop today is at Grinnell and TO-
night the train will be at Des Moines'
where the eighty members OF the truck
! crews, band, statesmen and lecturers
will attend the Iowa state convention
OF truck dealers.
The train excited little interest here
and the apathy displayed can not be
accounted for unless II is due to the
! fact that farmers, whom the demon
strators desire most to meet, are now
head over heels in work, and that the
delay in arrival caused few residents
Of the city TO await the coming OF the
| trucks.
Not Selling Proposition.
I The truck train Is not out to sell
trucks of any particular make. The
tour is arranged to educate the pub
lie in the use OF the truck for trans
/ portation and is being conducted with
the approval of the federal govern
ment Data is being collected, show
ing the practicability of the truck, and
the facts and figures so gathered will
be turned over to the government.
Altho thirteen manufacturers are re-
presented in the train no effort was
made to promote the interests of any
one manufacturer or any set of manu-
facturers.
In addition to the trucks making up
the train there were several passeng-
er cars, which are used to transport
the lecturers, press representatives and
managers of the tour. The trip was
put on by the National Association Of
Truck Sales Managers under the per-
sonal- direction Of W. F. Strum. NJ. D.
Scott Is tour master.
Band Holds Public Attention.
The MILDLY band detracted from the
meeting held at the Marshalltown
Club for the purpose Of creating in
terest IN the use of trucks. Thousands
of persons turned toward Riverview
Park to attend the concert, while a
mere handful gathered at the club 10
hear A. r. kroh, lecturer of the tour.
who spoke Oh the purpose of the tour.
The band gave an excellent concert.
but in remaining to hear the music
many who might have been interested
in the Kroh lecture missed a discourse
which was well worth listening to.
Mr. kroh, in terse language told the
few who came to hear him that the
least interest had been shown here
that had been noted at any stop since
the train left Chicago. The tour he
explained, was primarily for the pur-
pose of interesting farmers in the ad-
vantages Of hauling by truck There
were no farmers in attendance at the
meeting. The crowd was very small
with the majority of those present be-
ing members of the truck train.
Small Trucks in Train.
The trucks composing the train are
for the most part one to two and one
half ton machines. Mr.. Kroh declared
these trucks could be operated withou
fear Of being stalled in the worst Iowa
mud. He declared the truck driver!
were prepared to demonstrate TIL
truth of his statement if there wer
any rnudholes to be found during tn
tour thru Iowa. During the trip
film record is being made and mex
spring 5000 feet of film will be show
here to prove the value of the true!
to the farmer and manufacturer.
The delay in arriving in the city wa
explained by the fact that forty ton
1 ot merchandise was hauled from &c
l dar Rapids and distributed on the way
, In disposing of this freightage it wa
> necessary to make a detour which ha
not been anticipated. There was n
freight to be hauled here, altho an
nouncement had been made that tn
trucks would give demonstrations b
making hauls to and from the city.
Middies Well Cared For.
The members Of the naval band wei
taken to the Y. NJ. c. A. on their a,
rival, where they enjoyed the shower
and pool. Supper was served the mu
sicians by the Ladies' Auxiliary, at til
park, and the boys were housed for tt
night in the Y. n. c. A. gymnasium
The sailors have been camping enrou'
but here were permitted to move the
cots to the association building. Lieu
F. NJ. Wilson was in command of tt
band. . ..a.
The thirteen factories represented
l the tour were:
Atterbury Motor Co, Buffalo. n. Y
Bethlehem Motor Corporation, Aller
| town, Pa; Clyde Cars Company, Clyd
/ o.: Diamond T-Motor Truck Co., Oh
cago: Gramm- Berstein Motor True
Co., Lima, o.; Martin Truck and Boo
Corporation, York, Pa; Master Truck
Inc, Chicago; Sterling Motor True
i: %, Milwaukee,, Wiz: Selden True
Sales Co, Rochester, n. Y; Sign
Motor Truck Co.. Detroit, Mich; Sc
vice Motor Truck Co., Wabash. Inc
Republic Motor Truck Co. Aim
Mich: Whittier Motor Truck c
i Kenosha.f Wis.