Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-03-23
MORE DANGEROE TOBE AHEAD Of PROCESSION TRAN @HNNDT
N INTRODUCING IMPROVEMENTS INAMOTOR CAR SAYS AkERs
One Ton Truck Mounted Pneumatic Tires Will Garry More
Tonnage Day in and Day Out Than a Three-gon Truck
Mounted Solids and Therefore Limited in Speed

Contrary to the general supposition,
It IL more dangerous to be in advance
Of than behind, the procession in the
matter of introducing improvements in
motor car" says F. HI. Akers, sales
manager Of the REQ Motor Car COM
Dany.
Il am reminded of this by the fact
that just at this time all manufac-
turers are either equipping motor
trucks with pneumatic tires, or making
1t optional with the buyer.
Dear me!-what a fight we had on
our hands three years ago when we
brought out the first REQ speed wagon
and equipped 1t with pneumatics!
I'VE We're SO certain then that we
were right that we did not even give
an option on solids nor have we ever
done so UP to this day.
PNEUMATIC TIRE SUPERIOR.
After the most exhaustive compar-
alive tests with several trucks of the
same model, some equipped with penu-
mates and others with solid tires, our
engineers found that from every stand
point the pneumatic tired truck was
Infinitely superior.
First: it was more efficient for the
reason that it would travel at nearly
twice the speed and thereby make
twice as many trips in given time.
In fact one-ton truck on pneu-
mates would carry more tonnage day
in and day out than a three-ton truck
mounted on solids and therefore limi-
ted in speed.
Second; the upkeep cost was almost
unbelievably less, due to the fact that
not only did we obtain more mileage
on a set of pneumatics than on solids,
but that the air cushion effects won
derful saving on the chassis.
..The term solid tire is correct
when there is a load resting on the
rubber. the section between the felloe
Of the wheel and the ground is practi-
cally solid.
REsILiENcY EXHAUSTED.
mot only that. but after two or
three thousand miles the resiliency IN
the rubber has been exhausted, as the
motorists say, the rubber tires (not
q pun, but meaning fatigue) and &C
quires more the consistency OF WOOD
than of gutta percha.
ALSO our engineers found that the
fuel consumption was less for the well
known reason that any pneumatic tir-
cd vehicle requires less power.
Another factor that was in favor
of the pneumatics was the absence OF
injury to loads of fragile materials.
Perishable goods suffer less in pneu-
matte tired truck than they do in a
solid tired vehicle even though the
latter go at half the speed
"This experience of ours was not
unique in the industry, however. as
any old-timer will recall, II he just
thinks back moment.
PEOPLE PREJUDicED.
sThe four cylinder motor had hard
time making it's way against popular
prejudice.
"We can recall the foolish argument
that If one cylinder gives trouble
alone, won't four cylinders give four
times as much trouble?'
"Finally popular opinion accepted
two cylinders but no more and INSISTED
that the engine must be amidships pc
cause if it was anywhere else 1t woulo
throw the car out Of balance
"Who would have motor anywhere
but under the hood today-out FROM
where it is easily accessible?J
"Then take the lighting problem.
First we had kerosene lamps ano
then came the carbide tank.
with some reason there was OBJ
lection to this on the ground that II
was dangerous.
"The Prest-o-Lite tank which fol