The Washington herald., 1919-11-16

The day is not far distant when
motor trucks win operate over high
ways built solely with that purpose
in view.
when that day comes. motor truck
transportation will have reached its
height"
Discuss Motor Highways.
These prophetic statements were
made few days ago by e. A, Will
liams. Jr.. president of the Garford
Motor Truck Company. They came
as the climax of an interview. or as
Mr.. Williams would have 1t. a dis
cussion. Of the future Of the motor
truck and its relationship to the i'm
provement of the nations highways.
They followed a resume Of what
the motor truck has accomplished and
what II IL accomplishing in Industrial.
commercial and agricultural fields. the
influence 1t has upon economic con-
ditions and its present status In world
affairs.
Early in the discussion naturally
something was said about the part
motor trucks played in the recent
world conflict. Mr.. Williams dis
missed 1t with a word.
1.-The. one big thing the war did for
the motor truck was to provide il
with an opportunity to prove its uni
Versal worth as a transportation
factor" he said. In other words the
war accelerated its general adoption
in the commercial field. 1t Is COM
merce and industry. not war that
concerns US today"
Evidences of Utility. f..
IF ,we-are to- discuss the motor
truck let's get down to present facts
and future possibilities" he eontin.
ued
"All about US are evidences of its
utility. Each day sees the motor
truck entering a new field of en-.
deavor. ! saw a moving picture q
few days ago of a motor truck haul
ing cane brake in the Philippines
Oxen have been used there since the
beginning Of the industry. Down IN
India motor trucks are replacing cle-
plants. soxen and men.
In South America they are sup
planting the burro. In various sec
plored and undeveloped. they blaze
the trail for enterprise.
THE remarkable thing abo 1t it all
Is that transportation by truck has
not only proven itself more practical
but more economical than the Older
means.
The Department of Agriculture es-
Inmates that for the year 1918 motor
truck hauls from farm to shipping
points averaged 11.3 miles, while
wagon hauls averaged miles. The
motor trucks made 81 round trips pei
day over the l1.3 miles, while wagons
made but IL trips per day Over the
9-mile route.
Reduce Hauling Costs.
The average cost per ton by
the horse-drawn vehicles was 80
cents per mile for wheat, SO cents
for corn and As cents for cotton
The truck haulage per ton mile
averaged Is cents for wheat and
corn and Is cents for cotton. In
several States the cost of trans
porting wheat was as low as 8
cents per ton mile while the lowest
cost By wagon Is estimated at q
cents per ton mile. Quite a saw
ing there. without taking into con-
sideration the value OF time saved
and the economy in labor.
The figures compiled by the gov
ernment show definitely the i'm
portance good roads play in the
reduction of costs. For instance.
in the East North Central States.
which boast miles OF improved
highway. the cost or nauIage by
truck was but 9 cents per mile in
1918. In the New England States.
the Middle Atlantic States and the
West North Central States the cost
was IA cents. The cost increased
to IS cents in the South Atlantic
States. where there are a limited
number of improved roads. and to
20 cents in the Rocky Mountain
district where. of course, the grades
effect all means of transportation.
''Contrssted with these figures
are these showing the costs of
hauling by horse-drawn vehicles.
In the East South Central section.
the cost is 36 cents per ton mile.
more than three times the cost by
truck. In the South Atlantic
States 1t Is SO cents. more than
twice as much as by motor. In
the Rocky Mountain district the
cost reaches AZ cents. 13 cents more
than the truck costs.