Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-05-24
FARMERS OF US.
USERS OF
MOTOR TRUCKS
1879 Motor Trucks Used in
Hauling Farm Products
During 1917

Ask this question of any average
business man-"What branch of in
dustry is the largest user of motor
trucks today" The business man
feels confident that there isn't much
room for argument here-the an
swer is to obvious. Who but the
retail merchant can be the largest
user? Just look at the big fleets
of motor trucks operated by the
large department stores of our cities
trucks owned by the small merchant!
The merchant must be the chief
user. No? Well, then. the manu-
facturer, of course! (This with pa
tronizing condescension) for IL it
isn't a merchant it must of neces-
sity be the manufacturer. But
he's wrong again.
The farmer of the United States
is the largest user of motor trucks
compiled for 1917 showed that there
! were 70, 789 motor trucks engaged in
hauling farm products at that time,
topping the list. The manufacturers
came second with a total of 1928
motor trucks to their credit and the
retail merchant third with a total
of 74,4S6. 1t is estimated that dur
ing 1918 approximately 1000, 900
tons of farm products were handled
by motor trucks by the farmers and
trucks gardeners of the United States.
The motor truck has attained a
place of such importance and prom
inence on the American farm that
during the past year the United
States Department of Agriculture
conducted an extensive country-w
investigation to determine the prac-
| tical value of the motor truck to the
farmer. The results of this investi-
cation were published in the Monthly
Crop Report for October, 1918, is
sued by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture. This report
showed that the per ton mile cost
of hauling farm products with motor
trucks was in many instances less
than one-half that of hauling with
horse and wagon.
The specific figures indicate that
the per ton mile cost of hauling
wheat or corn with motor truck is
IS cents as compared to 80 cents and
35 cents. respectively, with horses.
This is the average for the United
States, the figures varying of course
in different localities. The report
shows that in the South hauling cot
ton by horse and wagon cost the
planter 40 cents per ton mile, where
as he is now doing the same work
with the motor truck at the nominal
cost of IS cents per ton mile.
Aside from its value as an eco
nomical transport unit for hauling
crops, the motor truck is used very
extensively for delivering live stock
to the big packing plant centers.
During the year of 1918, a total of
199,076 head of live stock were de-
livered to the South Omaha stock
yards by motor truck. This total
comprised 1SS,417 head of hogs. s.
S4S head of cattle, and 4,S11 sheep.
Stock was brought in by farmers
from distances up to 20 and 80 miles.
Motor truck deliveries by farmers
are being made on similar scale at
all leading stock yards. A total of
575 motor trucks from the country
loaded with livestock were counted
in one day at Indianapolis last sum-
mer.
The reason for the popularity of
the motor truck in this branch of
farm transportation is quite evident
when it is known that the livestock
| shrinkage saved by this method over
horse and wagon or rail shipment
amounts to enough, as rule, to ef-
feet the cost of motor truck opera
| ton.
The most recent development in
l rural motor truck Transportation is