The Washington times., 1919-12-27

then the motor truck entered into the
situation. 1t was backed up az a
freight warehouse, loaded, and then
set out upon its destination. dropping
packages at way stations. During the
first few DAYS of the new service, such
packages as were paid for. were not
left at a freight station, but were de-
liyered at the house of the consignee,
thereby obviating the necessity of an
extra handling. This soon proved to
be one of the great advantages of the
motor truck in handling this freight
and was a decisive factor in making
truck lines permanent.
1t won't be long before a motor
truck will drive up TO a factory in
London and take on a sewing ma
chine consigned to Manchester, de-
livering it there TO the party who
expects to operate il. Under the cid
method the machine would have been
delivered to a railroad freight station.
where IL would have been unloaded
from the delivery wagon on to
platform, and then loaded into the
freight car. Perhaps Ii would again
be transferred en- route. At Manches-
ter ii would have been unloaded from
the freight car, reloaded on TO u
wagon. and then delivered.
New Methods Of Handling.
The action Of the English trsff;S
experts in continuing this service is
highly significant, and 1 believe
marks the beginning Of a new meth
cd of handling small package freight
and express in civilized countries the
world over. ! think in this situation
the English have set an example
L,-l~ f@ll ~.
more thickIy populated sections OF
been done to linfSed degree between
Washington and Philadelphia, New
York and Boston, and I believe ii will
not be so many years before motor
express lines will be running between
all the large cities of the East and
middle West
The advent Of the concrete road
which is making its appearance in
the middle West and in certain parts
OF the North Atlantic States will lie
great help in this direction.
Large. Roomy Buses.
II is quite practicable to build
large. roomy buses, which can carry
passengers on top and freight below.
Even granting that special construc-
tion OF concrete roads would be neces-
sary on the part of the operating
company, freight and passengers
could be carried more quickly and
with greater safety and speed than
on the present interurban electric
lines. ConcrSte roads can be con-
structed at approximately $4,000 per
mile. and not over $4,000 investment
per bus-truck would be necessary in
installing a freight and passenger
bus line. allowing for garages, repair
shops and storage warehouses. TAX
ing into consideration the cost of
grading, rails, cross ties, trolley poles,
wires and the maintenance of power
houses and highly complex equipment
necessary in conducting an interurban
line, motor vehicles on their own con-
crete roads will very successfully
compete with the electric carrier. In
fact, just as the electric interurban
is a competitor in certain circum-
stances to steam railroads so will the
motor vehicle take certain business
from the railways.
Under the easiest conditions, ii
costs at least s5o.o00 per mile TO build
a steam railroad. This would be on
fiat country, where no great engineer
ing difficulties would be encountered.
For instances such as those between
Washington and New York, New
York and Boston. Boston and Buffalo,
Chicago and Springfield, Fort Worth
and San Antonio, motor vehicle lines
running on concrete roads might
very well compete in efficiency with
the railroad train in the handling of
small package freight and express, in
fact reducing the cost TO the public
very considerably.
Reasons for suecess.
The reasons why this competition
could be carried on successfully are
practically the same reasons which
give the motor bus the advantage
over the electric car, and in addition
th.rc would be greater mobility in
tho gathering of freight and mate
rial. and tho avoidance of terminal
congestion at both ends of the line.
Some of the advantages OF the mo-
tor bus over the electric carrier are:
1-Greater mobility.
2--Abscncc OF tracks.