The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-11-29
Motor Trucks Soon to Have
Their Own Highway System

The DAY IL not far distant
when motor trucks will operate
over highways built solely with
that purpose la view.
when that day comes motor
truck transportation viii have
reached Its height"
These prophetic statements were
made 20 a Star correspondent n few
days ago BY T.. \. Williams. Jr.. pres
ldcni o. The Garford Motor truck
company. They came ~ the climax
OF an interview. or as Mr. Williams
would have it. discussion. Of the
future OF tho ufptor truck and to-
relationship 20 the Improvement 81
tho nations highways They fol.
lowed resume 81 what the motor
truck has accomplished and wha, u
w accomplishing la Industrial. com
mercial and agricultural fields, the
Influence It has upon economic con.
diiions and It's present status in
world affairs.
Early IN the discussion something
was said By the correspondent about
the part motor trucks played IN the
recent world conflict. Mr.. Williams
dismissed 4, with a word.
The ono big thing the war did
Tor the motor truck WINS to provide
II with an opportunity 10 prove It's
universal worth as n transportation
factor" he said I'm other words
the Wa accelerated itH general adop.
ton In the commercialofield. II In
commerce and industry. not war that
concerns us today"
III we are TO discuss the motor
truck let's get down to- present facts
and future possibilities" he con.
tinued
'All about US are evidences Of it's
utility. Each day sees the motor
truck entering n new field OF en-.
deavor. saw n 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
elephants. oxen and mon.
I'm South America they are sup.
planting the burro. In various sec.
lions OF the world. hitherto unex.
plored and undeveloped. they blaze
the trail for enterprise.
THE remarkable thing about Il
all Is that transportation by truck
has not only proven itself more
practical. but more economical than
the older means
The Department OF Agriculture
estimates that for the year 1918
motor truck hauls from farm TO
shipping points averaged il.3 miles
while wagon hauls averaged nine
miles. The motor trucks made "a
round trips per day over the 11.3
miles while wagons made but IL
trips per day over the nine mile
route.
'The average cost per ton by the
horse-drawn vehicles was 30 cents
per mile for wheat. 80 cents for corn
and ~ cents for cotton The truck
haulagc per ton mile averaged Is
cents for wheat and corn and is
cents for cotton. In several states
the cost OF transporting wheat was
as low as nine cents per ton mile
while the lowest cost by wagon is
estimated Mt 20 cents per ton mile
Quite IL saving there. without taking
into consideration the value of time
saved and the economy in labor.
1T is not entirely impossible that
motor trucks, ut some distant DIV
VIII operate over a system of high.
ways built solely for motor truck
transportation and separate and
apart from the regular passenger car
highway.
THE not far distant future will
produce roads which will be con.
structed OF material particularly
adapted to Withstand heavy hauling