Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-12-21
MOTOR TRUCKS
Continued from Page One)

to draft concrete suggestions for re-
vision Of the existing motor laws and
present them to the legislature for
action, in the hope Of securing greater
safety and satisfaction for the peo-
pie of Maine and some degree of uni
formity with the motor legislation of
other states.
The conference began late Monday
afternoon. Chairman Frank d. Mar
shall of the legislative committee pre-
siding. He explained the purpose of
the meeting and outlined the program
and then announced a motion picture
If the development Of transportation
from the human freight carrier to the
most modern mtoor truck. The reel
also showed the processes in the
building of the truck, it's perform
ance ON the road and the way in which
it links up rural and urban commune
ties.
At the evening session other films
were shown of improved and non-im-
proved roads and the relationship
which each bears to the life Of the
community; and of engineers tests
which are made to determine just how
a truck wears on the road, what sort
of tire and other equipment is most
economical and what weight of truck
is least likely to destroy roads.
r. n. Hauer
Mr.. Hauer of the National Auto
mobile Chamber of Commerce knows
the truck from A to and his address
on the subject was we'll nigh exhaus-
tive. Much of his talk was of a tech
meal nature in regard to engineering
and designing problems. but he is also
thoroughly conversant with the compe-
tition between the truck and the rail-
roads. the truck and highway preserva-
ton and the future Of highway trans
portation.
Motor trucking is of very recent
growth. he pointed out. having advance
ed tremendously during and since the
war, and there is not as yet proper
cooperation between the owners and
users of trucks and the makers Of
laws. Trucks have been called in to
supplement the railroads which are UNI
able to handle the volume of freight,
especially in short hauls and less than
carload lots, but the highways were
not constructed to bear such heavy
traffic as they have been suddenly
called upon to carry.
Mr.. Hauer sketched briefly the histo-
ry of the truck. The first one was
built in this country in 1888, but not
until 1907 was the truck looked upon
as transportation unit. and not I'M
til the war was the truck called to
bear bart of the burden of the rail-
roads. Terminal expenses are so
heavy that the steam roads are I'M
able TO handle short hauls except at
loss and the sudden growth of traffic
made necessary some additional
means of moving freight.
Until very recently trucks were
built with the one idea of providing
standpoint Of the truck user with no
thought of the roads. The damage
wrought to the roads has turned the
attention Of truck designers to the
form of truck which will haul the
most with the least damage and has
resulted in a six-wheel motor that can
haul twice the load of a four-wheel
truck. with the same amount of wear
on the roads.
At the same time. engineers have
!. been studying the roads and have
found that the sub-grade or foundation
is more important than the surface. A
recent survey. Mr.. Hauer said. has
shown that SIS per cent. of road fail
ures is due to imperfect sub-grade.
Drainage frost. kind of soil and other
factors enter into this problem and
as vet no solution has been fully
worked out.
How does truck wear out a road
Not by the gross weight of the truck
but by impact of the moving load. The
degree of wear depends on the speed,
tire equipment and the sprung and un
sprung weight. said Mr. Hauer, and
went into details showing just how
these factors act
The truck is an accepted part of
our transportation service. 1t proved
Its worth in numerous railroad crises
in getting foodstuffs to cities which
otherwise might have suffered; 1t helps
the farmer to make a quick turnover
of his produce and in the West 1t ena-
bles the country children to have the
best of educational facilities at GEN.
tralizel schools to which it transports
them.
Good roads are essential to good
towns, good states, good citizens, and
uniform legislation for motor trucks
should be passed to regulate their
gross weight. speed, overIeading and
proper taxation, declared Mr.. Hauer.
Not all roads should become truck
roads, he said, but only those which
connect centers of distribution.
These should be constructed especial
~ to carry immense loads and be
made permanent. No road that is
built for present needs only is suf-
ficient for more' than a year or two.
A good road attracts travel and
travel wears it down. Builders must
learn to see that economy means that
they must plan for future traffic when
laying out a road. Between cities,
on trunk lines, heavy traffic can be
used profitably and will be used.
They are a cheap means of trans
portation and are here to stay, was
his prediction.
T. Mr.. BatcheIder
A. G. Batchelder, of the American
Automobile Association. has a wealth
of information and suggestions re-
garding motor laws, road systems and
motor taxtion which he presented in
most pleasing fashion.
In many respects he said, Maine is
like Michigan. which has an admir-
able system of State roads through