New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-09-05
ny =. w. Fem

S:y =. w. Fem
Sscretn,y No or Track Committee, Ma
ttondl automobile Chamber
Of Commerce
II has been said that when things
have crown so old that they are almost
entirely forgotten they again become
new and are adapted to meet our pres
ent-day needs. Transportation over the
highways is one Of them. 1t comes to
US out of the misty past.
In our onward rush in the utiliza-
tion of modern methods we had per-
fected transportation on land and sea
but tho former was over steel rails
We had neglected our highways, for
until recently We did not have proper
transportation machine to operate over
them.
The coming Of the or truck filled
that need, and it came In time Of ma
tional peril-when three quarters Of
the world was Carrying on war for
liberty and justice. But the develop
ment Of the highways has NOT kept PACE
with the progress Of the motor truck
With the overburdening of our rails
we found ourselves il possession of a
machine which was flexible and rapid
enough to not only reach our remote
sections, but was swftcr in bcarine it,,
burden than any form Of transporta-
tion that HAD yet come to US. And de-
spite the fact that the highways were
in most cases unimproved, and in many
cases almost impossible, the motor
truck never failed. 1t has hauled it's
load from farm to consumer, from the
mine to the steel mill, to the point of
final utilization.
Advent of Rrral Motor
At the outbreak Of the war the cry
ing need of the world was food, and
tho slogan Food Will Win the War"
was adopted to impress upon the people
the need of greater production and
economy. SO In order to encourage
greater production the rural motor ex-
press came into being for moving the
foodstutfs raised BY the farmer with
greater dispatch over the highways to
the centers Of population. This the
rural express has done in o very credit
ablo manner.
Secretary Redneld recently said that
you may builo up the railroad until it
is ten blocks wide AMI fl the rivers
with steamers and still the farmers
transportation needs are unserved; so
the motor truck, travelling inland over
hill and through valley, wiping out the
isolation that always has existed, be-
our peop'e.
So also has the motor truck been the
medium Of final distribution, for tho
food arriving at tidewater, loaded on
steamers and shipped overseas, reached
our men at the battle front via motor
truck. for the conditions imposed by
war made it impossible to do this by
rail.
Every dealer should do his utmost to
of
motor express lines. He should either
get others to operate them or operate
them himself, as many are doing, for
aside from serving his country in q
vital necessity he is serving himself.
Colorado Sets Example
Facing desperate situation the Gov
erncr Of Colorado recently set aside by
proclamation day for highway trans
portation, which has resulted in the
formation of hundreds of lines in all
parts of the state
The Colorado Highways Transport
committee reports that farmers
Throughout Ugh cut the country will have in
use. 100000 trucks by the end of this
year and will retire some 100000
horses. Every horse displaced means
five more acres Of land that can be
devoted to raising food for human
beings Colorado in 1917 had $4,000
horses. The war and the advent of the
motor truck have probably reduced this
number. Take as conservative csti-
rnate 100000 horses used on farms or
motor trucks, would mean the use Of
100000 acres needed to support the
animals fer raising food.
Several transportation companies al
ready have Incorporated and are trying
out the new idea of making regular
trips daily between towns thirty 10
fifty miles apart. One of the most
recent interpretations is that con-
trolled by a group of dairymen from
bined their business opportunities with
the general advance in economic dis
tribution of farm products. The COM
pany has several trucks which make
regular trips to Denver, distance Of
thirty-two miles, bringing to the metro
polls dairy products and returning
with load of small wares to be
dropped at towns along the way.
This practice developed through the
traffic. and more generally perhaps be-
cause of the congested conditions Of
railroad freight traffic.
Vegetables Arrive Fresh
Fruit, vegetables, milk and eggs ar
the consumer fresh and desirable on
the day they leave the farms and COM
mand the highest market prices. 1t
is regarded by agricultural experts as
the most encouraging and potent indi-
cation to the farmer that no matter
what his production, his produce will
And speedy way to market.
The motor truck dealer must realize
that if the farmers product is not
moved it will rot away and he will not
feel inclined again to waste his money
and his labor in producing something
which he cannot move.
Rural motor express lines are profit
able to the operator, whether he is a
farmer or city dealer. This is shown
by the experiences of men who have
tried them out and know.
De Witt Clinton Main, a farmer at
Cumberland, N. Y, hauls 10000
quarts OF milk annually into Albany
on two trucks. He also carries $1,000
passengers. or an average Of 100 day.
Eleven years ago he was q small
farmer.
Truck Cats Out Delays
AZ Detroit a six-ton refrigerator
truck with 3 heavy trailer makes daily
trips to Toledo. Two and one-half