The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-07-14
Prize for Essay on
Motor Trucks IS
Won by Idaho Girl

An Idaho girl, MISS katnerne
Butterfield of -Weiser, has won dis
tinction by winning q prize in ma
tional contest writing the best thing
on motor trucks, and won $1,000 and
scholarship in an eastern school.
She had to confine her article to 500
words and she pared it down severely
to say all she could in that many
word, for there was much more she
wanted to say. It Is a classic on
trucks and good roads, and deserves
to be read carefully. The prize es-
say follows: II
Like curious children, the
Indians Of the plains watched the
building of the first .transcontinal
railroad.
when the first engine, breathing
smoke and flame steamed down upon
them, they turned their ponies heads
and fled wildly expecting to feel, at
every Jump, its hot breath on their
cheeks. But the monster never pur-
sued them over the trackless
praries. 1t had it's limitations then.
It has them now.
"a more mobile kinsman of the To-
connective demonstrates ability to
travel without steel rails, the tract
able truck. On the farm it is short
ening the distance to market, carry
ing twice the load in half the time
and eating only while it works.
Freight traffic everywhere is
clogged. The present condition is
choking industry menace finan-
cial and otherwise to the whole
country. Every year to some extent
| freight congestion recurs. The rail-
roads have no competitors for the
long haul, which justifies the short
haul at each end. Shall they COM
pete for the short. haul, or advise the
segregation of short haul traffic, and
invoke the aid Of this rural express
for the hundred mile runs. Railroads
cut thru community areas a single
diameter. Truck highways spread
out innumerable radii.
Trucks carry blooded stock to the
range flocks. In due time fleets or
trucks are conveyed, bringing in the
wool, transferring it for its long
haul to the Atlantic seaboard. Rail
roads again return it to us as manu-
featured goods and the cycle is COM
plete.
Bursting granaries spell prosper
ity for the railroads and long haul
to the sea. To insure 100 per cent
harvest, fullest benefit from short
planting season, let the truck carry
the seed wheat, farm machinery,
fuel, requirements and repairs for
the short haul Long and short haul
agencies supplement each other. The
long arc and the short dovetail, and
the transportation circle is complete.
They coalesce not conflict.
"'Within q mile Of Edinboro
town there runs an old Roman road.
The sightseers' bus travels over the
same highway that re-echoed to the
tread of Roman soldiery. The work
of human hands 1000 years ago is an
instrument Of human progress today.
The cost of such highways, distri-
buted over centuries, fades into in
significance. Nevertheless it takes
something besides the enthusiasm
and energy of a pseudo-eficiency ex-
pert to build good roads. A good
road program cannot be clapped
down upon community like nicely
futed pie crust, presenting an attrac-
tive surface. Every dollars worth
of bonds must show a dollars worth
of permanent improvement. Poster
ity will help pay for these roads, we
must insure value received. Mil
lions have been spent by corporations
| to improve railroads, millions will be
spent by cooperation to build good
roads.
"The agencies Of transportation
may be likened to the circulation OF
blood. No matter what bright
arterial blood the heart, the trunk
line pumps, unless the capallartes,
the truck lines, carry it to the finger
tips.
ITO motor truck, the highest ex-
/ poncnt Of good roads! To good roads,
/ fha haais Of truck efficiency