A Note from Winnipeg.
Page 17
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A correspondent writes :—" The use of inotorvans for commercial purposes was only commenced in Winnipeg in a very-experimental manner, during 1910, when one of the large departmental stores placed a 10-cwt. Chase van on the streets. This was run, with more or less success, during the early part of the year, but it gave the idea that—with some slight alterations—the motorvan would take a valuable place in the work of the big store. The management, therefore, decided to extend the trial, and added two more light vans to the motor department, choosing a Brush single-cylinder and a two-cylinder doubleopposed Maytag van. As a result of the work that has been done by these three vehicles, further orders will be placed during the next two months, after careful consideration of the various makes of cars that are being offered for sale locally. " Drewery's Brewery, one of the largest establishments of its kind in the West, was the next in the field, and placed a two-ton Frayer-Miller truck in service for city and suburban deliveries. The greatest success was met with in the use of this truck, and this resulted in .A.shdown's wholesale hardware company placing an order for three trucks—one Frayer-Miller and two Rapids. At the outset, some trouble was met with, but this was due to the class of driver employed : when this was altered, the trucks gave a better showing, and they are at the present time 'making good.
" With the opening of the 1911 season, many firms, who had been watching the experiments made by the first users, placed orders for light vans. There are now about 20 vans being used by merchants in the city of Winnipeg, in addition to two Gramm trucks which have been purchased by the Free Press, the largest newspaper in the West, and which will be used for the purpose of making deliveries of the paper to outside parts of the city, and in the conveyance of the country editions to the railroad depots.
• ' A big field is open in this market to the makers of good English motorvans, as they can bring them into this country at a duty of 2:3A per cent. as against that of 35 per cent. charged on American vans. The writer has been in correspondence with some of the English firms, with a view to interesting them in this market, pointing cut the necessary specifications for a motorvan, in order to make it possible of sale on this market. In brief these are as follow :
" 1. The alteration of the recognized English wheel gauge to one of 56 in., to allow of the van's being used on roads which are only composed of dirt and consequently cut into by the ordinary horse-drawn van until a deep rut is left, in which the wheels are bound to follow, the average road not being wide enough to allow of the ruts' being straddled.
" 2. A clearance of at least 1012 in. under the lowest part of the chassis, so that the rear axle will not hang up on the high ridge in the centre of the road when the wheels are sunk down the ruts. ' 3. Ample petrol capacity to allow of long runs without having to refill the tanks, as stations for the supply of fuel are few and far between.
" If the English maker is prepared to adopt these slight changes in specification, it will be found that a splendid market for motorvans of English make exists in the western part of the big overseas Dominion, and there are several dealers who are willing to take up an agency proposition if they can be assured that the changes as outlined will be made. " During the progress of the Winnipeg Industrial Exhibition, which takes place this year from the 12th to 21st July, and to which visitors will come from all parts of the West and the nearer portions of the Eastern Provinces, there will be a combined automobile, motor-boat and commercial-vehicle display, under the management of Mr. A. C. Emmett, secretary of the Motor Trades Association, who successfully staged the first automobile show ever held in Western Canada during last February. This will afford any English maker who wishes to do so the opportunity of showing a specimen van. The cost of space is covered by the payment of a nominal entrance fee equal to a little less the 10 shillings, but entries must be made to reach Mr. Emmett, Free Press Building, Winnipeg, not later than 1st June."