Trucks and Trucking in Canada.
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An Account of Some Employment of Commerears, Packards, Peerless and other Lorries.
(By Our Resident Correspondent in Toronto.) I notice in -the issue of the " C.M." for the 18th September, under the ever-popular One Hears" heading — "That four Commercar chars-à-banes are catching the eye and good trade of Toronto." Now, I thought you would probably like to have a photograph of one or more of these machines, and I have, therefore, secured special pictures, which I think are informative. [These are amongst the illustrations to be found on the next page—En.] A Toronto Fleet of Commercare.
Provincial Motors, Ltd., of 85, Bay Street, Toronto, owns and operates no fewer than six Commercar ehars-k-bancs : three of these are of the four-ton, 30 h.p. type, for 32 passengers ; one is a four-tonner, for 28 passengers ; and the other two are three-ton models. This company commenced using Commer trucks in May, 1912, and the first purchase was of two threetonners and one four-tonner. The body for the latter was built in. Toronto by the Conboy Carriage Co. In the spring of the present year, Provincial Motors,-Ltd., purchased three 32-passenger chars-kbanes. These were shipped direct
Cl' 8 from England with English bodies, and as they arrived ready for the road, they were put into service at once on their arrival. They have certainly done very well indeed this season, and they have the reputation locally of being a very smart fleet.
The vehicles are in daily service during the, season, which roughly commences on the 1st May, and ends about the 15th October. Visitors to Toronto find these cars the best way of "seeing the sights," as they are in that way enabled to make trips to all the principal points of interest in the city, and out to Rosedale, which is the select residential part of Toronto, Each of these sight-seeing cars is accompanied by an official guide, who describes everything, in a familiar manner, to the touring partyrubber-necking it is called over here.
By Comrner to Niagara: The trip as a rule takes one-anda-half hours and the fare is the popular one of one dollar. The Same cars also run, in connection with "Treasure's Sight Seeing Trips to Niagara Falls." Anyone wishing to take advantage of this trip can book from Niagara on the boat leaving there in the morning —35 miles across Lake Ontario. Chars-k-bancs meet the boat at Toronto and convey the party to the Walker House Hotel, for lunch. There is thereafter the usual run round the city, and a guide conducts the party in the usual way to the celebrated spots in the vicinity. The boat returns in the evening.
The round trip from Niagara, inchiding boat both ways, lunch and char-a-banes, costs 3 dollars 75 cents, and it is really a capital day's outing for the money. These vehicles were supplied through Industrial Motor Trucks, Ltd., 85, Dupont Street, Toronto, which eoncern is the agent for Commerear vehicles for Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritime Provinces.
I thought it would be of interest to have a chat with the driver of one of these Commercar chars-abanes, and to find out from the man at the wheel how these vehicles suited the local conditions. He seemed very satisfied with his charge, and he told me that his car had carried over 5000 passengers this season. This obviously points to the popularity of the machine and its work.
A Peerless for Bricks and Stones.
One of the photographs which I send to you--[We reproduce this. —EDJ—is of a. 40 h.p., five-ton Peerless truck, made by the Peerless Motor Car Co., of Cleveland, Ohio. It is an interesting example of the type of high-grade American track which is finding employment in this part. of the world. This particular machine is owned by the Don Valley Brick Co., of Toronto, and is employed in hauling very large loads of brick and stone from the company's brickfields to the many buildings which are in course of construction in Toronto. Up to the time of writing it had been running only three months, it is true, but I hear excellent reports of its performance.
An inspection of this particular photograph will reveal the special tipping arrangement which is embodied in this machine, and I would draw attention to the ample protection for the driver against adverse climatic conditions. This latter provision is most essential in this country. The Peerless truck people have also supplied two of their five-tonners. to the City of Toronto Garbage and Street CleanMg Department.
Over and above these vehicles for experimental purposes, the city, some little while ago, purchased four further trucks—two Peerless 40 h.p five-tonners, one -White fivetonner, and one Pierce-Arrow 30
h.p. five-tonner. I am given to understand that if these machines prove satisfactory for the duties they are asked to perform, other orders will follow. This temporary fleet is at. present engaged in bringing garbage, etc., from the City Yard to the west end of the city to the eastern depot where it is disposed of. All four trucks are fitted with the same sort of tip bodies, which are hand operated.
To Improve Toronto's Fire Departma nt.
The chief of the City of Toronto Fire Department and one of the City Councillors have just returned from New Yorlc, where they have been For a short visit to see the methods adopted in that city's fire department, and to compare notes with the methods we have here in Toronto. At present the city has four motor fire-engines. The report of the visit to New York shows that they are greatly in favour of motor appliances, .and they strongly urge the city to purchase more machines and to do away with horses entirely. I shall he able to send you further particulars of this development later.
The J. Easton Co., of Toronto and Winnipeg, have secured the agency for Thornyceoft vehicles, and are showing them in Toronto.
A Word for the Tractor.
In Canada, both steam and petrol have done much to eliminate ouch of the drudgery usually attached to working up of unbroken ground on the mammoth farms.
The College of Agriculture, Saskatchewan, has realized this, and besides many other modern labour-saving devices installed for the benefit of its students, it uses petrol and steam-driven tractors for demonstration purposes. The College grounds are very extensive, enabling the general utility of such machines to be demonstrated.
Packards for Registered Bagga ge.
The Canadian Transfer Co. is a concern which handles most of the passenger baggage which passes through Toronto, and their agents travel on most of the trains. They will take luggage and deliver it into the city or suburbs, thus saving the owner any trouble with it upon reaching Toronto. This company has three Packard trucks— two one-tonners and one three-tonner—besides several horse-drawn vehicles. These Packards are well known in Canada and the States for their reliability, and they are employed in a great number of trades both as regards the light
and heavy models. E.J.