Arizona Paper - Motor Truck Operation at Mammoth Collins Mine, Shultz, Ariz.

Two Also 3 1/2-ton motor trucks were used by Young Bros. while operating at the Mammoth Collins mine at Shultz, Ariz. One was equipped with an oil tank holding 1,075 gal. and was used for the transportation of "tops." The other was fitted with a stake body and used to carry machinery, wood, rails, pipe and all classes of miscellaneous supplies. The bodies were made of oak with maple flooring and were attached to the frame of the chassis by U-bolts, to avoid drilling the main members of the frame. Most of the hauling was done from Tucson, a distance of 47 1/2 miles. During the first 3 months, part of the road was in very bad condition and the tire cost was excessive. After this part was repaired the road was in fair condition, but never good. There were no excessive grades or bad sand, but wagon ruts, too narrow for the truck wheels and of a different gage, caused heavy tire loss; while chuck holes, sharp curves and stones, both imbedded and loose, were objectionable features. During wet weather the trucks could not get sufficient traction to climb some of the hills and were likely to stick in the mud in certain places, so that no attempt was made to run them unless they were on the' road when the rain started. This lost time amounted to about 5 per cent. of the total, but, whenever possible, it was utilized in making minor repairs. The price of gasoline was from 17 to 21 c. per gal. Rubber tires were used throughout. Drivers were said $4.50 to $5 per shift, and a return trip to Tucson was counted as two shifts even when made in one day. Drivers were provided with a room in Tucson and were paid for a11 time lost due to causes beyond their control. Trucks were loaded one way only. Speedometers were placed on both trucks but the excessive vibration soon caused them to fail. For this reason, and because no account was taken of the distance covered in picking up a miscellaneous load or in other minor ways, the mileage given is under the actual distance traveled. Some of the weights had to be estimated, but care was taken to have the number of ton-miles low rather than high, to avoid underestimating the costs. The cost of hauling from Tucson to the mines was $12 per ton