Trucking America: The Life Line of Our Country

By Jack Davis

The history connections start with the transportation by my great-grandfather of army goods and supplies as colonel in charge during the Civil War. The oxen and wagons moving family goods and others to Canada and then to St. Joe, Missouri, to be with the second wagon train going west to the Oregon territory. My grandfathers, my father, and myself in our life long involvement in moving all types of freight in America. The dedication of all this and incidents along the way.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Mar 25, 2015
• ISBN: 9781496974044

Jack Davis

The transportation industry of this country is the lifeline that this book talks about. The family history and connection to that development. The generations of my family from the Civil War time to the present are involved to give the readers a view of how this country functions and the importance of the trucking industry to their families. The hardships that have been endured to arrive with today’s services. Many personal stories of these changing times. I have enjoyed a wonderful life being involved in the transportation system of this country. The travels, meeting new people and feeling free while doing so, has been wonderful. The lifelong journey of the members of my family and their history mean a great deal to me. We have enjoyed the friendships of so many great people while doing our daily labors.

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© 2015 Jack Davis. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 03/18/2015

ISBN: 978-1-4969-7403-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-7402-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-7404-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015903683

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Acknowledgement

Forward Ho

The Jack Davis Story

From Oxen and Horses to Trucks

A Good Life

The Story of a Teamster

Elmer’s’ Old Tale

East Bound on 10 Climbing Vantage

Cater at Coulee Dam

Loss of a Friend

James J. Williams Tank Lines

Trucking History

Hitch Hiking with West Coast Bus

The Depression

Winter on Old Hwy 2 and West

WSP & Washington Dept. of Highways

The Yakima Canyon 10 & 97

Winter of 1952

Family of Trucking

Carrots Needed

Accident at Teanaway Junction

Hauling Live Cattle in the Cold

History & Industry

Holiday Trucking

Learning from Wonderful Mentors

Modern Inventions

More Horse Power

My Brother Dick

Old Rattler

Old Trucks and Old Engines

Old Driver Trainer

Starting Out Learning Trucking

Old 99 North

Trucks Getting Better

Winter around Lake Keechelus

Working with Jess

Work Ethics

Young Men Learning

1951 Kenworth and the Sow

A Mentor

Carl’s Service

American Trucking Industry at Work

Changing Times

Companies in My Life

Diesel Truck Engines

Company Driver & Old Trucks

Driver Hardships

Finding Parts

Drivers and Air Brakes

First Low Boy to the Woods

Gear Wise

God as My Co-Pilot

Beef Trucks

Hauling Hay West

Helping Others

In Search of Wanderlust

Johnny and the Railroad

Learning Ways

Modern Trucking

New Sources of Power

Listening

Run Away Trucks

Running South

Snowing on the Grapevine

Highway 97 Truck Pulling Contest

Stub a Fellow Driver

Near the White Line

Sam

The Heroes’ of the Road

The Trucking Industry

Tires

Transportation Times

Trucking Conditions of the Past

The Extra Boards & Drivers

Trucking Sayings

Dam Times

Driving Extra

Dromedary

Early 60’s

California

Helping a Man in Trouble

A History to Pass On

A Change of Life, Trucks & Fishing

Running the Clipper

Green Tomatoes Going West

Going to Coulee Dam

Gold in Those Hills

Going East

Traveling Through the Blue Mountains

Help for a Fellow Driver

Icy Roads

Major Storm on the East Coast

Mt. St. Helens

My Highway of Special People

Northern Lights Running Wild

Odessa Wheat

Lone Wolf

The ALCAN Highway of the North

Independence Weekend 2013

Trucking in Seattle Snow

On Blewett Pass

Overload

Oversize

Road Work in Teanaway

Trucking California

Going to the Islands

Over the Olympics Logging

Trucking in the Northwest

Operating Engineers

Highway Team Safety

WSP Trooper and the VW Bug

Ramblyn Ruby

Wishing You the Best

Smilin Jack

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The experiences I have enjoyed while being involved in our Trucking industry has been very rewarding to me. The stories are all experiences I have directly been involved with through my career driving and owning rigs. Some of these are as told to me by my father Elmer Davis as he drove from the 1920’s through the 1960’s. We shared these times while I learned as well as on some of the sleeper trips. I have enjoyed the friendships of many drivers and owners of businesses involved in the daily trucking industry. My thanks to all my family for helping me to be a better man. My Great Grandfather for starting this transportation history, as a Colonel in the Army involved with the military moving and transportation. He later hauled freight and his family west when they came west with the second wagon train, coming to the Oregon territory.

Some of these businesses are over 100 years old and many over 50 years of service to our country. I am grateful for each and every person I have had the pleasure to know and share with. The numbers are by far too large to name, but most are included directly or indirectly within this book. I wish to thank all of those friends and associates from all the industry for what they have done for me. Many of course have, gone to be with our great Architect in that place not made with hands. Those I have learned from and helped me is a debt I can never repay. I can only pass on to others the big bag of tricks, they helped me to develop. The old timers are becoming fewer, but, they have a lot to still share. We need to gather as much of the history as possible, as the time is short and we know not what tomorrow may bring. There are many of my friends and family that have encouraged me to share about Trucking America. The memories of great service by the waitress’s and wonderful food at the truck stops on our historical rides. I cannot thank my Mother, Lois, and all the support given by my family. My wife Lilynne, (The Loggers’ daughter) for her love and support, as well as the rest of my family. The suppliers that have had the parts to keep us rolling. The scope of this industry makes up one large family in many cases, of which I have had the good fortune to be a part of. Nothing in our lives would happen without the trucks in our lives. The people behind the wheel make it happen. It would be so special, if we could educate our fellow American’s to see us as we serve their needs. If they got it, a truck brought it. Thanks to all my mentors that helped me to become what I am, as a dedicated American, involved in our transportation system. Let my stories open you mind, and my historic trip through time give you an insight of the enjoyable life I have shared with all those involved. The good Lord has cared for me and allowed me to be a part of this industry. The memories of recall in your own life I hope are richly rewarded by reading this book. The pictures included are from the life of my family and friends, including many involving the rigs I drove. To those included, I say thanks for the memories you are part of. I hope you will share your stories with your families and the rest of us. The times have changed, but we are all still, Trucking America.

Thanks, Jack

Forward Ho

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OREGON TRAIL WAGON

Many stories told in this book are about the history of our family involved in transportation. The start of this history involved my Great Grandfather Taylor who was a ranking officer in the Army and was in charge of moving artillery and supplies. (This is the first recall of our family being involved in the transportation systems of America, that we know of). The times were tough, conditions were extremely bad after the wars in the East and so he and my Grandmother came west traveling on the wagon trains in the 1800s from Saint Joe, Missouri. This was part of the major western migration as they were on the second major wagon train coming to the west ending up in the Oregon Territory. With wagons loaded with freight and all the family possessions, they crossed the Columbia River and ending up in the lower Yakima Valley. They spent several years in the lower Yakima Valley with their family of nine working there in the harvests. They settled on a place between Ellensburg and Cle Elum on the old highway which later became known as Bristol Flats. He was a Horse Logger Teamster. He had all the boys in the family working horses logging up in the Teanaway Valley. They had a large camp at Caslin and other camps further up the mountains. They delivered wood to the mines as well as rafted logs down the Yakima River. They would take the crew and the wanagan (a floating camp boat) down the river to the mill with a wild ride had by all. Once unloaded, they would then load supplies and sides of beef and pole the wanagan back up the river to the camp.

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LICK CREEK Taylor Logging Camp Teanaway Near Cle Elum Washington

My Great Grandfather Taylor later became one of the first Kittitas County Commissioners.

My Great Grandmother was a Native American Indian and daughter of one of the chiefs from a tribe in the Carolina area. I have pictures of her and my Great Grandfather, Big John Taylor, standing together with her in her white deer skin robes with her father, the Chief in full headdress. She stood 5’ 2" and he was 6’9.

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Taylor Homestead (Bristol Wa.)

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BIG JOHN TAYLOR CENTER REAR

My Grandfather Ansel (on my Mother’s side) as well as his brothers became involved in the transportation of logs with horses in the Central Washington area also. He later went to work for the city of Ellensburg in driving and running road maintenance equipment. He retired from his job with the City and went to work for Cascade Lumber for years building roads, and taught his grandson me, how to run road graders and other machines.

My Grandfather Larcy Davis had moved his family, from the state of Arkansas when my Father Elmer was one year old in 1901. When they arrived in Spokane he went to work for the railroad in that area. He worked there for a number of years until he lost a leg while doing a road switch. He and my Grandmother divorced and he moved to Great Falls, Montana. My grandmother married William Sadesk several years later, making my Uncle Bill a half-brother of my father. Grandpa William worked for the transportation department of the city of Spokane. I was also able to spend time with him learning about equipment and road work, going to the city transportation shop during the summer when I was out of school.

All their hard work has paid off in my learning. I look back often to remember all those times. I appreciate the time and patience all those have spent to assist me in making me what I am today.

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JACK DAVIS INLAND TRANSPORTATION JACKET

The Jack Davis Story

Born East Ellensburg, Washington 04/28/1941

I came from a long family of transportation.

I started riding in the Washington State Highway department trucks in Ellensburg, Washington around 1947, when my dad was Section Foreman for State Department of Highways. I started running heavy equipment when I was 11 years old with my Grandfather Ansel Taylor, (Cat 12 grader) who had been running heavy equipment most of his life. Our family lived near a large lot where many of the large tankers and freight trucks parked. I would sneak across the street and walk around the rigs. One day a driver caught me in such an act and asked me if my dad knew where I was. Several weeks later I was near the trucks again and I got caught again, this time the driver, (Rod Hussie), said he had talked to my dad and it was ok for him to take the boy for a ride in the big truck and trailer, (Inland Motor Freight). We went around a couple of blocks and then the driver had to go on his run. This happened many times after that, with many of the line drivers, as they all knew my Dad, Elmer. I was even allowed to shift the gears on the two stick rigs at times. What a thrill to a little boy.

In 1952, Elmer started E. Davis & Sons Trucking (#CC-10309). This was comprised of hauling farm products (milk and hay) and building materials mostly. The local trucks were a 1936 International flatbed, a 1934 Ford flatbed, a 1947 International flatbed and a 1946 3-axle Chevrolet flatbed. In late 1956, a 1953 International L-200 conventional tractor, with a 150 Cummins was added to the fleet. The truck had a 5x3 and pulled a 35’ flatbed semi. My brother Dick and I worked all the time for the family business when we were not in school. The rigs were all sold in 1959 when Elmer went driving cattle rigs for Hibbs Packing Company in Ellensburg, Washington. I went to work at Hibbs on one of the swinging meat trucks in 1959. I hauled meat to the Western Washington stores as well as California. My favorite truck to drive was the 1959 COE Freightliner tractor and set of refer doubles. The 5x3 and the 220 Cummins ran well. The old gal had a wonderful bark when it was working hard. I enjoyed all the hard work at Hibbs. When the company was sold in 1962, I moved to the coast and went to work for Lee & Eastes tank lines. The board was large and had many senior drivers. I would work there and when work was slow, I would work for Lasme, Denver Chicago, Consolidated, PIE, and others to pay the bills. I left L&E and went to work full-time for Inland Transportation, hauling with their tankers. I left Inland a few years later when business slowed. Many years I ran heavy equipment belly dumps and helped to build Interstate 5, with S.D. Spencer Construction. Over the next few years I worked for Denver Chicago and Lasme which later became Time DC. I worked for Big Bend (Extra), Don Williams (Extra), Lee & Eastes, Arrow (Extra), Western Tank Lines, Consolidated Tank Lines, Gull Oil, P&M Tank Lines, Specialized, S.D. Spencer Construction, L&E again and worked eight years for Oroweat. I have owned several over-the-road rigs with big Cats for power, and as a well-qualified mechanic, have worked on and driven Cummins, Buda, Hall Scott, Detroit, Cat and others.

These years I have enjoyed as a professional driver. The companies I was with driving tankers were great to work for, and I finally retired as a driver trainer at Matlack. I ran 48 states, all of Canada, Alaska and some to Mexico. My sleeper rigs at Matlack were the only ones in the fleet equipped to deliver in all conditions of weather including 70 below zero and if no one else was able to deliver the product, (this included the railroad trains), I would. Many drivers learned valued lessons on those trips, into the worst Mother Nature could deliver. Dad taught me well, and I have passed it on to other drivers. I made the deliveries, many far north into the Yukon, and further north to Alaska and other sites. What great fun! Today I still own many of the over-the-road rigs, four Kenworths, a Ford Aeroliner, and a H67 Mack, including a massive tow truck used mostly for fun.

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I joined ATHS (American Truck Historical Society) a while back, and am currently an officer in the local Northwest Chapter. My life story is one of hard work and fun, and the love of trucking is evident as well as my love of my country and my fellowman. I am a very active Mason and am involved with my community. I still use my expertise when needed for some of the people I know, using trucking or construction equipment. To sum up my life, I am a man with many friends, with over 4 million miles of safe driving, one person willing to share his talents, and always his experiences, ready to travel the extra mile.

In the early 2000’s, I married a wonderful lady I had met many years before. We enjoy traveling and spending time at our homes in both Black Diamond, Washington and Priest River, Idaho. Sharing family ties, playing with the dogs, staying active within the communities, and becoming more active in ATHS is what I am all about. This is a small piece of a Trucker’s life and I present it to you, my reader.

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ANSEL TAYLOR on CITY of ELLENSBURG GRADER

From Oxen and Horses to Trucks

The family history of which I came from were Teamsters of old, with their work horses. Delivering milk, cheese, freight, logs, food and machinery, kept them busy. The old hay burners did a great job. The wagons, sleigh, skids, arches and other methods were involved in daily duty. Think of the difference between the old fine horse carts and pumpers and how they relate to the equipment today. Teamsters cover many different occupations, all having a special part of our history. We all have common goals as Americans. Someday the rest of the story will be told.

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CONTROTTO LINN Logging West of Ellensburg

A Good Life

We were a farm family trying to pay the bills and survive. Mom (Lois) worked as a waitress at Mabel’s Café (a truck stop in Ellensburg). Dad, Brother Dick, Sister Diane and myself were busy doing contract farm work. We hauled hay local to the barns and railroad cars. Most of the hay work was through a long-time family friend, Warren Gilmore. We hauled a lot from the old stationary balers, (a large story of that era). Those bales weighed 200 to 350 pounds, and were all three wires tied. We would move from 50 to 75 tons a day and sometimes more. Hard work and long days. I was 12, and loaded the trucks most of the time. Dad drove the trucks and Dick and Diane did the stacking and ran the pulley winch hoist. The old trucks were a 1936 International, a 1941 Ford and a 1947 International all 2 axle. We later bought a 46 Chevy (3 axles) and a 1953 International L-200 tractor. It was the first diesel we owned. It pulled a 35’ semi. We hauled many types of commodities, farm products, building materials, tanks and more. We operated under our own permit #CC-10309. We even had milk rights. The 50’s were a time of much change in the trucking industry, for us also. We hauled all over the state and local. During the fall and winter, we hauled a lot of grain for years. The railroad finally cut the rate so low, as to make it unprofitable for many trucks to compete. We changed to other hauls to keep busy. The main hauls were TL (Truck Load) shipments. We ran until the late 50’s, when we sold the equipment. There are many tales to be told of this era. I enjoyed the hard work, the driving, and all I learned. The drivers of that era were a great group. They all or most, helped everyone on the highways. They kept us going. One of the old sayings Dad had was, "you could find where the trucks stopped, good food, or good looking waitresses or if lucky both". Most of the time it was both. They would have a hot meal in front of you quickly (sometimes ahead of other customers), with lots of hot coffee, preheat your thermos and fill it to go. The stops were enjoyable, full of stories, fun and a lot of love. They all worked together in a close helpful way. I could tell you the name of almost every driver, what company he worked for, the truck kind, the type of motor and transmissions he drove. The regular stops had sign in books where the drivers could help keep track of one another that way. The drivers’ name, the company and date and time were all included. The café would give a free meal out to the 25th driver or by drawings. The meals were great (not as good as home though), and kept us hard working drivers going. We didn’t have weather reports like today. The road conditions were passed along between the drivers as well as any accidents along the way. Roads would close due to slides or other conditions a lot. If you got caught away from home, most of the time you slept in the cab of your truck. Some of the trucks had sleepers, but most didn’t. The motels in most cases would fill up fast. Many times drivers would share rooms. When the roads opened again, the state would let the traffic go and long lines would be on the old two-lane roads. There was no place to pass so everyone went the speed of the slowest rig. The trucks would