Life, 1913-01-09 · page 17 of 100
Life — January 9, 1913 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a political cartoon or satire**, but rather a straightforward commercial advertisement for the International Motor Company, placed in *Life* magazine. The page advertises three truck brands—Mack, Saurer, and Hewitt—positioning them as the "leading gasoline trucks of the world." The ad emphasizes durability through claimed service records (12, 18, and 10 years respectively) and cites real-world validation: Chicago's City Fuel and Star Motor Delivery companies allegedly ordered 75 trucks after testing competitors. The sales pitch targets business owners by highlighting that over 100 Saurer and 150 Mack trucks have each exceeded 100,000 miles while remaining profitable. The company offers various truck sizes (1 to 10 tons) and promises consulting support. This represents early 20th-century industrial advertising using performance claims and documented customer testimonials—standard marketing before modern regulatory standards.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
rE Ce tee ag \ a= After exhaustive tests of the principal American and European trucks, the City Fuel Company and the Star Motor Delivery Company of Chicago, placed an initial order for 75 of our trucks Mack Saurer Hewitt Proved by 12 years’ service Proved by 18 years’ service Proved by 10 years’ service “Leading gasoline trucks of the world” OT: More than roo Saurer and 150 Mack ‘Trucks have each run over 100,000 miles and are still making money for their owners. You cannot afford to settle your transportation problem without taking these facts into account, also the valuable data at our (and your) disposal, of 8000 trucks in service in various businesses, and the large range of sizes—1I, 1%, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6%, 7% and 10 tons—with bodies adapted to every business. : Call or write to us or to any of our branches or dealers for detailed information and assistance. International Motor Company General Offices: Broadway and 57th St New York Works: Allentown Pa; Plainfield N J Sales and Service Stations: New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Buffalo, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh St Louis, Atlanta, Kansas City, Denver, San Francisco, Los Angeles and other large cities Canadian Sales Agents: The Canadian Fairbanks-Morse Co, Limited, Montreal 000 comicbooks.com