Life, 1919-10-02 · page 35 of 48
Life — October 2, 1919 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**—it's a straightforward **product advertisement** for Goodyear pneumatic (air-filled) truck tires, circa early 20th century. The page features a photograph of delivery trucks lined up on a Boston street, paired with a testimonial quote from L.W. Jouett, a manager at a major grocery wholesaler. The advertiser uses his endorsement to claim Goodyear tires deliver measurable business benefits: 40% gasoline savings, lower repair costs, extended tire life, and improved delivery efficiency through Boston's traffic. The ad contrasts pneumatic (air) tires with older solid rubber tires, arguing pneumatics are superior for faster delivery routes while solids remain useful for heavy freight hauls. The text emphasizes durability (citing 13,972 miles on one set) and widespread adoption by truck manufacturers. This represents early commercial advertising relying on real-world business testimonials rather than satire or humor.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“ O8 big Goodyear Pneumatics have been a very profitable investment. They have saved over 40% on gasoline, decidedly lowered repdir costs, and will show a big economy in the longer life of our trucks. They have made us money in rendering possible an improved service to our customers and in the increased efficiency of our delivery men. And in mileage our records show Goodyear Tires superior to all others. The only set of Good- year Pneumatic Cord Truck Tires that we have worn out were in use 13 months and traveled 13,972 miles. Another set, stillin use, have gone 11,825 miles.”—L. W. Jouett, Manager of Retail Stores for Cobb, Bates & Yerxa Company, Wholesale and Retail Grocers, 55 Summer Street, Boston The use of Goodyear Pneumatic Cord Truck Tires is afford- they cover many broken and rutted routes without so much “ing the large mercantile house quoted above an improved sis of making deliveries all over Greater Boston and in "Reighboring towns. While Goodyear Solid Tires still are employed on trucks “carrying the extremely dense, heavy loads and making the slower hauls between the freight depots and the wholesale “house, the Goodyear Cords now are saving considerable time > and money in the extensive delivery work. The Company’s trucks on the agile Goodyear Cords weave if way far more casily through the intricate Boston traffic; slowing down; they operate on less gasoline; and, due to the resilient pneumatics, they show less sign of exacting toil. The only set of the powerful pneumatics which have been removed thus far, ran 13,972 miles and all the others have been demonstrating a similarly impressive toughness. Such experience explains the fact that of all motor trucks, now factory-equipped with big pneumatics, more are delivered on Goodyear Pneumatic Cord Truck Tires and Goodyear Ideal Detachable or Demountable Rims than on any other comicbooks.com