Faster Than a Speeding Ticket: The First Truck

According to the US Bureau of Transit Statistics, in the year 2007, over 251 million motor vehicles were registered in the United States. Slightly more than half of these vehicles were cars; however, another 100 million were classified as trucks. Traveling back in time, over a century ago in 1899, the creation of the world’s very first truck was commencing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Before the dawn of the 20th century, traveling by horse and buggy was not considered a romantic ride for couples, it was a way of life. By the very late 1800s, motor vehicles were not a common option. However, not soon after this, American transportation changed forever. Louis Semple Clarke (nicknamed LS for short) was born in 1866 to Charles John Clarke in Pittsburgh. Louis’ father was not only very influential throughout the Pittsburgh area during the 1800s, but he was also a founder of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club, or SFFHC. This prestigious club consisted of more than 50 extremely wealthy men that managed an exclusive and secretive retreat. Notorious names such as Andrew Carnegie, Andrew W. Mellon (steel tycoon/one of the richest men in US by 1920s), amongst many others were all members of this club and were well acquainted with the Clarke family. As Louis grew older, he too became a member and was an avid photographer with a handmade camera he built. LS became the official photographer of the club and his pictures can now be found in the country’s historical treasure cove. On May 31, 1889, the South SFFHC’s dam, which was poorly maintained, collapsed after torrential rains sending a 30 foot wall of water traveling at speed reaching 40 mph directly into the town of Johnston, Pennsylvania. This event, later known as the Johnston flood, killed 2,209 people and was by far the largest manmade disaster America had ever seen. Soon after the flood that devastated the Clarke family, LS became an educated engineer and began to work on developing small motor vehicles with his brother Charles. With the support of his father and other brothers - John and James, Louis established the Pittsburgh Vehicle Motor Company in 1897. Preliminary production from the company included a motorized tricycle as well as a small automobile named “The Pittsburgher” by the Clarke brothers. The New York Times printed an article on August 9th, 1899 stating that the Pittsburgh Motor Vehicle Company would soon be transformed into the Autocar Company and relocate to Ardmore, a suburb outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This article also forecasts that the newly formed company would be manufacturing automobiles on a larger scale than ever before. “The company expects to be ready to manufacture ten complete automobiles daily after January 1st (1900), and employment will be given to about 500 men.”

Over 110 years ago, the truck made its first appearance in Pennsylvania through Louis Semple Clarke's original company, the Pittsburgh Motor Vehicle Company, also known as Autocar in late 1899. The first truck, which was a light delivery truck released for sale in 1900, was a single cylinder chain drive, and only 27 were made for the public.

Since then, trucks have become a world wide piece of machinery that millions of people use on a daily basis. Although they have gone through many transformations since their initial formation, their main purposes and uses have remained the same. Creation of the first commercial truck in the United States marked the real beginning of Autocar vehicles. Louis realized the great potential trucks contained and in 1901, his company produced the first shaft-driven car in America. Not only did this vehicle resemble a modern day, small passenger truck, but the 1901 Autocar truck had a shaft-drive engine that was powered with a water-cooled, two-cylinder, horizontal-opposed engine which was located in the front of the car. The gas tank and battery box could both be found under the front seat and initial advertisements for the car hyped that it “could not blow up or burn up.” This specific automobile, which is viewed as the first “real” truck, seated four people and was much easier to control than past vehicles. When LS realized how easy it was to drive, he taught his wife, Mary Ormsby Phillips, making her the first woman driver known in America. In November of 1901, there was an auto show taking place in Madison Square Garden - NYC, in which Autocar would be participating in. The 1901 Autocar truck was driven from the factory in Ardmore all the way into the big apple in just over six hours. At this time in American history, the time was considered to be very quick and impressive, enhancing the Autocar name. Originally, trucks had steering levers similar to the previous automobiles, but after producing 800 of the 1901 models, Autocar Company had a vision. Clarke, along with his co-workers, decided a steering wheel was much more practical than levers and also chose to put it on the left hand side of the automobile. This simple but clever innovation established the reason why people drive on the right side of the road today. The Clarke brothers were extraordinary innovators throughout their reign of Autocar, setting many trends and creating vital automobile parts that are even used today. Louis Clarke, chief engineer and president of Autocar, had a large part in creating the first porcelain-insulated spark plug, the first double-reduction gear drive, and the recirculating lube-oil system; and as mentioned before: the first American drive shaft-driven vehicle as well as the first left-side driven vehicle. The previous inventions were so impressive that Autocar was often referred to as the “world’s finest,” in regards to their trucks. Although it seems that automobiles, both commercial and personal, have been the main focus for the Clarkes, it was not the only thing they contributed to our country. LS was a very talented engineer and put his mind to helping the military during times of war. Louis designed and created a naval bomb fuse that was soon considered as standard for military uses. After this, Autocar was very popular with the military and during World War II, the company’s focus became supplying America with products such as armored half-trucks, all-wheel drive prime movers, and standard production models for military use. During the war, Autocar Co. produced over 50,000 vehicles for the military – this number is more than two-thirds of the total automobiles ever manufactured by the

company! Personal automobiles resumed construction within Autocar after the war in 1944, bringing the new reputation of “Tough Trucks” to the American market. According to the National Cyclopedia of American Biography, “For approximately the first ten years of [the Autocar Company’s] existence Clarke was president and chief engineer of the company. In later years he served the company as vice-president and consulting engineer. He sold his interested in the Autocar Co. in 1929 and retired at that time.” Louis’s youngest brother, John, who was also one of the founders of Autocar, sold out his interest as well in 1929. Autocar Company was taken over by White Motor Company in 1953 and then by Volvo in 1981, but kept producing Autocar trucks (however, Volvo named it “Volvo Autocar”). After retiring from Autocar in 1929, LS moved out to West Palm Beach, Florida, where he spent many winters with his family when he was younger. Clarke lived out the rest of his life in West Palm and died on January 6, 1957, but is survived by his two children and subsequent generations. He was flown back to Pittsburgh where he can be found buried in Allegheny Cemetery.

Louis Semple Clarke was a man of great magnitude. He envisioned America as a country of power that would lead the world into thousands of technological advances, some of which he produced from his bare hands. Although LS and Autocar may be gone now, both were extremely important in both American history and in shaping America’s future.

Sources: "Autocar Automobile." America on the Move. National Museum of American History.

16 February 2010 <http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove/collection/object_1273.html>.

"Autocar Company." Absolute Astronomy. 2009. 16 February 2010 <http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Autocar_Company>.

"Automobiles at Pittsburgh." New York Times. 8 August 1899: 4. Pittsburgh, PA. 16 February 2010.

"History Autocar." Autocar. 16 February 2010 <http://www.autocartruck.com/Files/Media/Autocar%20History%20story%202-17-09-1.pdf>

"Louis Semple Clarke Collection." Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Digital Library. 21 March 2010 <http://www.pennhighlands.edu/library/digital/clark.htm>.

Photo of South Fork Club taken by Louis Semple Clarke http://www.pennhighlands.edu/library/digital/louisclarkesffhc%20037.jpg

1897 Pittsburgh Motor Vehicle Company Tricycle

http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove/collection/image_1359.html

1901 Autocar

http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove/collection/image_1657.html

1901 Autocar Engine

http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove/collection/image_1656.html

Picture of Autocar 1901 with Louis and John Clarke inside (taken in 1912) http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove/collection/image_1654.html