"Built To Conform With The Name" Hammond, Indiana and West Hammond, Illinois have the dubious distinction of having the first vehicle assembly plant to be located in the Calumet Region. Founded with $50,000 in capital stock, the Durable Motor Truck Company has offices located in the Hammond building, Downtown Hammond, Indiana and factory buildings located in nearby Calumet Park - West Hammond, Illinois.

The entire complex covers nearly ten acres of ground. Buildings at the site consist of some 16,000 square feet of floor space. This new company will be employing some fifty men at the offset, while several hundred men will be working, once the plant goes into full production. Operations at the facility are to get underway towards the end of February 1917.

Although the first demonstrator will not hit the streets for some two weeks, over 100 orders have already been placed. The price for the new truck has yet to be worked out, but it is said to be priced in the range of the popular Ford pleasure cars. The Durable Motor Truck Company is just getting into the motor truck business while its still in its infancy. Sales of motor trucks are expected to soar as farmers will much prefer a truck over a car.

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Source information from The Times microfilms located at the Hammond Public Library
Graphic illustrations also from The Times microfilms.
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