The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-07-22
NOTES.
THE AUTOMOBILE JOURNEY.
Through Mud and Over HilIs the Trans-
Continental Tourists Go.

MIR. and Mrs. Davis who are going
from New York to San Francisco In an
automobile, arrived In Albany Sunday.
They did not leave Hudson until the
afternoon because of rain.
The automobile started of ut good
rate Of speed but the roads were in very
bad condition, and fears were entertained
that stop for the night would have to be
made before reaching Albany.
At Rossman's five miles north of the
city, 10 a hill that no wheelman can ride,
its average grade being about forty de-
grees, but the motor climbed it with app
parent ease. A large crowd of enthusiasts
tic spectators witnessed the departure Of
Mr.. and Mrs. Davis.
Bad roads rendered almost impossible
by heavy rains and steep grades at almost
every mile tested the power OF the auto
mobile to the utmost. In spite of it all,
however, and In spite Of another slight
accident, Mr.. and Mrs. Davis reached
Albany just before midnight. and were
crested by delegation of newspaper men
and bicyclists.
"Our trip from Hudson has been a try
ing 0ne." said MIR. Davis, "but the
motor is now working smoothly. and Is
down to It's bearings. We will make speed
from now on II the roads are fairly good,
We got our best speed OF the trip today,
taking into account the horrible condition
in which we found the roads over which
We had to travel, and IL the way Is as
well prepared as l am told IL Is there will
be lao further trouble.
"We left Hudson this afternoon" he
continued, for the purpose of getting
into a territory where there ara ample
telephone aud telegraph congveniences.
Ii had been raining heavily all through
the night, and We were warned to expece
hard travelling. and we got it. just ont
OF hudson tners Is a two mile stretch of
clay road that was Ike glue. IL cloggeh
our wheels so that we had to stop fire.
quently to scrape it of. Then we had to
overcome the slipping on grades and we
did that too.
"A party of wbeelmens who escorted us
made bets that we could not climb Ros-
sans Hid, and were the most surprised
men In the world to see the automobile
mount 1t easily inspite of the mud.
"Ot course there was an accident, for
troubles never come singly. just before
reaching Stuyvesant, the nut controlling
the exhaust valve In the rear cylinder
broke from the pin and got lost Our
mechanic, Me. Fisher, made q new one
out of battery screw. but we lost fully
| three hours by this mishap.
"Talking apout luck" continued Mr.
Davis, "Mrs. Davis firmly believes we
are hooded by our Estarting on the 18th
aad she actually got me to rub against a
humpbacked man al the depot TO break
the spell. 1t seemed to work all right,
for things have gone smoother ever since.
no matter how much you may laugh
about 1t. want 10 add whilce speaking
Of Mrs. Davis that she Is standing the
strain Of the "trip wonderfully well and
| will be over feeling tired when we get
going smoothly, IS We expect to hefeaf-
| ter.
"What do think Of New York State
roads? They are about as bad as could be
made, as far az we have come. We went
several miles oue OF our course on the adj
vice Of farmers. whom we met at Cox
saekie, and did NOS lind much of an i'm
| proyement after ALL The clay ard mud
was about Elk inches deep everywhere,
and we had . heavy ralnstorm part OF the
way In addition. When we reached
Rensselaer, our makeshift repairs failed
up, and had to be renewed before We could
GROSS the bridge to Albany. Otherwise
| the automobile would have reached the
Capital an hour sooner"