The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-06-30
ACROSS THE
CONTINENT.
Mr.. and Mrs. John ID. Davis
Will Start Tomorrow
To Make the Trip In an Auto
mobile Carriage.
FROM OCEAN TO OCEAN
Route Will Lie Through Chi
cago and Omaha.

New York, June 30.-Across the con-
tinent in an autOmobilei
Under the auspices of the New York
Herald Mr.. and Mrs. John D. Davis
Will start from this city in a motor car
riage bound for San Francisco Satur-
day, July l. 1t will be the longest au-
tomobile run on record, and besides re-
quiring endurance, skill and nerve, it
viii be a test of an Americana made,
self-propelling vehicle over the worst OF
American roads.
Nothing to compare with the trip has
ever been attempted in this country,
where the sport termed ''antomobile' Is
yet in its infancy. In Europe the long
est run that has been made was 621
miles, over roads equal to the parkwayS
in American cities.
To go from ocean to ocean Mr.. Davis
will travel about 200 miles. He will
find some good stretches of road in the
east and some fair roads in the middle
west, but he will have to follow stage
coach routes through the Rocky Noun
tainS and cattle trails used by the '49erS
across the plains.
WILL HAVE TO FORD RIVERS.
He will have rivers to ford and rocky
ravines to traverse that may play the
mischief with pneumatic tires. The
progress of Mr.. Davis and his wife in
their automobile will be reported in the
New York Herald from day to day, and
the nature of the roads across the
country described. If Mr. Davis sue
cording to programme he believes that
his trip will demonstrate the -possibili-
ties of lOng-diStance touring, even in
the absence of good roads, and should
be a strong argument in favor of the
Improvement of main highways of this
country. Mrs. Davis will have the dis
tinction of being the first woman to
make a long tour in a motor carriage.
Mr.. Davis is an enthusiast on the
subject of automobiles. He recently
purchased what is described by the
makers as a continental touring cart"
1t has been built in Stamford. Conn.,,
by the National Motor company spec
tally for the trip to San Francisco
Its parts are stronger than in the
same type of vehicle made for use on
good roads, and everything has been
done to insure safety and comfort for so
long a journey. gasoline motor con-
cealed in the box beneath the seat fur
nishes the power Sufficient fuel can
be carried to run 24G miles. Mr.. Davis
expects to have no difficulty in replen-
ishing the supply of gasoline in the cit
les and more important towns through
which he will pass.
GEARS OF THE MACHINE.
The carriage has three gears, giving
three different speeds of ten, twenty
five and thirty-flVe miles an hour. 1t is
said to be able to climb a % per cent
grade at the rate of five miles an hour.
Mr.. Davis expects to maintain an aver
agG speed of fifteen miles an hour for
the entire distance, doing better in the
east than west of the Mississippi
The start will be made from in front
of the Herald building in this city and
the finish will be al the San Francisco
Call building. In choosing the route
good roads have been the first consider
alton, and so little is known here of
the condition of roads west of Denver
that Mr.. Davis may change his plans
when he reaches the Rockies. From
this city he will run up the Hudson val
ley to Albany, where the road turns to
the westward following the course of
Mohawk and through
Utica, Syracuse and Rochester. The
route then leads around the south shore
of Lake Erie through Cleveland and
Toledo and across Indiana to South
Bend and thence to Chicago.
Leaving Chicago. the route will be
across the prairies to the Mississippi
river at Davenport and due west to Des
Moines. The Missouri river will be
crossed at Omaha, and the course will
be southwest through Nebraska and on
to Denver.
HARD MOUNTAIN TRAVELLING.
Mr.. Davis expects to take the pass
near Boulder, Colo, and work through
the mountains, going to the north of the
Great American Desert, and turning
south after passing Palisade, New. CAL
ifornia will be entered beyond Reno.
and the road will pass through Sacra-
mento and on to San Francisco.
According to the United States postal
guide the shortest rail route from New
York to San Francisco is $3.50 miles. By
wagon road the distance is at least 10
per cent greater. a cycIOmeter attached
to the automobile will record the actual
distance Travelled.
1t is the intention of Mr.. Davis to
make an early morning start each day,
rest at midday, and run again in the
late afternoon and early evening. Ac-
commOdations will be sought at hotels
and road inns until the plains are reach
ed, when Mr.. and Mrs. Davis will put
up at ranches over night. In the noun
tains tent may be used for camping
out, in case it is found that roadhOuseS
are lacking. Good road maps of the
League of American Wheelmen will be
consulted in all states in which they
have been issued.
Mr.. Davis has had some experience on
the plains. but with all of his efforts to
gather information concerning the roads,
he admits that for long stretch in the
far west they are an unknown guam
tity to him. He is determined, however,
to get through to the coast in the short
est possible running time, and is con-
fident of arriving there early in August.