Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-07-30
WON A RECORD
DR.. Jackson S Automobile Trip Of
5000 Miles.
Sixty-twO Days Spent in Crossing the
Continent but Nineteen of Them
Were Devoted to Sight
seeing.


| arrival in New York of DIR. II. Nelson
jackson OF this city, completing his auto
mobile trip across the continent, of
which a short account was given. Mon
days New York American contained the
following interesting story of some of the
difficulties which DR.. jackson and his
companion cnCountorcd
DIR. ii. Nelson jackson of Burlngt on,
VT. accompanied by Sewal X. Crocker.
arrived in this city yesterday after ono
OF the most wonderful journeys ever
made in an automobile. From San Fran
| cisco to New York they covered the en-
tire distance in 43 days, actual travelling
time. Neither suffered the slightest ILL
effects during the marvellous trip, al
though they experienced hardshps and
overcame obstacles that would have
daunted less determined men.
On the homeward stretch of the great
est automobile trip ever made for long
distance and obstacles overCome-a trip
six thousand miles long over mountain
ranges, deserts and marshes and through
deluged valleys-is Dr. II, Nelson jack
son. wealthy young physician of Bur-
lington, Vt. and a big broad shouldered
disciple of the strenuous life, now at the
Holland House in this city.
With him on this journey that has car
ried him from the Atlantic to the Pacific
in a 35-horsc power Winton gasolcne auto
was Sewall X. Crocker, an auto expert,
son OF Internal Revenue Inspector
Croker of Tacoma, Wash. There was
a third member of the party, too. He
did not start with them. But they met
him in Oregon, and he insisted on joining
them, running after the automobile for
at least two miles and finally being
taken aboard. His name is Bud" He
is a bulldog.
The successful completion of the under
taking is a triumph for the most modern
of all machines of locomotion-a triumph
truly remarkable when it is remembered
that not more than three years ago long
distance trips in automobiles that were
attempted proved utter failures and
brought only ridicule upon those who
essayed them
A FASCINATING STORY.
Fascinating in every detail is the story
of the big machines cross continent
journey. When the ponderous auto, white
with dust. halted in front of the Holland
House and DIR. Jackson and Mr.. Crocker
had beaten the dust from their canvas
suits, removed their goggles and also
taken the goggles off Bud" they had
been. almost to the hour, siXtytwo days
on the journey from San Francisco to
New York. But this was not the exact
amount of time that had been required.
Nineteen days should he deducted, for
during nineteen days the two men de-
layed for no other cause than to enjoy
sightseeing in Yellowstone Park in Chi
cago and other cities through which they
passed.
make the trip--that alone was the thing.
1t had always been regarded as an i'm
possibility. There were obstacles of track
less wastes. marshes, alkali deserts and
frowning mountains, and it was because
of these such trip was regarded as
an impossibility.
Dr. jackson and his wife were on a
trip through Mexico and California dur
ing the winter, and one night in the early
part of last May the young physician
found himself at the University club IN
San Francisco. listening to a very lively
and Interesting discussion on auto
| MODELLING.
TRIP DECLARED IMPOSSIBLE.
Finally matters narrowed down 10 a
discussion of the practice bility of a
transcontinental trip. Quite unanimously
was it agreed that the thing could not be
done a few nights later DR.. Jacksor
quietly announced at the club that h
meant to try to make the trip Not betng
an expert in the handling of an auto, from
the mechanical point of view, he STRUCK
up partnership with young Mr. Crocker
On the morning of the start of the ION :
| journey-May 23-the auto pulled awaS
| carrying a very complete equipment
| There was ten gallons of gasoline in th'
regular tank and an additional tank wa
strapped underneath that held twelve
more gallons.
Running at low gear, twenty-five gal
Ions of gasoline was sufficient to carry
the machine two hundred miles.
There was also complete camping
outht--cooking utensils. water tanks
rifles, hshing rods, canned foods of al
,..,,. I.
a few books, blankets woollen and rub
Der. and the most useful thing of all. al
it afterward turned out-pneumatic ma t
tresses of rubber. Then there was a bloci
and tackle to haul the machine out o
| mircs.
ROADS WE'RE GOOD.
Roads were good and travel speed,
through the northern part of California
The first big obstacle came when tn
light of dawn showed them the Sierr;
Nevada mountains. 1t took five days t.
cross them, and the machine was put t.
great tasks, for often the ways becam
mere cattle tracks and the machine had t.
go humping over boulders and again b.
most cautiously steered through marrow
ways the edges of which turn down int
precipices.
The machines mechanism stood tn
wear and tear wonderfully, Bolts wer
strained, but none broke, and on tn
morning of the sixth day a wild rid
down the last mountain road found tn
adventurous autoists in tho State o
oregon.
. The mountains crossed, the way be
came even more difficult. Straight ahea
stretched country that reports declare
, impossible. There was another choice
This was to traverse the great aka
,, desert of Oregon, and this finally wa
decided on.
GOT GASOLINE AND WATER.
There were some GASES in the desert
little villages for whose existence Their
seemed to be no reason. But at them wa
ter that had been distilled could be OF
tanned. also gasoline for the auto.
: When the machine made its way int
Idaho came the severest trial of tn
, whole trip. The auto was caught in
+ flooded region, the camping outfit, foo
> and ALL was swept away, and only si>
4 teen miles could be made. 1t was for
. day and a half that the two men and lit
Bud" went absolutely without food
Finally, thanks to vigorous work wit
a the block and tackle, the machine WI
a brought over the water soaked, sodde
n country and into high pleasant, dr.
. valley.
= Still the outlook was gloomy Nov
where was there sign of habitatio
. The men were suffering from the lac
:, Of food. As for Bud" he whined unit
!, he became too Ill and hungry and wea
Eczema
Il How it reddens the skin, itches, ooze