The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-25
AUTOS FIGHT FLOOD and FIRE
BOU THEY KEPT GOING WHEN
RAILROADS STOPPED.
Vhe Demonstration Ot the New York.
Pittsburg Contest Great Triumph for
American Cars-A Trip Full OF Advent.
ures and Sometimes Imminent Peril.

American Cars--A Trip Full OF Advent.
urcs and Sometimes Imminent Peril.
Ii ever there appears in book form a
mil story of the recent endurance contest
Of automobiles from New York to Pitts
lur,, hy way Of Cleveland-and 1t is partly
promised by the promoters that there will
b. such a story. If the local color" Ia
capahlv handled and the detail Of adventure
Is complete, will be as interesting as some
OF he tales of westward trips on the over
land trail in the days before the railroads
were
This was a contest arranged on very
nrartlca lines II was a run of automo-
bile manufacturers, for the trade and by
the trade. 1t was promoted by the Ma
tional Association of Automobile Manu-
facturers, who took the function from
the Automobile Club of America in order
to give it more of practical and less
Of a sporting character. 1t was an open
event in which all makers were invited TO
test publicly the long distance running
qualities Of their motor cars, with the
competitive conditions calling for the loss
Of one roint minute for all the time spent
IN making any adjustments or repairs.
Yet This run, projected to be no CONNER
ciaIlv practical, was transformed into one
Of most strenuous sport. Barring lights
with savages, there were in it adventures
and actual perils as replete with humor,
r'iHrlness, pic'uresqueness and real thrill
as if il had been some romantic expedition
% early explorers II was novel III that
II was an excursion of the most modern
IL ~ hn
roads and trails, through the stress OF
devastating storm. Men, as pilots OF un-
known quantities in the form OF road
engines. literally went through fire and
food and displayed a heroism in their
etnadfastness that was characteristic OF
tho early frontiersmcn.
From il all great amount Of practical
good has been derived by tho promoters
81 the run, the participants IN IT. and
the public. The tr,lstworthiness OF the
American automobile, Complementary
considered, has been demonstrated in
voudorfully impressive manner The
motor cars did better than their makers
believed them capable Of doing On the
eocond dav there were many who wanted
the whole thing called or IheY were
afraid that SO nv cars would he wrecked
that the industry would sustain fatal
blow Bravcr Judgment prevailed ana
tie cTrS went on nndef oohui''o'7 th"V
no other vehicles attempt to combat when
,1a telegraph and the rairoad yielded to
w. = ~ ~. clements and failed of
,,.o,, -, ,oo,or c,rriayes
s"rNie t'' caravan "' "''''
went on, and moro tH'n "hr-'o''''h VI
tlem actually kept mp TO schedule, atA"uEh
nothinp els, ia the same tract of country
dc,,c so mr. att,mptine il.
WitL a. one day pause over Sunday, and
c.,'r;n,r we,thnr dnriIr the last half Of the
e;ght Savs' tho ST agrler, througl the
flooded nount.in Districts of New York
ST ate kept catching Wy with the vanguard:
end lin nv 1t IN" end Of t." s0O miles &c
fou'tNs Of all tina, sta't'o auNtd at the
destination stiil running "l'ne. li'h "M,
power. TIE ran "ehNn7lr H'on t'lo nI'
cavil that 81 far Is staying power i con.
Cerned tie American motor car no loiiR'l
need dof It. hooi to foreign tnhNos f,ni,,
domestic at"m"bll' may VIC We "a n ,'l,Ic
finished nor run H'''' :" -N','Ns 'Ne' soo"
roads a. the lmpcrt'n tli'r - n.oI' -
perienced bui!1'rs, Ou' IT " ho,,n ,hounb
fcently proven ''t'' rouE" ~, ,s,.I n,er
II may be, 1t Is g''T 49,, vs.. ,rd M
the crude r'a'S oil WV "a raasnn j. not
II l. contehdeG WIN to." f,,i~ wrnuuht
equally true OF ,I'S n',ar , nt,' nn the GOOD