The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-08-05
CROKER AND
JACKSON
Make Automobile Trip
Across Continent.
WALLA WALLA BOY Az EXPERT
Accompanies Wealthy Young Ply
stefan on Experimental
Journey.
A New York Dispatch SAYS:

A New York Dispatch says:
On the hOmeward stretch of tn,
greatest automobile trip ever mad'
for long distance and obstacles over
come-a trip 5000 miles long owe
mountain ranges, deserts and marshe:
and through deluged valleys-is DR.
j. Nelson Jackson, a wealthy young
physician of Burlington, VT, and ;
big Observation-Disclosures disciple of tht
strenuous life, now at the Holland
house in this city.
With him on this journey that has
carried him from the Atlantic 10 the
Pacific in 35 horse power Wintor
gasoline auto was Sewall K. Croker
an auto expert, son of Internal Rev
enue 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 Ore
gon, and he insisted on joining them
running after the automobile for al
least two miles and finally being TAX
en- aboard. His name is Bud lie
is a bulldog.
A Fascinating Story.
Fascinating in every detail i the
story of the big machines cross CONT
nent journey. When the pOnderOus
auto, white with dust, halted in front
Of the Holland house, and jackson
and Croker had beaten the dLst
from their canvas suits, removed
their goggles and also taken the cog
giles off Bud" they had been, almost
to the hour, 60 days on the journey
from San Francisco to New York.
But this was not the exact amount Of
time that had been required Nine
teen days should be deducted for dur
ing the 10 days the two men delayed
for no other reason than to enjoy
sightseeing in Yellowstone Park, in
Chicago and ether cities through
which they passed.
Time was not a. object on the trip.
To make the trip--that alone was the
thing. It had always been regarded as
an impossi'bility. There were obsta-
cles of trackless W1stes, marshes, al
kali deserts and iIowning mountains,
and it was because of these such a
trip was regarded IS an impOssibility.
DR.. Jackson and his wife were on
a trip through Mexico and California
during the winter, and one night in
the early part of last May the young
physician found himself at the Uni
versity club in San Francisco, listen
ing to a very lively and interesting
discussion on autOmObiling.
Trip Declared Impossible.
Finally matters narrowed down to
4 discussion of the practicabilty Of
2 transcontinental trip. Quite unani.
MOusly was it agreed that the thing
could not be done.
Mr. Jackson said nothing then. but
a few nights later quietly announced
at the club that he meant TO try TO
make tn trip. Not being an expert
in the handling of an auto, from the
mechanical point of view, he struck
up a partnership with young Mr.
Croker.
On the morning of the start of the
long journey-May 23-the auto puffed
away, carrying a very complete equip
ment. There was 10 gallons of gaso-
line in the regular tank, and an ajdi-
tional tank was strapped underneath
that held II more gallons.
Running at low gear, and the whole
"Trip was made that way, % gallons of
gasoline was sufficient to carry the
machine 200 miles.
Their was also a complete camping
utensils, water tanks,
rifles. fishing rods, canned foods of
all kinds, a medicine chest, rubber
coats, a few books, blankets, woollen
and rubber. and the most useful thing
of all, as it afterward turned out
pneumatic mattresses of rubber. Then
there was a block and tackle to haul
the machine out of mireS.
Roads Were Good.
Roads were good and travel speedy
the northern part Of CalifOr-
MIA. The first big obstacle came when
the light of dawn showed them the
Sierra Nevada mountains. 1t took
five days to cross them, and the ma
chine was put to great tasks, for often
the ways became mere cattle tracks
and the machine had to go humping
over boulders and again be most eau
tiously steered through narrow ways.
the edges of which turn down into
precipices.
The machines mechaniciSm stood
the wear and tear wonderfully. Bolts
were strained. but none broke. and on
the morning of he sixth day a wild
ride down the last mountain road
found the adventurous autoists in the
state of Oregon.
The mountains crossed the way be
came even more difficult. Straight
ahead stretched country that re
ports declared impossible. There
was another choice. That was tC
traverse the great alkali desert of