The sun., 1903-07-27
OCEAN TO OCEAN In AN AUTO.
MP ~. n. JACKSON FIRST TO
WAKE THE TRIP,
with sewaII TX. CrOcker. q Chauffeur. and
"nud," Bulldog. as Companions, lie
covers 1900 Miles I'm S3 Days--Pre-
sents Proofs and Tells Tales OF Journey.

mud-hecoated automobile found a
h,ven OF rest in an uptown storage station
yesterday after tho longest motor-vehicle
Journey on record. 1t was decked with
A,nerican flags in honor OF it's having COM
,,Ioted Mt 4 clock yesterday morning the
srst automobile journey across the con-
,inent A thick coating OF dirt, broken
mud guard and bent front axle were the
nnIv outward and visible signs OF $500
r,les of roundabout and tortuous journey
inc from the Pacific to the Atlantic
T,s owners, DR.. II. Nelson jackson OF
Rurlington, Vt. and his chauffeur, Sewall
Crocker. of Tacoma. who had driven the
machins with much adventure and many
vicjssi,udes during tho sixty-three days
r.ouired 10 make the trip, loafed mxuri-
ously at the Holland House and told and
retold their tale. With them were the Rev.
DR.. Samuel A. jackson, Congregations
minister Of Burlington, Vt, the father,
and Mrs jackson. the wife of the trans
continental auto pioneer. Bud" bulldog
who made the trip too, was not receiving.
DR. jackson is a sturdy, blue-eyed giant
Of 3o A dark tan, through which glowed
bright red cheeks, bespoke health. A
reduction OF weight from 225 pounds to 204
during tho trip--this altogether fro the
airth, the doctor said laughingly--w
the only physical change caused by the
long journey and nights Of sleeping out
doors DR.. Jackson is a graduate of the
medical department of the University Of
Vermont Of the class of '93 This is the
first year Of his automobiling experience
Crccker is a young man of % years. He
formerly rode in bicycle races and once
was employed as driver OF one of Dutch"
Waller's pacing machines, at the time Of
the former six-day bicycle champions
visit to the Pacific Coast. Employment in
a gasolene engine factory added TO his
experience with motor cycles and made
him the expert mechanic he has proved HIM
self TO be through meeting and sowing
the many problems presented in the long
journey
"Bud' suffered little from the trip and
enjoys excellent health. He had some
trouble with his eyes, caused by dust A
pair Of auto goggles remedied this.
In response to THE SUN mans inquiry
as to the authenticity Of the trip, Dr. Jack
cons father produced clippings sent him
by his son from various Idaho, Wyoming
and Nebraska newspapers along the route,
with the explanation that the clippings Of
the earlier days Of the Journey were in
scrap book at home. Mrs, jackson said
that she had AT home many kilograms and
letters from her husband. sent her en- route.
ss II was his habit to wire her daily, when
possible, and to write often. DR. jackson
had travel-woru diary Of the trip to show.
Il heard some men at the University
Club in San Francisco one day" said DR..
jackson, in explaining the why and whera-
fore Of his trip, declare that such a feat
as crossing the continent in an automobile
was impossible. That, as an enthusiast,
resented. | returned 70 the hotel and told
my wife Of what | had heard, She thought
the trip could be done. Crocker, with
whom talked it over later, thought SO
BY paying a bonus | secured 20 horse
power Winton gasolene machine of this
years model, and in four days We were
of on our journey
The trip began on May %. at l O'Clock
in the afternoon. 1t was through northern
braska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, part of
Pennsylvania and across this State from
Buffalo The journey will be resumed next
Thursday, with Burlington as its end--5,sO
miles in all.
The record Of distances travelled is rough,
owing to three cyclometers having been
swept of by sage brush. DR. jackson esti
mates the distances as 1900 miles to On
tario, Ore; $500 miles to Omaha, 200 miles
10 Chicago. i,l00 miles to New York, and
800 miles to Burlington.
"0f course, the distance by rail Is much
shorter said the doctor, "but we went in
and out and sometimes even back. For
Instance, we rode siyty-nlne miles 10 avoid
a ravine, strayed sixty-four miles to Swan
ton Falls, in Wyoming, and were sent fifty
four miles out Of our way In California by
red-headed woman with a whiJe horse just
90 we should pass her house and let her
folks see an automobile. In this connec-
tion may remark that along 5000 miles Of
our journey an automobile had never be-
fore been seen. The people would tele-
phone and wire ahead that We were COM
ing, and the inhabitants would gather to
ace us pass. Cowboys would ride sixty
miles to see the 'go-ike-hel machine for
The marvellous stories Of its speed posi-
hlitias often preceded it and won for it
Ills profane and very general designa
ton
The route in detail was to Altu,as, in |
northern California, over the Siskiyou |
Nountains to T. keview Ore; direct north |
into the great Oregon desert, south 10 |
Pine l,ie, east TO Burns and Ontario, Ore; |
thence by way OF Mountain LONE, Idaho, |
ketchuin. Pocatello and Soda Springs |
to Cokevile and Granger, Wyo.; mort |
vost to Green River. Fort Steel, Larain mic, |
and Cheyenne, and thence along the Union |
faclf" and the foothills through Nebraska !
to Omaha. From; Omaha the Chicago and !
northwestern Railway was followed to |
'hlCaTo PCCatelio was reached on June |
Il, Rawlns Wyo.. on June %; Omaha |
on July IL. and Chicago on July II
Nineteen days in all We're spent in rest, |
repairing or awaiting supplesone at |
Mrramento three each at Aituras and |
taEevew. FIVE each at Rawlins and Archer, |
one at Diamondvile, and one at Mont
relier.
For tie most part we rode from TO |
O'clock said Dr. jackson, sometimes |
RON o'clock in the morning to midnight, |
ana sometimes we ran all night to take |
advantage OF tho moonlight and cool air. |
Al these times we slept during the heat OF |
the day"
10 carry the tourists luggage the ton
ne4u body in the rear OF the machine was |
removed the pick taking its place. Tho |
ontht carried included two waterproof |
sIeeping bags, with two blankets inside,
and waterproof flap, in case Of rain, to
. rer tho back of the head; rubber mackin-
CIsnes and lap robes, two leather coats for |
600! evenings; fishing poles, one rifle, one
shotgun and two automatic pistols; two
extra tires, complete machinery outfit,
and a wise screwed in the back of the car;
nve-galIon extra tank for cylinder oil,
which wss fastened on behind: twelve |
gallon O. SoIena tank underneath the front Of |
the regular tank n spade end fiIema n SAKE to
aig oGt the machine from the mud and cut |
FENCES and ge brush; a leather bag behind \
10 mold tools and extras; two canteens and |
canvas bag for water, tin funnel and pail, a |
complete cooking outfit, an extra chain. |
and valise for clothing.
inc tourists wore, first, corduroy, thon |