The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-10-17

Since the tragic death of Chauffeur
Louis Lieber on the Hartman road, near
Tuxedo Park, New York. Sunday the
question has arisen whether or not a
benefit was conferred upon the comnu-
nifty in opening this famous thoroughfare
10 the public.
Only a few years ago it was strictly
a private menace TO existence; a ser
peutine path skirting the perpendicular
Ramapo Mountain and overhanging a
precipice of more than a hundred feet
In those days it was without rail or dan
ger-guard, a place unit for night travel
TO all save the initiated. It was MI
Harrimans fad, upon which he expended
thousands upon thousands Of dollars.
When the owner and builder was IN
duced to open 1t to the public, the road
beds were in perfect park condition, con
spicuOus danger placards were posted
every quarter Of a mile, warning the
traveller against the zigzag nature OF the
road and advising the usual lower thor
oughfare. The precipice side was safe
guarded with rails and the road wldened
at several points
Nothing more picturesque ana thrlihns
than a descent over this famous road
by day can be imagined. The route is
seldom taken after uishtlall.
Scenery Is Magnificent.
The scenery is magnificent on the cliff
side. and to the right the mountain
shoots up TO the skyline Ike a green
wall The road is extremely narrow in
many places, and Il is impossible TO make
the descent ia safety with any degree
of speed owing 10 the constant necessity
of turning For miles the route follows
an intricate letter ) pattern. The piac-
ards warn the automobiles TO sound his
horn continuously. Horses are never seen
upon the road. IN an automobile the
descent is as hazardous as it is excit-
ing. but il is "a bad place for a run
away motor or a woman chauffeur
WashinEtoniRn Made Trip.
a Washington automobile enthusiast
has this 10 say about his recent expe-
rience on the road:
Il went over Hauiman-s famous ridge
road al 9 O'Clock al night in "a thunder
storm this fall. I am no novice at mo-
toring but this was the most tortUous
proposition ] want to encounter. Tor
three miles ! never let up q continuous
play upon the steering gear and the horn.
The rain was binding, and my big lamps
did more 10 light up the mountain side
the perpetual turning. Either a TOO great
or a too moderate rate OF speed threat
cned to send my car skiddng any mo-
ment The lightning the thunder. and
held the road IN possession
As 1 came suddenly around q sharp
bend. I caught the sound Of an approach
ing engine putting up bin. II was d mo-
tor-cycle and just as IL swung into view
II burst into fame. The rider flung him
self free, and ] jammed my emergency
brake on tight. We were only a few
feet apart and there swas that Internal
machine blazing Ike a huge pinwheel
i was out OF my car in a second, slap
dashing mud and rubber rugs in company
with the owner What ! wanted 20 avoid
was an explosive holocaust Of my own
SiX-cylnder car. and the flames were dan
gerOusly near.
L did not catch much from the nard-
pressed motorcycles but q succession of
oaths as ne fought the flames. Il took "a
good ten minutes 10 eXtiuguish them. and
by that time all the gasoline the machine
carried must have been exhausted.
CyeIist Disappeared.
The thunder kept up a deafenIng rack
ct, and when I turned from an inspec-
ton Of a blistered hand, by the lights OF
NY car, the man, with what remained of
the motorcycle, had disappeared COM
pletely. He may have hidden beneath a
tree TO weep, OF he may have been able
10 pedal along on his damaged machine;
but 50 far as I was concerned, he went
out Of existence simultaneously with the
flames, and without so much as a
'thank-ee' 10 me-
Il resumed my dangerous route down
the mountain side. thoroughly mystifed
as to my bearings. In another mile OF so
the last hill was left behind, and l de-
serted lights some distance from the
road. ] got out TO make inquiries. break
ing way through the shrubbery TO a
pretentious house set in u dense. grove Of
trees. Failing to end the entrance, 1 hal
loed Justify.
Frightened Inmates.
There was "a swift scurrying Of shad-
oWs by two windows on the ground floor.
then hasty eXtinguishing OF the lights,
and all was darkness and silence.
Evidently some one was terrified by
Inc sound of my voice in the storm-by
ihe cyciops glare Of my searchlight
Harriman's road at night is a mystic
Iious as well as a dangerous place"