Arizona republican., 1907-02-18

to become not only nationally but
world famous. Some months ago when
| it was shown to him that a string OF
/ railroad grading camps would soon be
in existence, with a few short breaks,
I from Kansas City to San Francisco
[ Thatcher determined to cover all of
/ these camps in his news-dealing bust
ness. He knew that he could not do
it with his mules, and so the idea OF
an automobile line across half of
the continent occurred to him. 1t was
big idea; almost too big at first
thought 10 be possible. But Thatcher
lives with big things. His work Is out
of doors in the southwest. where the
out of doors is bigger than any other
portion of the earth; and SO the pros
pect of driving an automobile across
two thousand miles Of UNEMPLOYED ter
ritOry did not daunt him in the least.
On the other hand, he set about learn
ing TO drive an automobile. and with
such determination that he can now
drive a gasoline. steam or electric car
with equal ease and dexterity. 1t had
/
until late next spring before making
his first trip across the western half
OF the United States. since the noun
tain roads are almost impossible dur
ing the snowy season. but the pros
pect Of exploring a route through the
mountains appealed TO the newsdeal-
er and so he is first going over the
line with his mules. The transcOnti-
mental automobile news service pro-
ject has appealed to automobile own
erS all over the country. Mr.. Thatch-
er has had hundreds of letters from
automobiles. newspapers. manufac-
turers and others asking for Informal
ton as To his project and expressing
deepest interest in it. Magazines have
asked the privilege Of featuring his
first trip. The matter has aroused so
much interest that the Albuquerque
man will probably be asked to find the
most feasible route through the Rocky
mountains for the transcontincntaI au-
tomobile route Of which adventurous
drivers have talked so much Of late.
This matter has been put up to Mr.
Thatcher by prominent Automobiles
and he is seriously considering the
task Of finding such a route.
1t is easy to suppose" said Nj
Thatcher Yesterday TO the Morning
Journal. that at the present rate Of
Improvement of the modern motor car
the average Chicago business man.
before very long. viii be driving his
own car To the Rocky mountains for
his summer vacation. Indeed the
handicap to such a vacation
now is the lack of knowledge Of the
roads But the transcontinental auto
mobile trip will presently be matter
Of everyday business or everyday
pleasure, and the sooner we can sup
ply the owners of the cars with a road
the sooner they will come For nv
part ! am convinced from my knowi- |
edge Of the Rocky mountains that an |
automobile road through these noun |
tains to the coast will not be hard to |
lind and l propose to find one. And. !
having found it. ] will use it."
That Mr.. Thatcher is in earnest no |
me who can talk with him for a few (
minutes will doubt, and no one who is |
amiliar with the success he has made |
# his cross-country news-service with /
lis mules and spring wagon, will 4
loubt that he will succeed in his .larg- 1
r project Mr.. Thatcher proposes to n
cave from the Morning Journal office II
or Denver Immediately after his re-
urn from the present trip to Texico II
Ie Will go from the Morning Journal II
'ffice direct 70 the office Of the Denver 4
POST, thence to Durango, thence to
alt Lake CITY thence along the right
+ way Of the Western Pacific to the
ffice of the Examiner in San Fran
isco. It will be one Of the longest /
rivcs ever made through the west
nd will be followed with deep interest
Y automobilists as the forerunner of
fast automobile. road across the
,ockies to the coast