Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-06-10
GOLD HUNTING AUTOS
Prospectors to Sweep Over the
Nevada Deserts in Quest Of
Treasure
HARD SAND A PERFECT TRACK
Enormous Sums Earned by Carrying
Bonanza Passengers-offer OF $4,000
For Ono Automobile Refussd-Hu.
morous Tales.

The gold fields Of Nevada have open
ed up a new province for the automo-
bile. The mines of Tonopah and Gold
, field. which formerly were some 200
miles from railroad, were reached
then by very tiresome travel on the
back of burro, and the 200 miles
seemed more like thousand, writes
A. S. Atkinson in the Automobile.
Scores persisted in the alkaH dust Of
1.-The desert, but of those who persisted
enough found gold to start rush OF
thousands Of prospectors to that re-
gion. Then came the automobile.
Horses and mules drop by the way
side" we read, "but the motor driven
vehicle skips along. immune both to
dust and sun heat" The writer thus
describes the use made Of the automo-
bile by miners and prospectors:
When we took our ride across the
desert to the now famous mining
camps regular auto passenger and
freight service was in operation. We
could make the trip In luxurious car
for $2O-baggage extra. Everybody
made the trip in autos. Even tho
miner with only few weeks funds
ahead puts up the amount and travels
in state. A good many have made
small fortunes In operating autos on
this desert trail One man brought I'VE
touring cars here a year ago, and he
has been renting them out almost daily
at 500 per day. A chauffeur gets $40
a day and perquisites.
Heres mine," explained young,
heavily goggled driver to me, display
ing snck Of gold. Just took fell
low who struck 1t rich over to Tonopah
and back. Said he'd make 1t worth my
while to hurry. took him at bis word,
and we beat the record When he left
me he dropped this in the car"
Judging from Its weight, the gold
might assay enough to buy a new car.
Another young man from the east who
came west In his car told me that he
had picked up $4,000 In the past
twelve months in carrying passengers
and renting out his car. 1t Is not up.
common to pick up crazy minded gold
fends who will pay almost any price
for machine that will get them there.
When we struck Goldfield there was
subdued excitement in the air. There
had been new strike in the hills by
miner who a few days before had to
mortgage his outfit to get food, When
we arrived he was worth almost any
sum within six figures. He was beset
by gamblers, spectators and miners
who wanted to buy him out. Our first
glimpse Of him was when he rushed
out of one of the saloons, wild eyed and
apparently cornered Seeing our ma
chine, he rushed toward it and said:
"say, stranger, how much fur that
thing?"
We informed him that we did not
care to sell our car, but, not accepting
this as final, he continues:
II want it bad. / want to get out Of
here fur breath of fresh air. Tin
coated an inch thick with aikali dust,
and I'll never get rid of it If don't
move out now I've struck it rich, but
I'm goin' to sell out. won't work the
claim"
Then, watching us closely, he said,
''I'll give you 5000 for that car"
We still demurred. and the man in
stantly raised his bid.
snake it $1,000, and\ II you won't
take that I'll give you the limit, S10,-
OOO."
Here was deal made by gold
crazy, homesick man, but we cOmpro-
missed by offering to take him out Of
the desert for a nominal sum. We
didn't care to sell our car at any price.
I If you never toured in the Nevada
alkali desert you never can appreciate
the conditions there. The alkali dust
lis everywhere. Goggles don't seem to
keep it out of the eyes, and within a
short time they smart as though pep
per had been thrown In them. Then
your throat gets dry. thirsty and hard.
Breathing is rendered so difficult that
an asthmatic Is happy in comparison.
You drink and drink, but the hard wa
ter Of the desert simply makes matters
worse. 1t is a veritable inferno for the
first few days. Then nature apparent
ly comes to the rescue. Your eyes get
more used to the dust and begin to re-
cover Your throat gets coated with a
good layer of dust, and 1t is then Inn
pervious to further trouble. During
the season Of hardening, however, the
average man suffers torment
{ Autoists are constantly arriving at
the gold fields. Some are there out Of
curiosity, others are prospectors. news
paper correspondents, gentlemen, ad-
venturers, engineers, mining students