The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-05-17
GOLD HUNTING AUTOS
Motor Car Prospectors Sweep
Over the Nevada Deserts.
HARD SAND A PERFECT TRACK.

Enormous Sumo Earned by Carrying
BONANZA Passsngers-offer Of $4,000
For Ono Automobile RefIsed-F4a-
norous Taless
The gold fields Of Nevada have open
ed up a new province for the automo-
bile. The mines of Tonopah and Cold.
field, which formerly were some 200
miles from a railroad, were reached
then by very tiresome travel on the
back Of a burro, and the 200 miles
seemed more like O thousand, writes
A. q. Atkinson In the Automobile.
Scores persisted In the aikali dust OF
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 tho automo-
bile by miners and prospectorB:
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 a luxurious car
for &20-bagRage extra. Everybody
made the trip in autos. oven tho
miner with only a 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 1--WE
touring cars here year ago, and ho
has bsen renting them out almost daily
at 800 per day. A chauffeur gets $40
q day and perquiaites.
Here's NINE" explained a young,
heavily goggied driver to me, display
ing a sack OF gold. "Just took a fell
low who struck IL rich over to Tonopah
ana back. Said he'd make 1t worth my
while to hurry. l took him at his word,
and we beat the record. When he left
me he dropped this in the car"
Judging from lts weight, the gold
might asany enough to buy a new car.
Another young man from the east who
came west Ia hts car told me that he
had picked up $4,000 in the past
twelve months In carrying passengers
and renting out hla car. II IL not I'M
common to pick up crazy minded gold
lends who win pay almost any price
for machine that win got them there.
When we struck Goldfield there was
q subduod excitement In tho air. There
had been a new strike In the hills BY q
miner who few days before had "a
mortgage his outft to get food. Wlar
we arrived he was worth almost any
sum within six figures. He was beae'
by gamblers. spectators and minerI
who wanted to buy him out Our frs
glimpse Of him was when he rushet
cut of one Of tho saloons. Wild eyed and
apparently cornered. Seeing our ma
chine. he rushed toward II and said:
"Eay, stranger. how much fur tina
thingP'
We informed him that we did no
care to sell our car, but, not accepting
this 90 final. he continued:
II want 1t bad. want to ret out o
here fur a breath OF fresh air. In
coated an inch thick with alkall dust
and IN never get rid Of II II dom
move out now. I've struck II rich. bu
I'm goin' 70 sell out | won't work th
claim"
Then, watching IA closely, he Eaid
s'I1l give you 5000 for that car"
We atill demurred. and the man n
mtAntly raised his bid.
make 1t $1,000. and n you won
take that IN give you the limit. no
COO"
Here was a deal made by a Roi
crazy. homosick man, but we comprS
missed by Offering TO take him out Q
tho desert for nominal sum. W
didn't care b sell our car at any pgact
II you never toured In the Nsyad
alkali desert you never can apprOciat
che conditions there. The alknii dui
II everywhere, Goggles don't seem
keep II out OF the eyes. and within
short time they smart as though PEI
per had been thrown In them. The
your throat gets dry. thirsty and bar
Breathing Ia rendered 10 difAcut tn
an asthmatic h happy In comparinol
You drink and drink. but the hard vi
Ter Of the desert simply makes mattel
worse. 1t u a veritable inferno for q
first few days Then nature apparsu
" comes to the rescue. Your eyes g
more used 10 the dust and begin 10 r
cover. Your throat sets coated with
good layer Of dust. and Il is then II
pervious to further trouble. Duxn
the season OF hardening. however. q
average man suffers torment
Antoista are constantly arriving
the gold 1olds. Some are there out
curiosity. others are prospectors. new
paper correspondents. gentlemen. .
ventureFs. engineers. mining stud0n
and the driftwood from all parts Of q
country. Tho appearance OF an aui
mobile costing several thousand d
lara Il no Indication OF wealth. a
does 4 new one excite any comnel
There are too many plying hack a
forth across the desert