Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1907-12-30
AUTO ARCTIC CONTEST
Difficulties of the Race Between
New York and Paris.
ROUGH PLACES IN ALASKA.

Narushtpu TO bo Encount9red--T rslv@i
Easier In Winter - Intense Cold .
Serious Menace to the Machines.
John c. Klein, who spent some time
In Alaska several years ago. In speak
ing OF the proposed New York to Paris
automobile contest arranged by the
Paris Matin and the New York Times
said to a representative OF the latter
paper:
Certainly the suggestion Of an au-
tomoblle race from New York to Paris
IL a novel one. The contest would en-.
gage the attention not only OF automo-
bilists throughout the world, but
would create great interest among the
general public as well. 1t would be
far and away the most important and
interesting automobile contest held
since the invention Of the machine,
particularly from the standpoint OF en-
durance.
Those who enter for the apntest
might as well make up their minds
that the trip through Alaska and 81
VITA Wa ~ AAN nA%M lAhhh Ab AuAAg VI
them may have been accustomed to
making over the excellent roads OF
Long Island or New Jersey. The long
stretches Of uninhablted country, the
difficulty OF obtaining supplies and the
rigorous weather would all have to be
taken Into consideration. for supply
stations for machines and accommoda-
lions where the chauffeurs could OBJ
tain shelter and food are not plentiful
In the wilds Of Alaska.
'sThe winter season alone would
maze II possible to undertake such a
contest. the frozen snow and Ice Great.
ing thOroughfares. so b speak, which
do not exist In warm weather. Thou.
sands OF men travel in Alaska In the
winter by dog teams or on foot who
could not make such trips Ia the
spring or In summer. They suffer but
little hardship, comparatively speaking.
Indeed, thousands Of men and few
women have walked from Dawson 20
Nome or between other points over
the Ice which means that the frozen
lakes and rivers afford a chance to
travel that does not exist when the
weather 10 warm. OF course lndlyid.
uals ON foot can 90 where automobiles
cannot, but whether machines could
successfully make such long and
aFduous journey can only DO proved
after the experiment IL attempted.
while the cold In intense in Alaska
ana snowstorms numerous In winter,
yet many thousand persons live there
In that season aud enjoy life. There
would not be much question about the
chau1eurs being able TO make the trip
y healthy and provided with plenty
- food, but there Ia always the dan.
ser Of serious breakdowns Of the ma
chimes. The establishment OF supply
stations and repair depots IL altogeth-
- feasible, at least IN certain parts OF
ALASKA, but Il would seem that in any
event machines would require to be
conveyed By others carrying food aud
supplies FOR men and necessary parts
for repairs to the machines.
4 soc that In a recent cablegram
from Paris to the Times the statement
10 made by the Paris Matin that the
only part Of the route which at pres.
ent is causing worry IL the rough
country between Vancouver, b. C.,
and AkaRuay. Alaska II the Journey
b attempted by the route suggested.
there VIII indeed be- cause for worry,
ana plenty OF 1t, The rugged. noun. |
famous country which lntervenes be-
tween those points makes Il almost
Impossible for the trip to 4
be made by the route suggested.
The more feasible route would be |
from Vancouver. u. C.. to Ashcroft by
ne Yale road, which, by the way, IL q |
very good one; thence TO Telegraph /
Greek, 10 Atlln. to Caribou. to white /
horse. 10 selklrk. to Ogilvie. to Daw-
BON and to Circle City, distance OF
perhaps 2.l00 miles. Beeves are often .
driven from Ashcroft TO Atlln up the
Yukon river.
Prom Circle City United states
military telegraph line extends 10 Fort .
Yukon. TO Rampant; thence along the
Yukon river 10 Fairbanks, TO Tanana,
10 Nulata. to UnAlhklik and 10 st. Mi. +
sAael'a. where the Yukon emptles into
mo BerinE sea. do not know II Il
would BE- possible for an automobile
b make its way down the Yukon to
Unalakltk after leaving. say. Circle
city. While tho river. Of course. Is
lroson solid In the winter, there Is a
yocd dsal OF rough hummock ice.
watch In many places might make II
iincult for an automobile to gat paat
Ind into better going.
1T would seem that Unalaklik would
% the logical point at which to leave
he Yukon river and strike out north.
Sast for Cape Prince Of Wales. To fol.
low the Yukon to st. Michaeis from
OnAlaklik would be to bear OF In an op.
Dcaite direction to that desired. Al
capo Prince Of Wales. Berlng yea. an
he map win show. narrows very con.
and az this point enters the
Arctic ocean. The distance across Ber.
NJ strait at Cape Prince Of Wales Is
My matter Of thirty miles 10 Cape