The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-12-02
French Autoist Says His
Machine Can Cross
Three Continents.
OVER SEA STRAITS ON ICE
Hardest Part of Long Journey Ex-
pected in the Run on the Long
Siberian Plains.

Paris. Dec. .. - Details were an
nounced yesterday of the international
automobile endurance run to be made
from New York to Paris
The route of the run will be laid
from New York City across the Ameri-
can continent to the northwest portion
of Alaska. thence over the frozen Ber-
ing straits. across the vast plains Of
Siberia, through Russia, and thence
down through Europe to Paris.
The date of the start viii be set some
time early in the spring probably in
the latter part of February.
First Hardships ON Yukon.
This route. the promoters of the race
declare, will not be so hard to nego-
tiate as at first appears to the uniniti-
ated. The first hard travel is expected
in the Yukon district. the northwest
ern police route through the western
part of the dominion OF Canada afford
ing good travel. Once across the
Alaskan boundary, however, the drivers
will face hardships on the frozen and
badly rutted tracks
The early start from New York will
allow the racers to reach the Boring
straits. according to schedule, before
the ice has had time to melt and this
will afford firm travel to the Siberian
coast.
Then comes the real test in the run
across frozen and practically unin-
habited plains.
Great Troubles in Siberia.
For hundreds of miles at this stage
of the trip the enthusiasts will be
forced to carry all of their supplies.
including fuel enough to run the ma
chimes for weeks at a time The
tundras of the north are practically
painless and must be negotiated with
care, as they at times become treach-
erous and may allow the machines and
drivers to sink into boys, especially if
the travellers are delayed until the par
tial thaws of the spring arrive.
With the passing of the Ural noun
tains, the hardest part of the journey
will be passed and the drivers will
enter into the final stage of the run,
that across Russia and on to the well
made roads of central and western
Europe.
Knowing the dangers to be faced and
the hard knocks the autos must stand
on the trip, the local makers have pc
gun the building of special conveyances
10 meet the dlncultleS.
Dion Tells of Machine.
+ Marquis de Dion will make several
of these machines after thorough trials,
the best to be selected to take part in
the great contest.
The machine 1 am Designing" he
said, will differ considerably from the
one to which I pinned my faith in the
Picking to Paris tour. This time l will
depend on a thirty-four horse power
machine. capable of a speed Of twenty
five miles an hour, and also of running
at a rate of only two or three miles.
The body will be perched on wheels
OF sufficient height to avoid all dangers
of the motor touching the ground when
deep ruts are encountered an extra air
cooled cylinders will be carried, as wa
ter is a cause Of trouble through
| freezing.
Il am also working out a system to
warm the motor slightly at the time of
starting, so the circulation of the oil
will not be prevented by freezing.
WindIass to Escape Boys.
"On the front of the vehicle is a
windlass worked by a motor, which
will pull the machine out of a bad po-
sition without other assistance. The
wheels have detachable rims and are
supplied with extra large pneumatics
for ordinary condition and wooden
tires for snow and ice. The vehicle
will be supplied with a leather hood
and curtains in the form of a shelter
tent.
LAS for the metal work, know steel
| becomes brittle in low temperatures
and I am now making a series of ex-
periments in my laboratory with liquid
air in hopes I may find a combination
which will be the most resistant"