Los Angeles herald., 1908-08-18
WHITE TOUR IS
GREAT SUCCESS
EVERY CAR STANDS SEVERE
TEST OF CLIMB
PROCEED TO TOP OF MT. BALDY
WITHOUT ACCIDENT
Squadron, Under Command of Admiral
Squadron, Under Command of Admiral
Fenner, Takes All Grades and
Makes Fast Time to Summit,
1000 Feet Above Sea
BY HOWE WILLIAMS

Two hundred miles Of foothills, desert
and mountain climbing over the Mount
Baldy race course, one of the severeSr
tests for motor cars in Southern Cali
fornia, was the run made by six cars
of the white squadron" which ter
minated yesterday with the last car in
and no breaks. The white squadron"
with Admiral E. @. Fenner in COM
mand, left Los Angeles Saturday after
noon from the anchorage" of the
White garage, 712 South Broadway.
The course led through Burbank, San
Fernando, Newhall, Palmdale to Shoe
makers ranch and Old Point Comfort,
where the night was passed. Sunday
the cars proceeded up the mountain
road lading to the Big Horn mine, over
which the White-Kisselkar race Will be
run in September. The terminus of the
course, an even 100 miles from Los An
geles, is near the top of north Badly,
at an altitude of about 1000 feet.
Owing to business engagements, the
SQUADRON started on the run without
its admiral" who followed later in
the Flagship" Black Bess, which holds
the record over the course and will
compete in the coming race. The run
through Tropico, Burbank and San
Fernando was made in quick time, and
the first bad grade was experienced
near Newhall. The Newhall grade Is
the steepest on any road leading out or
Los Angeles, but 1t easily was nego-
tiated by the six cars of the squadron.
The run then was through Saugus.
Acton and Soledad canyon to Palmdaie,
where the squadron crossed part of the
Mojave desert and arrived at Old Point
Comfort without accident.
Course Has Dangers
The road up the mountain side is bad
enough to make a burro think twice
about it. Most of 1t is "hewn" out of
the side of the mountain, and there are
few places where it is wide enough for
two cars to pass. AS the cars dodSed
around corners, with solid rock on one
side and a precipice on the other,
representative of The Herald who ac-
companied the expedition shut his eyes
and thought about his past life. Ihere
were many places where a turn OF the
wheel meant eternity for all In the car.
AS test for automobiie construction,
the race course up the mountain Is
without parallel.
Among those who Joined the ''cruise"
was Miss Sophia Mackenzie or Pasa-
dena, who drove her own car, a Whlte
30-horse power, 1908. Miss Mackenzie
is one of the most fearless and skillful
woman drivers in 4he state. She has
taken her car over mountain passes
where other women have not yet Ven-
tured.
Part of the way she led the squadron.
On the level stretches Miss Macken-
zie burned up the road. she TOOK the
steep grade at Newhall as If she were
looping the loop. She has the reputa-
tion of being able to snip off the tail
of a lizard as it scrambles for safety
across the road. She was accompanied
by her sister, Miss Nettie Mackenzie,
and Miss Sarah Coryell, George Coryen
and Mrs. Mackenzie.
Fenner Makes Good Time
Col. F. C. Fenner, president of the
White garage, with A. w. Wettersauer,
in the Black Bess, made the pest time
record. The colonel said that a jack
rabbit started to pace him across the
desert and ran only as jacks can.
There was little visible of him, except
two thin dark streaks, caused by the
black spots on his ears. Black Bess
was forced to slow down to keep IRON
running over the jack, which persisted
in keeping In the center of the road.
Finally Col. Fenner threw hard
boiled egg at him and the way was
cleared.
A very pleasant Sunday was spent at
Shoemaker's ranch and Old Point Com
fort, where amusement of various sorts
was furnished for those who partici-
pated in the cruise. Horseback riding,
trout fishing and hunting were INDUCED
in Nelson Kingsland, who, with Mrs.
Kingsland, ID. G. Keeler and Miss
Myra Keller, occupied Ine Car piloteu
by Capt. Jack Heyser, spent part of the
day shooting jackrabbits. He reported
that he had cleared the way for the re-
turn trip.
Among those who made the trip were
Mr.. and Mrs. w. G. Chanslor, Mr.. and
Mrs. A. J. Waters, DR.. e. p. Hillicker
and family, DR.. C. w. Pierce and Mrs.
pierce and Charles Ward. The White
car, driven by Happy" Forbes, came
through with a clean record for speed
and endurance. Happy" demonstrated
his skill as a driver by shaving the
moss from the rocks on the run up the
mountain, just to show that he could,
and beating a Southern Pacific passen-
ger train between Saugus and Vincent.
In the car with Forbes were Eylar Fill
more, Ed Massey and Louis Greenslav.