The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-05-31
AMATEUR BREAKS
DISTANCE RECORD
AutoiSt Crosses Continent in
Thirty-two Days and Twen-
ty-three Hours.

NEW YORK, May 30-At two O'Clock,
May %, J. NJ. Murdoch, of jamestown,
Pa. the first private owner of an auto
mobile to cross the continent, arrived
here in Packard touring car,
He left Los Angeles, April "a, making
/ the entire trip in thirty-two days. TWEEN
ty-three hours. The feat is particu-
larry remarkable on account OF the fact
that Mr.. Murdoch carried a total party
of seven in the car all the way. Also
he made the trip without night driving
and without driving on Sundays, rest
ing four Sundays and spending three
days at his home IN Johnstown, Pa.
The net elapsed time consequently was
twenty-five days three hours.
From Cleveland he drove 10 New
York via PittsbuTg. crossing the Allie
ghenies. instead or going by the usual
and easier route through New York
State, doing this In order to pass
through his home town. The tourists
reached Philadelphia Monday afternoon
and were greeted not only by a large
turnout OF Automobiles but by a party
OF metropolitan motorists, who had
come down TO Philadelphia to escort
them into New York.
8AEASA AtGW AuAh Ou LuE1uaYs
On Tuesday last the amateur transcon-
ttnentaists. guided by the New York
automobiles rode easily over the
smooth macadam between PHILADELPHIA
and New York. The party was greet
ed enthusiastically by local motorists
and newspaper men when II finally
pulled up at the Hotel Astor at the
end OF the long and arduous journey
across deserts, mountains, plains, and
the Mississippi valley lowlands.
Mr.. Murdoch did not set out to break
a record across the continent, although
he succeeded in doing It. He had spent
the winter with his family touring Cal
itornia in his Packard touring car and
finally decided 10 drive the car overland
instead of shipping it home. After a
few days preparation he started from
Los Angeles across southern California.
and through Death Valley. New. for
Ogden, the first stage Of his transcon-
tinental run.
On one hard stretch Of thirty miles in
Death Valley eight hours We're spent
overcoming the obstacles which baset
the pathway. This portion Of the desert
derived the name of Death Valley from
the fact that during the gold fever in
1873 lO3 miners and prospectors lost
their lives in attempting to cross the
barren wastes.
Cross Wyoming in -Four Days.
The run across Wyoming was made in
four days. deep marshes being crossed,
while at times the roads were so heavy
as to render traffic almost impossible.
Crossing the Laramie plains a blizzard
was encountered, and they arrived at
Laramie about noon. East from Cheyenne,
across Nebraska, the roads were good,
runs OF over go miles being made IN a
day. At Egbert, Wye, the car and pas
sengers were run on the scales. the total
weight being $3.50 pounds.
Chicago was reached Sunday. kzav II.
and the next morning Mr.. Murdoch and
family left for the East on the last
stage OF the tour. It rained heavily
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, so
that the roads in Indiana and Ohio We're
nothing but deep mud and slippery clay.
Cleveland was reached early May %.
and Mr.. Murdoch drove on through to
Warren, Ohio, that night. reaching
Pittsburg, Thursday, May p. Friday
he made a quick run over the noun
tains from Pittsburg 10 Johnstown, and
there he spent the remainder OF Friday
and Saturday and Sunday that his fam
ily might nave a rest at home before
completing the run across the Continent
into New York Monday, May ., the
tourists drove into Philadelphia, and
Tuesday, May %, made the last hundred
miles Of their coast forecast trip.