The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1908-05-01
AUTOMOBILE CONTEST
MACHINES TO MAKE 156 MILES In II
HOURS With A PERFECT SCORE.
Should Reach Westminster Between
3 and $3.50 a. IN.

Two cars-a 3O-horsepower White
steamer and a 15-horsepower Ford
roadster-passed through Westminster
Sunday. They were the pathinders
to lay out route for the machines
that will take part in the sealed-bon-
net contest tomorrow Saturday, May
2, from Baltimore to Hagerstown and
back. This is not a contest of speed,
but of strength and durability, and
with that in view the pathfnders pick
ed out the toughest and most impass-
able roads.
From Baltimore to Westminster, by
way of Pikesville, Glyndon and Reis-
terstown, the pathf1nders found the
trip uneventful, except that it is gen.
orally uphill, and it was thought that
some of the contesting cars may get
balky before this point is reached. At
Westminster representative of the
Advocate was taken on, and, after din
ner at the Westminster Hotel the path
finders resumed their trip.
The course from Westminster is to
Union Bridge, to Middleburg, to De-
tour, to Rocky Ridge, to Thurmont,
to Waynesboro, to Leitersburg, to Ha-
gerstown. This is not the shortest and
easiest, but the longest and toughest,
route. The course is mountainous,
and the contestants will get full bene-
fit of all the difficulties usually en-
countered in crossing mountains.
After leaving Westminster, if there
happened to be more than one road
| leading to the next town in line, the
worst was selected. All along the
| line the natives could not understand
why, after the query How do you
get to Thurmont or Waynesboro?" the
pathfinders would invariably take the
roads said to be the hardest to travel
over.
The trip over the Blue mountain is
the test of tests of the contest. O1
course, it is one succession of hills
each of which is a young mountain,
and it will be a king of automobiles
that comes through unscratched. One O1
the worst features of mountain travel
ing is the breakers" on the roads
They are truly breakers" in more
than one sense of the word. They are
not only apt to break the machine, but
the occupants backs. These ridges
put in the roads to turn aside water
rushing down the mountain are the
worst and most dangerous features o1
| travelling In crossing the mountains
| the cars would go along smoothly fol
half a minute or so, then, without the
slightest warning to those in the back
seats, there would be sudden drop
a quick tilt upward of both car and
passengers, and then another drop
Generally in the upheavel the pas
sengers would become separated from
the seat by some four or more feet
and when they caught up again with
| the cushions-well, there was jar,
Jolt, and all was well again until the
next time After a seconds rest there
would be more jolts, then some more,
and so on until Hagerstown was
reached. Keeping their seats will be
one of the hardest things for the oc-
cupants of the contesting cars if they
go as fast as the pathfinders did Sun
day, for both machines made at times
! 40 miles an hour.
The trip back is by way Of Boons-
boro to Middletown, to Frederick, to
New Market, to Ridgeville, to Ellicott
City. This half is much easier, and
cars that conquer the first half will
more than likely finish.
The time limit of IL hours to make
the course will make all cars hustle
1t took the two cars Sunday about 1871
hours to go round the circuit, but then
the pathfinders had to make all the
arrangements for the regular contest
with hotels, tollgates and stores, where
gasoline, etc., are to be secured. Both
machines stood the test Sunday finely,
and except for the loss of cap on the
water tank of the White Steamer, both
went through with perfect scores.