The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-10-11
Heavy Car Takes Steep
Grades in Maryland
With Ease.
MAKES GOOD TIME
FROM HAGERSTOWfI
Owing to Lack of Extra Batteries
an Unavoidable Delay Pro-
longed Trip.

The Crawford Automobile Company
gave one Of their new model 80
horsepower machines a thorough test
recently under trying circumstances, IN
an eighty-five-mile run from Hagers-
town, Md. to Washington, D c., over
the old Frederick pike"
The party. consisting Of six persons.
first visited the factory Of the company
situated about half a mile from Hagers-
town. Here they were shown cars IN
all stages 81 construction. and Just how
the engines are tested for forty-eight
hours on power from the plant for w'p-
ing out the cylinders and another forty
eight hours on its own power in order
that II may be perfectly adjusted. In
the finishing room was seen the apph-
cation Of the finish coat which Is ap-
plIed at a temperature Of about $50 de
grees, in order TO give the body OF the
car A glossy finish After assembling
the car the trial test was explained.
This is usually a test of about 500 miles
ove- the heaviest roads available be-
fore the mechanism is pronounced per
feet, a temporary body being used LOT
The car, which was used for the trip.
had undergone successful trlal trlp'
but the factory people desired 10 nave
it tested more severely. The mach l..Ll's
carried six persons though the car was
designed for a fVe-passenger machine.
The intention was 10 start early IN
order 20 make the entire run by day
light but the start was unav OidaDly
delayed. the party leaving the Baldwin
Hotel at 3.35 D. II
Hill-C Climbing Test
The car worked perfectly without a
jar or a catch. over al almost per
I'll. -
number Of miles through a country OF
stone walls, meadows. hills. and vale; :.
negotiating the grades almost as easily
as II did the level country roads. Al
ass p IN the party reached BOOnsboro.
the site Of the historic battle OF Ante
tam, and here the real troubles began
The first toll gate in a series Of seven
on that road was encountered II came
at the bottom OF min and the machine
was forced TO start the incline from a
standstiII. which 1t did beautifully. at
intermediate gear. At gate No. 2, a
more difficult hill appeared
From this point to Braddock the trip
was uneventtUl. but IL was a fast run.
At BraddOck the man who was &C
Cualnted with the car left the party
and another man took the wheel The
pecuharlties OF both the car md the
and darkness was rapidly approaching.
still the run was fully as good as be
fore, some Of the worst iIclines Of the
trip being easily climbed. until the party
reached Hyattstown-
Batteries Went Dead"
Some trouble had ALREADY been expe-
rienced in getting the battery 70 spark
properly. but the machine was Of such
power that despite this minor defect II
managed TO come within fifty feet OF
the top Of one Of the sreepest and long
est nils IN the State OF Maryland With
only this distance to 90. the machine
stopped, and o. investigation the bat
tertes were found 10 be entirely dead. 20
They had not been heating the power
ful 4-cyllnder engine properly for some
time No extra batteries had been
furnished. as II generally done, because
the man who sent the car out lad
thought the original batteries enough
20 carry the machine through. They
were STRANDED. and thIrty-tive miles
from Washington.
After several Intellectual attempts to
dope" the batteries by methods known
only TO those OF the profession, the
party, with the exception OF one menI-
bcT, who was left in charge Of the
machine, trudsed through a mile OF dust
&C the general store a. BuckeysVllic.
where they telephOned TO Washington
for 4 new set Of batteries.
Two OF the party elected to stay in
luWl ana get 4 good night s rest. but
before they were we'll in the land Of
dreams the batteries in the machine
had been renewed a powerful 6O-hOrse-
power Crawford, with extra batteries,
having made the trip from Washington
TO BuckeySVille in an hour and a half
With darkness and the rather liEItCd
Information they had received az to the
location OF the stranded car as handi-
caps this was a remarkable run.
The machine had no trouble N reach
ing tie top OF the hill, and in an ex-
citing and hair-TaiSing run. over a
very rough road, kept close to the tran
Il the big car the rest Of the way
to Washington.
The car certainly had q severe trial
and in spite Of this one accident, due
merely to ar oversight, proved itself
\ wonder FOR speed. climbing and en-
Gurance. The car was taken cit for
n short run yesterday without any re-
pairs. and seemed to run smoother after
the inning up the night before.