Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-06-17
DRIVES AUTO
UP ROSE HILL
kUT0CAR is FIRST TO CLIMB
GRADE
SUCCESSFULLY MAKES ROUND
TRIP TEST
Goes Up Road Over Portions Of which
Teams Are Unable to Travel
and Returns Without
Damage

The successful climb of an Autocar
over Rose Hill yesterday forenoon set
a new pace for adventurous demonstra-
TORS to follow. To accommodate The
Herald's automobile writer III. 70. Gilley
cranked up his touring car, ana with
party of five went out TO the east city
limits on Pasadena boulevard TO see
what the possibilities or tmpossloii-
ties of the grade up the hill might De.
Two blocks to the left from Pasadena
boulevard after crossing the Short Line
tracks the car was driven a block TO
Rose Hill station. No chance was az
forded the car for run at the nil on
account of the crossing and the snort
distance to the foot of the steep incline.
When the tracks were crossed the
gears were thrown into the inter-
mediate and the car began its work.
1t was not long until the low gear
had to be engaged, and then the little
30-horse power motor began TO purr
and sing as ii it enjoyed turning around
ten or more times to one revolution or
the rear wheels. Up and up the car
went around two sharp turns until IL
reached the hogs back, whore a steep
pitch and a sharp turn sent the car in
the opposite direction and up the ridge
of the hill.
To the right was a road that had q
less gradient than the one which had
been covered, but straight up the side
of the hill on the ridge Of the hog back
Gilley sent the car. The work it had
been doing before was as child's play
to what 1t had to do on the ridge. The
road had been graded, but never had
been travelled. 1t was laid out to look
nice on a map and was not for use
any more than the Bairdstown grade.
One of the party wanted to get out
and walk, as he was tinnid In the face
of such test of the mechanism.
People came running from the houses
clinging to the sides of the hill TO
watch the novel sight of the first auto
mobile that ever climbed Rose Hill.
Horses never are driven over the last
part of the grade that the car covered,
and 1t Is difficult even to walk up the
steep road.
At the top all of the party got out
to look around, and out of curiosity the
writer examined the radiator to see u
the water had boiled. It was quite hot,
but not bubbling. and had reached
temperature that ought to give the best
combustion results.
The trip down the hill was made by
another grade, as 1t was considered
unwise to take the unnecessary risk
of sliding off the bank at the end OF
the grade where the road makes
sharp turn.
After going down the hill the car was
sent over the boulevard for spin, the
glass front and top both being up. as
they were when the hill was climbed.
Faster and faster the little motor ran.
forcing the rate of speed higher and
higher until on one of the straight
level stretches the needle showed a
speed of so miles an hour, and then
the point wavered toward 81.
The weight of the five passengers
totaled 1914 pounds, and with the glass
front and top up the resistance was
very greatly increased, even when
climbing at a low rate of speed.
A more convincing demonstration OF
the speed and hill climbing power Of a.
car could hardly be devised to be in
cluded in such short distance, and the
way the Autocar acquitted itself was
extremely creditable.