Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-02-23
TRIP
IS MADE TO
SAN DIEGO
BIG SMITH ROADSTER MAKES
FAST TIME
PREVIOUS RECORD LOWERED
NEARLY TWO HOURS
p. A. Renton Drives the 1876 Miles in
Nine Hours and Uses Only
Eleven Gallons Of
Gasoline

A new record has been established
between Los Angeles and San Diego
for automobiles by P. A. Renton with
a Great Smith roadster.
He was accompanied by Charles Full
er Gates, and the time that the car
made was nine hours for the trip down.
Several stops were made en- route to
take photographs, so that the time
could have easily been lessened IL the
machine had been sent through with
out a stop.
AS far as the motor was concerned it
was nonstop run, no delays having
been encountered on account of trouble,
and the gasoline and water supply were
not added to at all.
The best previous record known was
made by William Garland's car. driven
by Billie Guild. That party took nearly
eleven hours for the run, but were not
out for a record, having started only
on touring trip.
The route selected was to Pomona.
and from there through Chino, Rineon
and the Temescal cnyon to Escondido.
At Miramar a detour was made that
took the party by Torrey Pines and
increased the distance over the regular
miles,
The odometer registered 1856 miles for
the trip, and the gasoline consumption
was only eleven gallons. which would
give an average of nearly seventeen
miles to the gallon. That is really the
best record of the two, as it shows the
economical running of the car at a
twenty-mile rate, which was main
tanned for the greater part of the way.
The road was in bad condition in
many places, but at no time did the
car stall, and though the party was
equipped with ropes and tackle, as well
as a shovel, they did not require their
use.
The return trip was made the fol-
lowing day. and the time made was
nearly as good as that going down,
record coming back. When they pulled
into Pomona they found that they had
an hour and ten minutes in which to
reach Los Angeles If they made as
good time as on the down trip, so from,
that place the car was let out bit on
the good stretches and the time was
within thirty five minutes of the previ-
Gus record. The trip was not a race
against time in any sense, as through
every town that the mortorists Went
they needed the speed limit carefully,
which, of course, consumed a goodiy
number of minutes.
Leaving Los Angeles the car ran
within the twelve-mile limit to the
bridge on Main street, and within the
fifteen-mile limit from there to the city
limits and nowhere was it forced, which
accounts for the entire absence of tire
or motor trouble on the trip.
In fact. the trip can be duplicated by
any careful, competent driver who has
car Of the same make or as good.
In this respect the trip is of import
ance to the motoring public, as 1t is
an indication of what first class car
of this years model can do when prop
erly handled.
The rough racing over roads for q
record that wrecks a car and takes OFT
few hundred dollars of its value may
bring its equivalent returns in public
ity. but the average motorist had rather
know what a car can do and still be
in the prime of condition when 1t has
finished. -,
Mr.. Renton's record is good and will
stand for some time If all things are
taken into consideration, such as abb
sence of tire and motor trouble. gaso-
line consumption and weight of pas
sengers In relation to the horse power.
8%-
TO THE RACES
eteam trains to the races 1915 p m. and l2:l
D. M +: So minutes Seats for everyone SOUTH
ERN PACIFIC. GOO South Spring street. %
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