The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-05-31
TIMES AUTO RUN
THOROUGH TEST
livery Variety of Good
and Bad Trav-
cling.
MARYLAND ROADS
WORST OF ROUTE
Bad Going Between Pooleswlle and
Rockville Will Try Ma
chimes and Men.
By THOMAS S. RICE.

IN the same day viii be entitled to wear
medals on his chest, and oar society edi-
tress viii mention his name next 10
pure reading matter If he gets married.
The route is one that offers every
variety Of autOmobiling, from extreme
speed 10 hill climbing. with every sort OF
road from bluestone pike as smooth as
a billiard table 10 choice specimens of
Montgonemry county's worst product,
which can't be beat this side the rocky
road to Jordan Briefly the route Is
from the Munsey building, in Washing
ton, TO Ridgeviue, 10 Frederick to Har-
pers Ferry. TO Berryville. TO Winches-
ter, back 10 Berryvire. TO Whites Ferry,
TO Rockville. 70 the Munsey building
This distance figures in the road books
at 1S6 miles. BY the time you have
Travelled over some OF the Montgomery
county roads you think you have run
- enough TO be elected on the cnauneurs
honor roll, and you have
Observed Praise. for Jose.
My own trip over the route started
FRIDAY and ended yesterday. It's object
was not to make time. but 10 spy out
the land and when it comes down 10
scenery there are no moro delightful
views IN America. Ny guide was that
sterling driver. Rudolph Jose, OF the
I Cook & Stoddard Company. The ma
chine was the same four-cylinder
Cadillac in which we mapped out the
route for The Times sealed bonnet con-
test on December 10. As in the former
instance. the machine did work which
could not be surpassed, and IT is hard
! 10 tell which deserves the greater
lpraise. the auto or the driver. Jose and
i have spent so much time on scouting
trips that we are thinking Of drama
Iizing our experiences and doing little
sketch under the team name OF Young
Crockett and Kid Boone. If we told
all that has happened to US it would
Icertainly be a dream, but our families
object TO us going on the stage.
We left the Lunsey Building at 1887
Friday morning and arrived at Mon
ravia, via OIney and Damascus. with
out particular adventure except the
trial of patience involved in going over
that permanent Montgomery county dis
grace, the road from Olney to Laytons-
Vile. At Monrovla il happened. The
bridge over Goose Creek had been
lifted off its support on the New Market
side and dropped into the bed of the
stream. Skirting the bank for about
200 yards, we came to a ford that was
menacing but pass BILE, and took a
chance. We got across all right. but
found there 200 yards of mucky going
up TO the hubs Of what vehicles had
the nerve TO go that way. No auto
mobile could have sloughed through the
mass, which had soft, sDongy bottom.
Pulled Out by Horses.
There was nothing 10 1t then but to
back out. The machine took the ford
all right with the water over the foot |
hoard. but on the other side struck a
sort of quick sand Of gravel which |
tcaused all attempts TO get out TO sink |
the wheels further without producing |
movement forward or backward. In /
such cases the only answer is horse. |
and the postmaster of Monrovia caue |
TO the rescue with a friend, a couple OF /
hired hands, and two stout nags hitched |
TO farm wagon. After great exertious |
and much language the auto was yank- 1
ed ont tail foremost, after we had been /
hung UP two hours or more.
Instead of going through Monrovia, |
we could have gone TO Frederick via /
.Jrrbanna by turning of to the left about /
two miles from where we were stuck /
in the mud. but this route is not so /
well known TO Washington autoists, |
and is not so good as the Monrovia-
New Market highway. Therefore, we /
decided to return to Three Oaks, and |
take the right-hand road there over to
lRidgeviIle, and have the contest route |
10 Frederick via Ridgeville which is
somewhat longer but all excellent |
travelling.
Ridgeville 20 Frederick.
We turned off at the wrong place on /
The way to Three Oaks but struck the /
Ridgeville road snyhow, and reached /
fRidgevills at ] ;O5 p. m, where we had
dinner, and where there will be a check
ing station on June 8.
From Ridgeville to Frederick is a per-
fectly straight pike, known 10 almost
every touring autoist in Washington.
and distinguished for its scenery and
thank zee NUNS. Little space has been
devoted here TO telling the landmarks
from washington to Frederick. but be-
yond that point the road is probably
not so familiar, and we shall be a little
more specific.
The road books state that from
Washington TO Frederick via RidgeviHe
IS 5S1k miles, and from Frederick to
Winchester, va, via FIaa ner's Ferry is
81 miles. of which l9 miles is the dis
itauce between Frederick and Harper's
Ferry. This is all first-class pike as far
as Knoxville, whers begins long climb
3 over a young mountain up to where the
bridge crosses the Potomac
Harper's Ferry.
The Frederick pike passes through
the city of that name. forming the prin-
cipal street Of the town. on which are
car tracks. Go with the car tracks to
the left o1t of the city, to where they i
turn OK 10 the right, through a private
right OF way. where you naturally fol-
low the road, crossing the tracks. JEFF
1erson is the next town, but offers no
branch road or other chance for con-
fusion. Then comes Knoxville, where
the road dips and you turn to the right
at the postoffce, bouncing across the
railroad tracks and out along the canal !
Stick TO this canal side and along the
railroad tracks. pass a little station call
cd sandy HOOK. Keep on a-going when /,