Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-11
THAW MADE ROAD TOO BAD
Will Ship From Seattle to Port of
Vladivostok.
LOST MUCH TINE IN THE TRIP
Wish to Charter an ocean-Going Tug
for the Voyage to Siberia.
Other Cars Profit.

SEATTLE, Wash. April ia cable
dispatch to the Post Intelligencer from
Valdez, Alaska says:
The American automobile and crew has
left on the steamer Bertha for Seattle. A
public reception was given them by the
chamber of commerce and the crew start
ed to inspect the trail. They went ten
miles. Driver Schuster when interviewed
said the Alaskans had his sympathy. as
the depth of the snow and the chuck holes
absolutely prohibit any chance of the au-
tomobiles running a mile.
He says he will return to Seattle and
ship for Vladivostok to make up the time
lost on the Alaskan trip. He will at
tempt to charter seagoing tug to take
the car and crew across to Siberia. 1t Is
doubtful If this can be done.
At O'Clock the morning OF the Th.
after the official reception and entertain
ment rendered to the crew of the racing
car by the city of Valdez. the four men
who had set out with the determination
to make the trip in the automobile from
Valdez to Nome over the mail trail start
ed on tour Of inspection through Key
stone canyon.
On sled drawn by single horse
driven by their guide, in the face of a
out to Comfort Camp. the first roadhouse
on the Fairbanks trail. They made tests
Of the width of the trail and the various
conditions to be met, and decided with
one voice 1t was utterly impossible to
proceed In view of. the conditions pre-
vailing since the recent thaw, and that
conditions would be no better until next
winter. In consequence the men returned
to Valdez early in the morning. and. wish
ing to lose no time, loaded the racing
- @.kh vu,ts sDl, {
ready to leave for Seattle. and sailed bach
to the United States, intending to con
tinue the journey to Paris by way OF
Vladivostok.
Anticipating that it might be impossible
to cross Alaska on the trail. in view Of
the late date Of starting from San Fran.
cisco. after the delays due to the excep'
tional weather encountered in the United
States, the two leaders in the New York
to Paris race determined fortnight ago
IL necessary, to make the trip to Paris
across Siberia and Europe by an alterna-
tive route. 1t was agreed between E. c.
| Morse, representing the American car,
and r. w. VollmOeller. representing the
Zust car, that their two machines would
go as far as possible over the original
route, and if at any time it should be-
| come impossible to. proceed they would
go back to the United States and ship by
the first steamship thereafter to Vladivo-
stok and proceed to Paris over the 1OOvu
miles intervening between the Asiatic
port and the ultimate destination. The
agreement between the two. cars was
submitted to the other two contestants
in the race, and it is anticipated that
they will also take the alternative route,
and the four cars will proceed to Paris
by way of Vladivostok.
Protos Still at Ogden.
OGDEN, Utah. April 11-Lieut. Keep
pen arrived here yesterday from Seattle
with the extra parts for the Protos car
which had been delayed there in the Gus
tom house. He began repairs on the dis
abled German machine at one.
He said that it would require four days
work before the car would again be abb,
| to start. and that he would then proceed
by road to San Francisco and take ths
! steamship in pursuit of the others.