The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-09-26
THE DIARY Of AN
AUTO RUN To THE
GOOD ROADS MEET
Being a Faithful Chronicle in
General and of One Car
in Particular.
NEWARKERS' EXPERIENCE
ON BAD COUNTRY ROADS
Pilot Heller and His Charges
Reach Atlantic City After En-
countering Many Bumps.

WIN u SloTiH WdfniuS VI iOS, anu
head winds to Lakewood" we of tho
good ship ''Oldsmobile," Pilot Heller
at the wheel, cast off from the club
house of the New Jersey Automobile
and Motor Club in Newark shortly
before 10 o'clock on Thursday morn
ing, bound for the Good Roads conven-
ton at Atlantic City. In our convoy
was our sister ship Rainier with d
master unfamiliar with Jersey waters
in command.
Down Park place and into Halsey
street we glided, Rainier electing the
straighter course down Broad street.
Without mishap we continued On our
way to Elizabeth. and there found
"Rainier'' wrestling with license mum
bers under the watchful eye of a min
ion of the law. Curying through Eliza
beth, we entered the smooth oiled
highway that leads straight through
Railway, like a brown ribbon ever un-
winding before the car. Under the
archway of trees on st. Georges High
way we continued, avoiding the sharp
turn to the right that leads to New
Brunswick southwark.
AS the chimneys of Perth Amboy
came into view ~silhouetted against the
sky, we slowed down to take mora
easily the bumps of the yellow clay
roads. Winding in and out among
the narrow streets, of Perth Amboy,
between rows OF half-tumble down cot
tages and rickety factories, we at last
reached the long approach to tina.
short connecting span that has caused
Maui Toraaxy mOfnriGt. more heartburn
than any other part of the highways
in the State--the bridge over the Rari-
an River connecting the Amboys.
Here 1t was that the forecast of mist
was realized. So heavy hung the fog
over the long, narrow bridge Its
ouarter-mile approaches that we could
hardly perceive a hundred yards DIS
tant tina the draw was open, necessl-
tating the first halt of our solar
peaceful trip.
At length the span was thrown back
into position, and we continued over
the part of the draw that the VA
Department a year ago ordered torn
away and rebuilt because of the menace
to navigation it constituted. Our CHER
way of knowing which part of the
bridge was the newer was by the heavy
coating of rust on the implanted por-
ton that has been allowed to stand as
originally built.
Again we came upon the yellow
clay %roadbed, which. though softer than
macadam. is yet a better automobile
road surface in many respects because
easier on tires. For the first time on
our entire trip we dropped to our inter-
mediate speed to pass through the dan
gerous "Hole-in-the-Wall' under the
railroad yards neal South Amboy. AS
usual, this tunnel-like cavern was al
most as dark as pitch, in spite of the
fact tina the township pays somebody
for the current to light it day and
night.
Good Place to Hc Bounced.
The ~Frelinghuysen automobile law
might as well not exist for all the good
1t does In retardting speeding on the
road between South Amboy and Mata-
wan. Any man who would exceed or
average of twenty miles per hour ovei
this stretch would have less considera-
ton for his personal comfort than foi
the we'll being OF the ear. Bumps, hol-
lows inc ruts on an important thor
oughfare used weekly by hundreds Of
automobiles on the bridge route to
the shore resorts made our friend tht
Essex freeholder, who was seated In ths
rumble and got the fun benefit of th'
bouncing. sit up and take notice.
Wishing to get as far along the route
as possible before stopping for luncheon
we decided to pass on through Lake
wood, where the rest of the cars in oul
wake decided to stop, and go to Toms
River. We found the road between
these two points in fairly poor condi
ton, much to our surprise, showing
urgent need of touching up.
After we had dined pleasantly, We
were about to embark again when the
vanguard Of those following arrived
They had lunched at Lakewood, bui
taken less leisure than had we. While
the resulting conclave was in progress
II was remarked by an onlooker that
then and there might ave occurred Z
meeting of the Essex County Board OF
Froeholders. for a majority of thai
body. including Director Barry. wa.
present.
Stern Chase After Luncheon.
With no stop, other than to fix q
broken fan belt, whose lacing had worr
LnfOuSn, we proceeded on II stern cnds'
after the half dozen other machines
hat had preceded us, and picked then
up. one by one, including friend RAJ
nier," whose pilot had lost his bearing:
in Elizabeth, and been forced to wal
half an hour for following ears to poin
the course.
One incident made things interesting
for us at a time. Pilot Heller. who WA
not acquainted with all the turns
failed to max the sharp left swerv'
into the broad Atlantic City boulevard
AS a result, a motor inspector, who wa
behind on a motor cycle, turned sharl
into us, and hit the rear of our star
board running board. He was throw
from his wheel, and we stopped and in
CURED INTO the extent of the damages
The sum total was a little dust on hi
leather suit and g pedal sheared squar
off at the axle. He took the blame 70
the accident. declaring 1t to be unavoi
able. We left him brushing off the dirt
and made easy running into the con
vention city, arriving shortly after
o'clock, with appetites that did full Jus
tice to the dinners awaiting us.
Then we did the boardwalk.