Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-05-17
AUTO TRIP OVER
SAND STRENUOUS
DESERT CAR HAS A FIERCE
EXPERIENCE
JOURNEY TO ALAMEDA PROVES A
THRILLING ONE
Chrisman Breaks Down After Hard
ordeaIs Ninety Miles from Aid.
White Tows II out--Latter
Shows Endurance

Strenuous was the trip Of Jack and
William Heyser to Alameda and return.
Alameda is a little place at the end
of Owens lake in Inyo county, and It
was there, ninety miles from machine
shop, that the big Chrisman desert car
broke down so badly that temporary
repairs could not be made.
1t fell to the lot of the Hcyser boys
10 take a White steamer and go after
the disabled car and bring it across the
desert to Mojavc, where it was shipped
to Los Angeles.
The first day out from Los Angeles
the car made excellent time, travelling
the 155 miles between a. m and g
p. m. The entire 220 miles consumed a
day and half's running time.
In several places IL was all the
steamer could do to pull through the
deep sand and arrangements were
made on the up trip to have horses or
mules ready TO pull the Chrisman car
through when they came back. About
eight miles this side of Alameda is a
place known as Hawaiee meadows,
where the sand is at least eighteen
inches deep.
Had TO Keep Going
The steamer had to be kept rolling
to prevent the rear wheels from dig
ging graves for themselves in the loose
sand.
On the return trip mules pulled the
Chrisman through after 1t was de-
tached from the steamer, which made
the trip successfully both ways under
its own power. but was unable TO get
traction enough to tow the other car.
When the sandy stretch was struck
The steamer started to tow the other
car through. as the team that had been
engaged had not shown up, but the
back wheels spun so fast they began
TO smoke.
William Heyser, who was at the
wheel of the Chrisman, left the car and
ran forward to throw sacks under the
wheels of the steamer, so ii would get
traction enough to pull through. Fin
ally the sand got so deep no further
progress could he made, but fortunate
" the team arrived and no long wait
was necessary.
Red Rock canyon creek bed was an
other bad spot that had to be traversed.
For a half mile deep sand barred pro-
gress and a borax team came TO the
assistance of the motorists.
Finally the steamer ran out of fuel
at a point six miles from anywhere,
but fortune again stood N with the
travellers and two gallons were found
III the ldllk VI lilt Iii -
soon transferred to the White and the
run was made to the Eighteen Mile
house. a pumping station for an owens
river aqueduct camp.
Use Up Distillate
Distillate was procured there and the
White uncomplainingly used up the low
grade fuel with nearly as good results
as with the gasoline.
The Chrisman was towed ninety-flYe
miles the first day over some of the
worst roads In the state.
When Mojave was finally reached the
Chrisman was turned over 10 the rail-
way for transportation TO Los Angeles
and the White continued the journey
to Los angeles alone.
Mojaye was left at 2 o'clock in the
morning and the run to Palmdale was
made in five hours and half.
Between Mojave and Willows Springs
and between the springs and Palmdale
many places We're found where the road
was so smooth and level that fifty
mile clip was easily maintained for
miles at a stretch.
The trip from MojaVe was made
through the Mint canyon, distance
Of 10 miles, to Los Angeles and the
time of the run was four and half
hours, which, in view of the fact that
the car had been struggling through
sand and over hills for the past two or
three days and that it was not after a
record, was fast indeed.