Arizona republican., 1908-10-24
FUR REPUBLICAN TROPHY
Latham and Bigelow Arrive by Automobile Over the 45O Miles of Desert Which Lies Between Los Angeles and Phoenix.

After a successful trip over the 45O miles of desert and rock strewn road and an encounter with a terrific sand storm in the great Mojave desert which brought the car to a stand still and compelled the occupants to climb under it for protection, Bert Latham and C. H. Bigelow reached Phoenix in safety last night. The trip was taken as a preliminary to the first great au- tomObile race over the Los Angeles Phoenix course for the cup offered by The Arizona Republican.
 The Rec car, driven by Bigelow. ar rived in good condition. the only acci- dent to it being a broken truss rod on the front axle. The men were thor oughly exhausted by the rigors of the journey. but after a rest at the Hotel Adams and some dinner, were fresh as when they started.
 They left Los Angeles Monday morn ing instead of Sunday as reported, and stopped at Palm Springs Monday night. Some of the worst sand on the entire route was encountered between Ban ming and Palm Springs. Much of this was quicksand and to cross it, the air had to be exhausted from the tires till they were flat, and then they were pumped up again when the bad place had been crossed. Many hours were spent in pumping and eXhausting the tires.
 From Palm Springs to Indio a good run was made Four miles out of In- dio they came upon an automobile struggling in the desert sands. on closer approach the occupants proved to be F. c. Fenner and George Adair in Fenner's well known racing machine the Black Bess." Bert Latham des- cribed the incident as follows:
 "Fenner left Los Angeles Sunday se- cretly to try the roads, although he has done all he could to break up the race. When he found this impossible he was evidently curious to see just what sort of a course it was. When we met him he stopped his car in the middle of the road There was quick sand on either side. It was the only time on the whole trip that horses were attached to the Rec, for Fenner bloekaded the main road and left the Rec to be lowed through the sand on the side. He Was bA Ills hd- udNh AD 1OS <AAA5Nltos He said he had been as far as Mecca and had had enough"
 From Indio, where the desert is en- tered, high winds were encountered. They left Mecca, at the Salton Sink. and is 200 feet below the level of the sea. at ? pm. Tuesday, and made the next 13 miles in four and a half hours. The tail end of a sandstorm made go- ing almost impossible. They could see but a few feet in advance of the car. At Dos Palmas which is nothing more than two palms and a sulphur well, Bigelow and Latham climbed under the auto and spent the night there while the storm ragged about them. Tn the morning they washed their hands in the warm water of the spring and spent the next seven hours in making ten miles against the wind. After hard work they reached Ranalls on the Col orado river, at am. Thursday.
 It was 1 pm. before the Indians, who conduct the ferry, had succeeded in getting the car across the river. La tham had to cross the river first in small boat to find the men who have charge of the ferry. 'The Indians act ed as though they were on a picnic. and refused to be hurried,'' said La than.
 Good roads were experienced as soon as they crossed the river and quick time was made to Vicksburg. The roads from Ehrensburg to Phoenix are rocky but good.
 They were met at Bill Moore's, IS miles out. by Frank Ainsworth and L.