Los Angeles herald., 1909-02-21
NEW GUIDE BOOK
PROVES MARVEL
WILLARD G. THORPE SHOWN
TO BE A WIZARD
A Driver Couldn't Get Lost If He Were
to Remain in His Seat and
Ignore Everything but
the Book

William G. Thorpe, head of the
Thorpe Engraving company, has proved
himself wizard in the compilation and
publication of what undoubtedly will
be acknowledged as the most remark
able automobile guide" ever produced
in the United States. Others have tried
at guide books, guide maps and route
books, and have done wonders in aid
ing tourists to feel their way while
travelling through strange cities and
along strange roads, but Mr.. Thorpe
has succeeded in embodying every good
feature of all these books, so far as
it is possible to discern, and has then
gone so much farther than anyone has
every tried that there looks to be but
little room for comparison.
Book Is Marvel
The book is nothing short of a mar
vel. It's conception and execution
break away from all preconceived no
tions and stands alone, and nothing
short of a vote Of thanks from every
automobilist, every club member, every
dealer and every owner should be ex-
tended to Mr.. Thorpe for his labor of
love in preparing something that every
one has hungered for but never found
before.
By the aid of the book, the veriest
stranger can take the wheel of an
without asking a question of anyone,
sit in the drivers seat and be absolute
ly positive of every foot of his ground,
no matter in what direction he desires
to 60, whether to Pasadena, or to Santa
Barbara, or even to Mexico.
Scheme of the Book
The scheme of the book is best shown
on the page which explains how to use
the map. The driver is started down
black line and told to always drive
straight ahead, regardless of all cross
roads or angling forks, unless a picture
denotes the route" A few crisscross
lines then cross the black line, and you
are told that you should here cross a
railroad track or street car line; little
further along another arbitrary mark
indicates a bridge; then further on a
ford, and, in turn, a grade, and turn
ing at right angles of the black line,
where you are told there is r'either no
road or that any existing road going
in any direction is of no comparison
with the road you are travelling" in
dicating that you shall still keep on
the main used road; then some stipple
dots tell you of some sand alongside
the black line you are following, and
then a straight, heavy line crosses the
black line you are travelling, and you
know that you have gone one mile;
then the black line runs through a
large circle and you know that you
are passing through AZusa; you follow
the black line through Azusa, nothing
telling you to turn in any direction
than straight ahead, and you are as
sured you are on the straight road in
a moment by passing along some bad
curves in the road, which are indicated
by wriggling line that looks like a
snake near the black line; then the
black line takes you past a little square
picture, which proves to be an actual
photograph of a house which you see
from the drivers seat to be right
ahead of you, and an arrow on the
photograph says to pass this house 60
ing east; and thus you go from mark
to mark; an actual photograph appear
ing just at the right point in the road
to show you exactly, by a physical
landmark, just where you "are at"
so that you could not go wrong if you
wanted to.
Over Sixty Maps
There are sixty maps in all shown,
and these will be increased very rapid
| ly. Over thousand photographs have
been taken in person by Mr.. Thorpe
to work out these diagrams, and every
foot of the roads was travelled by him
to get the information. In addition,
surveyor always accompanied him.
and a check was then made against the
geological survey maps for perfect ac-
curacy. There is as much more in the
/ book as has already been explained
but enough has been said to prove that
| the book is marvel of conception, and
something which every state in the
Union Will undoubtedly adopt some day
Il