Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-27
FOR BAD ROADS
THIS IS GOOD
ACCOUNT OF FAV0RITE Ell
MORES AND D0RRlS RUN
All of Which Bears Out The Herald's
Position That These awful
Roads" Are Not Really
"So Awful"

Two more cars entered in the great
desert road race from Los Angeles to
Phoenix made preliminary trips and
arrived in this city yesterday They
are the Elmore and the Dorris -Four
cars of the nine entered have now
come over the course on trial trips,
About o'clock yesterday the first of
the cars tore up to the Hotel Adams.
1t was the Elmore, driven by d. b.
alternately. Unlike the Buick and the
Franklin, representing the Pennsyl-
vania entry, the Elmore came over the
road in fast time. 1t was announced
that the running time was twenty
seven hours, which is shorter by three
hours than the record made last year
in the race by +. c. Fenner.
George Dake, who rode in the Elmore
with Andy Smith last year, said that
they came over the road at a much
faster pace than when they were
actually racing. At the same time he
admits that the roads are in fearful
condition-much worse than they were
then. Both Dake and Smith asserted
that the time this year would be low
cred way below the record. They spoke
of reaching Ehrenberg by dark of the
day of the race and getting into Phoe-
nix in twenty-five hours.
The Elmore attracted a great deal of
attention as it pounded up the street
yesterday afternoon. 1t made almost
as much noise as Hughie Hughes freak
machine he had here at last years
races. The car did not come directly
into the city on it's arrival, but drove
out to the fair grounds to try the track
first.
"I have never seen a better track"
said George Dake; '1t is good all the
way, and fast time may be expected.
1t is a little narrow for large num-
ber of cars, but do not suppose there
will be enough cars on the track at
any time to create a dangerous condi-
ton"
The Elmore left Los Angeles Thurs
day morning about o'clock. The
only other car which got into trouble
near Chuckawalla.
Ehrenberg was reached by the FL
more about noon Friday, and an hour
and a half was spent making the
ferry crossing. Friday night was
passed at Vicksburg. The entire jour
ney was made in daylight, so that
faster time than could naturally be
expected during the race was made.
The car was certainly in first class
shape when it reached Phoenix. A tire
blew out, but with this exception there
was no trouble of any kind experienced.
From Los Angeles to T1dio the car
Ehrenberg by Dake, and from there on
by Smith.
In regard to the roads, Dake said:
ION the Arizona side think the roads
are worse than last year. There are
many washouts along this route. From
Vicksburg to Winters Wells the roads
are particularly vile. On the other
side of the Colorado they are ABOUT
the same as last year, which means
that they could not be worse. Alto
gether, we had as fine trip as
have ever made, and you may say
that we expect to lead the procession.
The Gilmore is a 1910 model, 40
horsepower, four-cylinder and two
cycle engine. 1t will probably be the
only two-cycle engine in the race. 1t
will be shipped back to Los Angeles
today.
Closely following the Elmore came
the Doris with William Bosbyshell
and r. w. Harrsen. They were few
hours later, though they camped out
with the Elmore men at Chuckawalla
Springs Thursday night. They arrived
about o'clock.
William Bosbyshell is the president
of the osbyshell-Carpenter company
of Los Angeles, state agents for the
Doris He will drive the car in the
race from Los Angeles as far as the
river and Harrsen will drive the rest
Of the way
The Doris. car started Wednesday
night at p. m. and made san Ber-
nardino, where the rest of the night
was passed. The next night they
camped on the desert, and Friday was
spent at Quartzsite. They ran IN
easily from that town yesterday.
Neither Bosbyshell nor Harrsen has
ever been over the road before. Wnen
he was asked what he thought or the
course, Harrsen said; -
at have driven over most of the I'M
portant roads of the west. ] might
say I have been all over the blooming
country and yet I never saw sucii
roads as these. We were entirely un-
prepared for what we ran UP against
We had heard all sorts Of stories, but
lust guessed that they were somewhat
exaggerated. could not believe them
true, but do now.
"Just look at our car. 1t is covered
with mud. Down in the Salton sea
district we were running along IN saho
at a lively rate and suddenly near the
tracks we run into a mudhole. The
front axle was covered and the car
sank in the mud at the rear over the
axle. We were tied up and had 10
solicit the assistance of gang OF
section men on the railroad TO get US
out Had we known the road IL Would
not nave ndppeHeu. otllit NS NiN
well and got through in about thirty
hours running time. We had no can
vas to stretch over the sand, and
brought nothing but a small kit of tools
with us. There is sand on the road that
runs as high as the springs. 1t is
the one road where shovels are a neces-
sarv adjunct of automobiling.
The Doris car is built for endurance
and looks the part 1t is on the
strength of the materials that Bosoy--
shell relies for victory in the great road
race. His forecast of the result was as
follows:
at think victory will hover over three
cars along the greater part Of the
route. They will be the Franklin, Penn
sylvania and Doris Mention the Dor
ris last; but you know the last shall be
first. If I did not think I was going 70
win this race I would not have entered.
MY most formidable rivals are the two
cars mentioned"
The Doris is a 30-horse power four
cylinder car. Harrsen said, rather
sadly, it could only go about sixty
miles an hour. This rate, however for
a road course or a long-distance track
event should be ample.
The Doris is an uncertainty in the
race. IT has been entered in few rae
- OF 10 MI r.