The San Francisco call., 1909-02-09

| Ihe double century midwinter mud
splashing run of the Automobile Deal
efS association around San Francisco
bay Sunday was the chief topic along
automobile row yesterday. 1t was
thought that the time limit set by the
runs and tours committee of the asso-
citation was too liberal, which the con-
test proved to be the case. These things,
however, can not be known until there
is something to judge by. Now that the
mfdwinter run has taken place under
especially hard conditions it will be
easy hereafter to know just what to do.
1t is a pity that every owner of an
automobile and every one interested in
the motor car could not have been along
to see for themselves what the cars of
today contended with. No words can
describe the hub deep mud that the
autos were forced through in San Mateo
county and at Mayfield. The way they
plowed through was revelation to the
expert. Under ordinary circumstances
| an owner of car would not send his
vehicle over such road. He would look
for roundabout way to reach his deS-
tination, but this was a contest over a
given course, and all those entered
Were dealers looking TO the reputation
of their cars it was case of ''go to it,
and they did. That every one got
through shows how good the cars of
1909 are. There is no question that if
the contest had been held two years ago
there would have been many who would
have ended their run before they had
reached Tanforan
FRANE<LIN'S FAST TIME
1t is interesting to note the elapsed
times the cars made on the different
legs of the course. The fastest time
from San Francisco to San Jose was
made by the Franklin, which went
down in hours II minutes. The fast
ar%& ~
land was made by the big Buick. which
covered the distance in 1 hour 80 min
utes. In returning the fastest time
from Oakland was made by the Mitch
ell touring car and the Studebaker
EMF, which covered the distance in
l hour % minutes each.
On the run up to the city from San
Jose the Buick, driven by Carl Chris
tensen, went the distance in 8
hours % minutes. On the return
from Oakland the roads We're many de-
grees better than when the cars went
over them in the morning. The sun
and the wind dried up the surface rain.
and made it possible for the cars to
hold the roads better. They did not
slip and skid as they did in the morn
ing.
j. Taking the four fastest times into
consideration, it will be seen that it
/ was possible to cover the course in
hours 33 minutes, being at the rate
of minutes "a seconds mile or at
the rate of 1888 miles an hour.
This was about five miles an hour
!, faster than the scheduled time 1t is
interesting to note the opinions of the
different drivers in the contest
MOST INSTRUCTIVE RUN
J. H. Eagal. manager Of the automo-
bile department of Studebaker Brothers
company of California, said yesterday:
1T was one of the most instructive
runs that l have ever taken part in.
1t was hard, no matter what any one
can say of it, The fact that all the
cars practically came through with
perfect score does not mean that it
was easy by any means. 1t would have
been possible for any of the best cars
in the contest to have fallen down 1t
is runs of this order that prove the
worth of the modern motor car
a. u. Hunter, a member of the runs
and tours committee and one of the
firm of Osen &, Hunter. said that one
of the best things of the contest was
the fact that it was held in the worst
kind of weather ever experienced in
California. 1t was a good test and one
that only cars of this year could have
made as successfully as they did
Charles S. Howard. chairman Of the
runs and tours committee said: s'It
was by far the most successful event
that the dealers ever held. 1t was good.
hard work to take. the cars through
What we want are more contests of
this kind Our next event should be
a rendezvous at some of the pleasant
spots. when all owners should be in
vited. 1t should not be a time limit
contest, but just an informal run Ii
would then give the owners and their
friends a chance to Judge for them
selves what the motor car can do
HAD HEAVY GOING
Don C. McCord of the Willy Overland
company said: From what have
heard this morning from our Mr. Fow-
ler who drove in the contest, | thinl,
that nothing better has been held in
the state. From his description they
must have had some very heavy going
Norman de Vaux of the Auburn
motor car company. who drove the
Auburn car, said yesterday when he
viewed his car and his wraps: II
think we were a lot of Indians 1t
will take a week to flush away all the
mud that we gathered in the run Now
if any one had offered us money to
have driven the way we did / doubt if
there would have been starter En-
thusiasm is a great thing"
w. M. Gibson, local manager of the
Fisk rubber company, said: "The most
surprising thing to me was that there
was not more tire trouble reported.
This is the hardest time of the year
on tires. Most of the cars at some
time in the run carry chains, which are
death to tires. Then at this time of
the year the rain has washed the roads
clean, so that they are filled with
ragged stones that put many an auto
mobile along the side of the roads while
the tires are repaired. 1t proved con-
clusively that the tires of today are
the best that have ever been made"
III. l.. Pelton. local manager of the
Auto vehicle company. said: 1T was a
lgreat boost for the alltnnanhila aud II