The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-04-28
SCOUTS PLON WAY
THROUGH RED CLAY
Washington Post Pathfinding
Car Reaches Richmond az
Hours Behind Schedule.

With 500 pounds of Virginia red clay
clinging to the AmpleX car, and with
clothing saturated with the same sub
stance, the pathhnders for the wash
irgton Post touring test run. rolled
into Richmond at noon yesterday.
forty-two hours behind scheduled
time. When they left Stanton at .
o'clock Monday morning they antici-
pated arriving here about or s o'clocle
that evening, but road conditions In
Fluvanna and Goochland counties dis
PEELED all such hopes. The powerful
motor and excellent driving and guild
ing of H. NJ Magic. of Waynesborv,
secured first rate passage of Rock
Fish Gap. Mr.. Magic is member OF
the joint road commission OF Augusta.
Albemarle and Nelson counties. which
is building a new road across the Gap.
He assured the pathtinders that as
cent of the mountain would be put In
good condition for the contestants or
the touring test run when they made
the crossing on May %. Fast time
and good roads We're encountered as
far as Charlottesville,
After this point was left the troubles.
began. First heavy rainstorm set In
and the first or the red clay was
reached. Homer, who was driving,
brought the car into low gear and kept
IL there for twenty miles. All along
the route from Charlottesville to the
state farm, which is about twenty
i've miles from Richmond, it was en-
tirelv low gear work. After the trst
rain several days ago the split log
urag was put on the roads heaping
foot of loose dirt on the crown, ana
1t was in this flexible mass the car
had to run. Slipping and sliding
through what was worse than quick
sand 1t made It's way slowly onward,
and when several miles east OF SCOTS
Vile. on what is known as drivers
NH the car got out of the drivers
control and landed in the ditch. one
hours work with block and tacAic
entricated II from that position. It
was then nearly dark and all hopes
OF reaching Richmond Monday night
was given up After three hours hard
driving, through q scarcely populated
country a light, the first for many
miles, was sighted. 1t was a lonely
store ten miles from a railroad ana
no telegraph office nearer than RAch-
mond from which messages could pc
sent at night. A good supper follow
cd by a comfortable feather bed, was
Ito be had, however. so the weary, ram
soaked and mud-bespattered path
finders decided to put up for the night.
After attempting to start Tuesday
morning 1t was discovered that low
speed work of the day before had con-
suned ell Of the gasolene a full
| tank had been secured in Charlottes-
| VILE, where it was stated that case
| lene was to be had at all towns along
! the road. Such, however. proved not
to be the case After driving around
the country nearly all day Tuesday,
seven gallons only was found. With
| this meagre supply a start was made
trusting to get into Richmond before
| nightrall At (ioochland Courthouse,
| which was reached at II o'clock that
! night, tho motor gave three gasps and
! died. Fortunately hot meal and bed
was again found. Arising early yes
| terday morning team was procured.
and driving to the State Farm, five
miles away a supply of the necessary
fluid was purchased. One hour after
the start Yesterday morning the red
CLAW was left behind. and for twenty
| miles into Richmond It was plain SAIL
| Ing.
There is nothing but praise Of the
highest order for the car and driver.
| With the front wheels slipping and
| sliding and the rear wheels sklddinS
from side to side, Homer had all he
| could do to keep the car IN the road
az times. Through soft. sticky clay
roads on first speed, With the front
axle scraping the roadbed and the
| wheels down to the hub, the '.Rain-
crow" made the run with a thousand
pounds of extra weight. and only once,
| when the block and tackle was re-
sorted to, did she have to use other
A than her own power to cover the 291