The Detroit times., 1910-06-27
GL|DOEN|TEs spin
BY COTTON FIELD
They Hit Toll Gates, Log Roads,
Sand and Have Great Tine Down
In Dixie Land.

CALLAS. Tex. June 25.-(Enroute.)
humping the bumps through Ken.
lucky was a strenuous pastime. climb.
Ing hills In Tennessee didn't tend ID
give-a eRAui-whateseF- that is-=rid.
ing the swamps In Alabama and Mis-
sissippi was fairly exciting spor..
but, believe me. the run from Texar'
kama to this place with the merry
Gliddeniies was RICH. up TO scratch
when 1t comes to being difiicult.
Not that the roads were bad. oh,
no. Scientists tell us that a man can
accustou himself 10 almost anything.
and the merry Gliddenites do not fear
baG roads after their experiences east
Of the Mississippi river. But the heat
was right On the job, and when you
mix heat with sand you get results
which are fairly discomforting TO the
innocent stranger who lad 1t all ng'
ured out that Glidden tour was one
long, pleasant Joy ride.
We missed one thing In Texas o:
which va had plenty on the other
side Of the river. and that Is toll gates
On one run In Kentucky and Tennes
see We hit II gates. The keepers very
beneft OF the tourists-that Is, all but
one old man down lear the Alabama
3orier line in Tennessee.
This old fellow was a confederate
veteran and he was rugged out In tho
old gray suit which the vets of the
Stars and Bars wear. He also had q
bunch OF badges pinned onto his coat
front, end he kept his gate raised fol-
the benefit Of the drivers. We went
| through the gate at something like Al
miles al hour. and ;ie old tollkeepeI
end the members OF his family linet
up on the porch Of ,heir little home
end saluted us with a rebel yell which
wos robust 10 say the least. | wantes
to STOP and thank the old chap. bu
the Infeeling driver Il our car. Clar
ence, pointed out that we had some
miles 10 go before We hit the night
control and supper. and re was In d
hurry &c get there.
Crossing over Arkansas was a pic
mic. II you don't care what you say
Read building in Arkansas Is a los
art in the communities through whic.
Dali Lewis. official pathfinder. routed
his unfortunate subjects. They are
strong on log roads down in the ole
south. and the roads stood the ties
better than the automobiles.
From Texarkana 10 Dallas was the
longest run the Gliddenires will make
and the roads were ali right. But be
tween the sun and the sand ever,
man In the tour was ready 10 hit tn
feathers when we pulled into this
town. our night control. All the wa!
from Cincinnati down 10 Memphis
some Of the boys had been talkin.
about the cotton fields OF Texas. True
they wouldn't know cotton from TO
bacco, but they once heard son;
abe ut the beautiful cotton fields. AM
they are strong on the beauty thing.
| We saw more cotton coming int
| this town than would be needed =
keep the Manchester mills busy for
year. but the beauty part wasn't there
Cotton In its undrcssed state on III,
stalk or bush. or whatever II Is
grows on. Is a dirty brown, anythinI
but beautiful, and then, anyway, whel
you are engaging In a mad dash acros
country you don't have much tim
to pull up by the roadside and admir-
nature.
l " CdVc vi Sct out anu uuctic
taking time out only for repairs; an
the gentle sport Of fording a stream
or plugging through a swamp Is abou
the best Won get Ford!ng streams !
circus for the men on the front sea
Of the car, as they don't get the bens
1T OF the splash. But the lads In tn
back seat get it-they dent miss any
thing. believe me. and ! know, havin
been riding In the rear seat.
Next year the Glidden tour path
finder will start abou: one month b
fore the date Of the tour. This
practically certain. Tho roads encour
tered on this years trip have bee
terrible, but Dai Lewis, when he cam
through months ago. took a chancs
believing the roads would be bette
in the summer time. They are no
n anything. they are worse, but W
haven't had any high water to bottle
rs