Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-03-11
After Feat, Takes Train With
Bride, While Friend in
Auto Is Killed.
HAD FINISHED I5,S7O-FOOT
CLIMB AND WERE NEAR LIMA
Blair L. Sackett's Adventures
Would Make Quick-selIer
Romance Look Tame.

Word has just come to Newark that
Blair L. Sackett, a graduate of New
ark Academy, '05. is one of the first
two men to have traversed the Andes
mountain range of South America In
an automobile The other OF the two
men was his best friend. Charles Shell
by, who was killed in the same auto
mobile after all the dangers of 1900
foot mountain peaks had been sur
mounted, when his machine hurtled
into Lima at the end of the daring
expedition.
Young Mr.. Sackett and his bride.
whom he had married romantically
only few months before in the North
west. escaped Shelby's tragic fate be-
cause they were following the iil-fated
machine In a train on the tracks be-
hind.
No End of Adventure.
Young Sackett's career since he left
Newark is about as snappy piece of
adventure as most of the most cogent
"quick-sellers' can provide.
He is the son of Clarence Sackett, the
lawyer, but he liked rocks and cliffs
much better than his fathers Black
stone and the Reports and SO. he
had no sooner got the diploma from the
academy than he went out to Denver
studying engineering in the famous
school of mines.
After his graduation there he found
a big mining man in the Northwest
who liked his looks and took him on
as assistant superintendent, and then
Mr.. Hodges daughter came around and
she liked Mr.. Sackett's looks and go
did he like hers.
They were married, and after Mr..
Hodges found out about 1t he said he
was glad and took young Mr.. Sackett
down to the Peruvian mountains with
him, where he had just been appointed
superintendent of the famous Cerro de
Pasco Mining Company at La Fun
dicion.
He gave Blair Sackett the job of en-
gineer, and that was sufficiently ro-
mantle job for a newly-married man.
because II used to be these same mines
and these same mountains that gave
forth the gold Of the Incas, and are
now giving forth gold again after many
hundred years.
In 60-Horsepower Auto.
The trip ross the Andes was de-
cided up. as soon as Shelby met
young Sackett, for they were friends
at first sight Shelby had been many
years general agent for James ]. Hills
Northwestern railroad system. He had
a 60-horsepower machine, and he be-
lieved 1t could climb that Andes range
and run down its precipices all the
way from the mines to Lima Mr..
Sackett says they reached a heighth of
1880 feet, following the railroad track,
while the ladies still rode in the car.
Then came the slide down precipituous
slopes, for one fell a distance of 143
miles. The two men, with a Peruvian,
chauffeur aid guide, did 1t with all
brakes set. but they did 1t, and it was
only after accomplishing the unprece-
dented feat that Shelby's auto ran off
the tracks. killed him and badly in
tured three others who were riding
with him on a level stretch of road
fair on the way to Lima.
Mr.. Sackett, travelling for the time
with his wife In the train behind,
picked up his friends body and took
It to the capital, whence 1t was sent
home here for burial.