The Washington times., 1911-03-28
Return From Gettysburg
Made Through Rain and
Hail Storm.
CLOVER LEAF RUN
TOBE MEMORABLE
Clarence Bernard Tells How Auto
mobile Event of May Will
Be Made.
b. HARRY WARD.

BELIEVE me, pathfnding is business,
not 2 pleasure"
Clarence Barnard gave utterance to
this sentiment last night as he left the
wheel Of the big standardization touring
car after taking the trail blazers over the
route of the first days run Of the Auto
mobile Club of Washingtons Four-leaf (
Glove. Tour, to be held May Is. Is, Il,
and IS The route laid out yesterday
was via Rockville, Gaithersburg. Fred
erick, and Emmitsburg, to Gettysburg,
where a noon control was established
and where the contestants will be per-
mitted to take on gasolcne and water
without lncurring penalty, and return
by way of Littlestown, Pa: Westmin-
stgr, Cooksville, and Olney.
Inc Instance Is approximately 100
miles, and will make a delightful run
when the roads are in hetter shape.
Route Is Historic
The whole route of the first DAYS run
is through a section of the country rich
in/historical interest The Monocacy
and Gettysburg baRlefields are passed,
and there are imposing statues along
the route in memory OF those who, fell
in battle during the civil war.
The outward trip of the pathfinders
was marked by roads that ranged from
good. bad. TO Indifferent. Between
Washington and Gaithersburg there is a
fine pike while the next ten miles. be-
tween the latter point and Hyattstown
is over clay road that is extremely
heavy in wet weather. From there on
TO Emmittsburg, about thrty-four miles,
is white limestone pike that is CON
sldered one of the best constructed roads
IN this country. 1t is dotted with toll
gates, but, according to reliable author
ity, these will be abolished early in
April The last few miles into Gettys-
burg are marked by poor road.
The pathtinderS had their work cut out
for them on the return trip. The God
dard-Dayt yton car fought the road for
mile after mile, and the Consummate
skill with which Clarence Barnard han
died his machine won him the admira-
ton of the scouting. party.
0vertaken by Rain.
To add 10 the troubles ,f the party
q heavy rain and hail overlook them in
the afternoon. Despite the heavy roads
the car had no trouble in maintaining
an average speed of twenty miles an
hour, although many times the mud was
up to the hub caps.
While in Gettysburg the scouts were
met by ". c. MCCammon, of the newly
formed Gettysburg Automobile Club,
who assured the tourists a warm wei
little town on May 10. Permission to
park tie cars in the city square was
given by the town authorities.
The work Of blazing the route for the
second DAYS run will he resumed next
Monday, when the pathfnders will jour-
ncy to York, Pa, and return.
The United States Motor Company is
planning an aggressive campaign of its
product in Cuba. To that end Edward
SY,a Of no
OF the largest automobile importing con-
Germs in Cuba, departed this week Cor
the island after completing plans with
the United Motors Company.
In Cuba there are but two classes Of
people" said Mr.. Desvernine, the
wealthy man and the man who hasn t
a cent. We have no middle class, and
for this reason the demand seems to
favor the larger and more powerful
cars for pleasure purposes, although
the people are beginning to see how
they can save money by using smaller,
economical cars. either partly or en-
tirely, for business purposes.
Mr.. DesveTnine says there is still a
strong prejudice against anything
American, but the buyers in Latin coun-
tries are broad enough to buy American
goods when they are superior % those
Of European countries. For this rea-
son the American car Is getting strong
foothold in Cuba.
Armed with important information
about motor car sales conditions In every
nook and corner Of the country, gath
cred in a fifteen thousand mile round
the-continent trip, George M. Berry, as
sistant general manager of the Rambler
automobile factory, has returned 10
kenosha. On this trip he visited Such
widely separated points as Dallas, Los
Angeles and Boston. He now has a. his
fingers ends accurate knowledge OF
sales prospects in every territory from
Florida to Vancouver and from Mexico
to Maine.
Everywhere I have gone the demand
IS for the better class of cars, said Mr..
Berry. Cheaper cars are gradually be
ing replaced by those costing more and
giving better service. The One-year car
or low value car is rapidly being re-
placed ven on the farms of the Middle
West. In California the average price
paid is constantly increasing and there
She business is exceptionally good. In
the Southwest the average is going up,
while in the Northwest, where. $500 900
worth Of Rambler cars were sold last
wear, the buyers are rapidly being edu-
Gated 10 the value of quality and SER
vice City neOple and farm owners
alike have become wise TO the autOmo-
bile situation and are buying on the
basis of quality, not on the basis of
price"
new Firestone automobile tire serv.
ice depot has been opened in this city
hv George Meeley, peculiarly known as
the tire man" II is located at 173t
Fourteenth street, and not only is full
line Of Firestone tires of all sizes car.
ried in stock, but Mr. Meeley operates
fully equipped repair shop for tire
work His new depot is rapidly becom
ing one of the best known tire concerns
IN Washington.