The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1911-07-20
Ocean to Ocean Autoists Pass Thru CITY

to the waters edge. Mayor Stoy, of
Atlantic City, was the official starter.
At his word, and to the loud accompan-
iment of loud cheers and the blowing of
horns, the caravan set out on its Jour-
ney.
Unique in the annals of motoring,
the tour was conceived with the two
fold object of demonstrating the prac-
ticability of a cross-cOntinent trip by
the private owners of modern motor
cars and of lending effective aid to-
ward the perfection of the national
highway project.
All previous transcontinental motor
trips have been conducted with the pur-
pose of demonstrating the reliability
and endurance qualities of the cars.
Usually professional driver has been
at the steering wheel and the car has
had the expert attention of machani-
clans throughout the trip. Reports of
these tours have always contained ac-
counts of impossible roads and other
difficulties which the average motorist
would regard as insurmountable.
In this tour the conditions are revers-
ed. 1t is test of the ability of the
drivers, rather than of the cars, ard
the drivers are the owners them
selves, most of them being prominent
business men Of Philadelphia. This
phase of the tour is emphasized by the
the presence of the wives of the part
icipants, including four boys ranging
from IL to Ia years of age.
Of equal Importance is the other
purpose of the trip, the agitation for
the completion of the national highway
from coast to coast, The projectors of
the event contend that this trip will
disclose the fact that such roadway
is already virtually completed that
the stories of severe road conditions
are unnecessarily exaggerated, and that
the only requirement now necessary to
bring the national highway to state
of perfection is the hearty cooperation
of State executives. This the tourists
hope to aid in accomplishing this.
In anticipation of the growing popu-
larity of transcontinental "hikes''
which is expected to reach its height
previous to the Panama Exposition in
San Francisco in 1915, these million
aire tourists have chosen to spend a
seven weeks vacation in laying out an
ideal itineracy for motorist desirous of
initiating their example.
The entry into Indiana was auspici-
Gus. A party of Indianapolis autoists
met them at the State line and Sec
ond reception committee was encount-
cred after twenty-five miles. The
tourists were treated to a real thrill
when they were "held up" on the Ma
tional road at the State line, near
Richmond, at p. m. They were STOP
ped by man in slouch hat and high
boots who demanded $25 from each car
on the allegation that Indiana statutes
were being violated.
The "hold up ocurred at the head
of covered bridge, that was blocked
by mule hitched to buggy There
was sharp turn in the road, and in a
few moments all the tourists were at a
standstill. The "hold up" man in real.
ity was an actor, Bernard Randall,
from one of the indianapolis theaters
and his acting was never better. AT.
ter completely deceiving the autoists,
he read the following document from
Governor Marshall:
''To tho Ocean to- Ocean Tourists,
Greeting;
''The word 'Hoosier' is in reality
Who's Herc?' Indiana always enquir-
es at the State line, Who's Here I?
Whenever she finds anyone knocking
at her doors who simply wants to stay
with her or pass through her boundaries
she is always glad to welcome him.
But she is more than pleased when, in
marvellous age, anyone performs a
marvellous feat, whether of skill or en-
durance. She is glad to know that
your efforts in the line or skill and en-
durance unexampled in the history of
motoring has brought you within her
boundaries. She bids you welcome.
The ladies and children in the party
ere just as enthtiastic as the men
1t would have been impossible to have
learned from the talk or Appearance of
any of the tourista at the conclusion of
the run between Atlantic City and this
city that they were on strenuous
tour. The cars, too, showed no more
wear and tear than ORDINARILY would be
noted from trip of 100 miles.
The schedule allows forty-six days
for the tour. Sixteen days will be