Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1912-05-05
CADILLACING THROUGH
THE WILDS OF MEXICO


TO all lovers OF the Cadillac. the car
in which the pathfinding expedition
was made, the story originally being
published IN The Motor Aage.
For the first time in my LIE
can realize how Balboa must have
felt when he reached the summit CT
the mountains which make the Pa
cific coast a little world OF its own
and beheld far in he distance OF the
waters OF the mighty Pacific.
| now can understand ;he thrill OF
Columbus when that cry Of Land
land, land" rang out on his vessel so
many years ago.
For almost . months have been
battling through country where the
motor car was unknown. Fer many /
days sat at the wheel Of my Cadll.
lac ard fought my way through :
land which from all appearances had
never been touched by a white man
before.
To me came the honor of driving
tho first motor car down the west
coast OF Mexico, from Los Angeles
TO the carital Of the sister republic.
And when | felt the wheels Of my
motor car roll onto the boulevard
which was to lead me into the heart
OF that Mexican city knew the feel
Ing OF victory OF the early explorer
who realized the completion OF an
hitherto considered impossible task.
When the trip was completed the
car had Travelled S,S47 miles. The
exact mileage from LOS Angeles to
the City Of Mexico, should judge.
is about 3,ln) miles. We we're fore
ed TO go many miles out of our way
and Il a direct route were built the
dis aHCe could be cut down to about
400 miles.
When the bells were ringing in the
New Year at | minute after mid.
night the Cadillac started on Its long
journey. Early New Years morning
we arrived at San Diego and were
greeted by the mayor and city off
cials. Our stop was brief and we
continued on. no stopping for rest
until over 500 miles had been cover
ed Our fiGht over the California
Arizona desert took US 10 phoe.
nix and after a brief step there we
travelled south to Tucson.
Crossing the BORDER.
We were up and away early. and
drove the car over a vedy sandy floor
10 Nogales. At Nogales IL seem
ed It would he necessary to turn
back. There were wild rumors fly
Ing about concerning the situation
in Mexico, and many people tri, d TO
make us dcsist from our purpose. Az
ter three days, against the advice OF
everybody, We decided to cross the
border, and jnst at dawn we found
ourselves in the land OF the Aztecs
BY the evening Of the same day we
were rolling peacefully into Hermo-
sillo. Here. where wild reports had
informed US that hostile populacc
would bar our Progress, we were re.
Ntlftu Win tue hlUuntSS
consideration. There was not a ma
tive in the town who did rot try tn
speed US on our way. We were CON-
fostably lodred, we'll fed and sen;
out on the road to the capital OF the
country chcered by the citizens.
From IIermosillo 10 Fnpalmc, In
the state o. Soaora. Is thirty miles.
and the road is most difficult. We
made, by the odometer. a distance OF
ninety-three miles that day to wend
our way into Fmpalme
We had TO hire an Indian TO d.
rect us ont OF the VILLAGE and from
there on PLUNGED down into tho
Yadui valley. The most alarming re-
ports about conditions we're still the
rule. And the Yaqui valley was not
exactly at peace There were pos
sibly 2,90O federal soldiers on our
right and the Lord only knows how
many In the hills on our left But
We Won our way through without
hurt
Marconed in MidStrcain. 4
Then came the most Irritating part
of the journey. At Navajo. in try
ing 70 cross a stream We we're ma
rooned IN the center OF the water
could not move MS: so We we're COM
PEELED 10 spend the night in tho car
in mldstream. with the tapping of wa
ter SURFING around the stripped car
AMI a thousand unknown dangers
lurking on the barely percentibl,
shore We ran into the nearest
the neyt morning, and removed
four gallons OF water from the en-
CINE.
II took MS five lays OF tho hardest
driving have ever known. and ! am
accustomed 20 easy work 10 70 from
Culiacan 20 Mazatlan The distance
by motor is approximately 200 miles
The road was completely washed out
at times. and when We casually In /
quired from native when any We
hicie had tried 70 negotiate Il in the
past. he said that In three years past
not even n wagon has essayed Il. II /
was horrible. There was tradition |
that some time In the remote past a |