The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1913-10-21
CORPSE ACROSS CONTINENT
,rrO HEARSE WITH BODY ENDS
COAST TO COAST JOURNEY.
,,,..n,s Remains Are Buried After
rorty Days Trip Over Mountain,
Desert and Plain.

NEW YORK. The body of Mich |
al Moran, former New York and
o.n francisco automobile salesman,
2''- across the continent in a
,rroe-ton motor hearse, has arrived
~ New York, and has been buried in
!rrood1avn cemetery, at the end of its
forty days journey over 4,oOO miles
- mountain desert and plain.
leaving Peekskill shortly after z
g.. tho morning the big hearse was
mot at Yonkers by a car of the Frank
y campbell Co., undertakers, and
asoorted down Broadway to the COM
ooDv's rooms, where the funeral SER
vices were held.
The hearse, a large white car, was
ariyan throughout the trip by w. A.
Peck. San Francisco agent for the
oor manufacturers and an intimate
ta;ond of Moran. Besides Peck the
1,aorso carried R. H. Hambley, a San
niooo Cal, undertaken and B. F.
1rovo a mechanic. They left San
ITrancisco on August %, having the
bodv Of Moran inclosed in travelling
box, a supply of bedding, cooking
utensils, food and gasoline.
Hard Going in Utah Desert.
The hardest part of the trip was
encountered, Peck said, in crossing
tho desert region of Nevada and
Trtab On one day in the Salt Lake
desert they consumed thirteen hours
in covering sixteen miles. On an
other occasion it cost them three
borrs' work to get through can
Won two and one-half miles long.
Three successive nights, in Skull
Valley. Utah, they had to sleep in
tho hearse beside the coffin, with no
other human being in 100 miles OF
them.
Once the eastern slope of the
Rockies was passed, however, the go
inc was much easier, and in Nebras-
Ia the record days run of 316 miles
in eleven hours was accomplished.
East of the Mississippi the party
encountered some trouble and delay,
owing to the fact that they came
inst in the wake of recent heavy
rains. and found frequent washOuts
and Ouagmires in the roads. But
for these. Mr.. Peck said, the trip
would have been over much sooner.
In spite of all obstacles the trip
was made without a single serious
mishap. Although the car with its
load and equipment, on leaving San
Franciso. weighed $3.50 pounds,
only eight new tires were needed on
the entire trip, and one tire that had
been on in leaving San Francisco was
still in place and standing up well
on the arrival in New York.
Knew Him Six Years.
Peck explained the manner in
which the idea of the trip was born
in Morans brain not long before his
death.
Il had known Moran about six
years. he said. eve were not only
business associates, but close friends.
He was alone in the world, his wife
having died five years ago. He knew
that he had not long to live, and
one day he said to me, I want you
to see to sending my body back to
New York
All right said I, I'll take you
East in one of our motor hearses.
He spoke of the same thing again
several times and l always made the
same answer, to humor him, not ex-
pecting him to remember it. But
when he died l found he had left me
1000 on condition that | carry out
his wishes.
He was always an automobile en-
thusiast-not only sold them, but
fairly lived in one the last few years
Of his life, and l suppose that was
why this idea of the last ride appeal
ed to him
Peck stayed only long enough for
the funeral before making arrange
ments to have the hearse shipped
and to take the train back to San
Francisco.