El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-09-26
NEEDLES ROAD
IS NOT EASY
Pathfinders for Los Angeles
to Phoenix Race Find
Some Bad Stretches.

II Is not all peaches and cream on
the proposed Los Angeles to Phoenix
race route by way Of Needles. Re
ports TO the Los Angeles papers from
their correspondents who accompanied
the pathfinding cars say that some
rough road and some very hot country
We're encountered Says the CORES
pondent Of the Los Angeles Tribune:
The car made a splendid run from
Los Angeles. Leaving at o'clock
Wednesday morning the car, driven by
Louis Nikrent. veteran Of every Phoe-
nix race run so far, was escorted TO the
top of CajOn pass by the Los Angeles
road race committee. There the path
finders were hidden farewell and the
dash across the desert began in earn
est
1T was late in the afternoon when
the car pulled uD at the hotel in Bars
tow. where the first nights stop was
scheduled The run from Calon 10
Barstow was made at a fast clip, but
several stops were made Tor road IN
spection and pictures
Some Of the roads encountered were
poor The CajOu pass road VIII ne one
Of the most dangerous stretches on the
road. should the race go by way OF the
Needles route The road Is narrow ana
there are some bad turns
"On one stretch Of road across the
desert q washout had dug away a
portion OF the road. leaving a big gully
filled with deep sand.
Needles was reached on the after
noon Of the second day, the car roll
ing in from the desert and up 10 the
edge of the Colorado river at O'Clock
Thursday afternoon
Here an enthusiastic reception was
given the. 91arrv. and the Needles boost
ers' committee Informed Ar- Shelter,
chairman of the Los Angeles race com
1ufttee. that a purse had already been
raised should the race come by way Of
Needles. Five hundred dollars has
been pledged for the first driver 10
reach Needles
The stop at Needles was necessarily
short, as KinEman was selected as me
Thursday, and in short time they
were across the Colorado river and had
entered the Arizona desert
The reception at Kingman was as
enthusiastic as that at Needles A
1arra committee Of boosters met them
md told them that Kingman would DO
its share should that city be included
in the route for the 1914 desert classic
Early Friday morning the car was
AGAIN on its way Here the first really
hot weather was encountered Thurs
dav had been fairly warm. but Friday
was a scOrcher- The tires had been in
f1ated to 2 fairly high pressure, and
soon the heat Of the road made II nee
essarv TO let out some Of the air IN or
der TO keep the pressure normal
When a short stop was made at Peace
SPRINGS the tires were so hot II was
almost impossible to touch them
AT SeIigman the Needles-Wilhans
road was left and the Prescott trail
taken. Prescott was the Friday night
control. and here the party met with
the same enthusiastic reception that
had been encountered at the earlier
stops Prescott is enthusiastic over the
prospects Of the Phoenix race by way
Of that CITY and is ready 10 do every
thfne- in its power to boost the trip
After q refreshing nights sleep the
car and its crew Of pioneers were on
the way 10 Phoenix
The important announcement may
be expected any day as TO the official
course. The object Of 8Ir. Shelter this
year is to select a course that viii be
permanent. The race in the past has
been run over four routes, ranging in