Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1914-10-01
MOTORS AND

David L. Mccoy OF South Cedar
has purchased a Maxwell touring
a Of p. G. Redman.
p. L. Gebhart and daughter. Miss
Florence, stopped here for dinner,
They were motoring home from Clay
Center in their studebaker.
A letter from Mr.. and Mrs. u. @.
Freeman, who formerly lived here,
telling of an automobile trip they
made In California. where they now
reside. is of much interest. Mr..
Freeman is a son OF w. H. Free
man, living west Of Abilene. The
letter, in part, follows;
Four of us left Sacramento and
went to the gold-dredging town OF
oroyille, about 90 miles. There we
saw many gold dredging machines
at work. When this ground is all
mined out it is leveled off and
orange groves are planted. Passing
through many little towns we came
To Bidwel Bar. There is a suspen-
sion bridge over the Feather river
at this point. 1t was built in 1907
and was the first bridge Of the kind
built in California. Leaving here we
went about As miles further, stop
ping over night at a mountain Jaw
ern called Merrimac. We started the
morning for the high grades.
The grades are very steep and there
is Just room enough for one a so
IL you meet another a you have
To back down until you find a place
wide enough to pass. All along the
road Is marked with the letter +,
meaning Feather river road. Next
we came to the government forest
The trees are very pretty
and somewhat larger than the cot
tonwood in Kansas. We saw some
that were 200 feet high and ten to
feet in diameter. The next
town of Importance that WI came to
was Quincy, having a population OF
1000. We got a lunch and gasoline,
soc a gallon for gas. From
here we went along the Western
Pacific to Portola, a railroad divi-
sion of the Western Pacific. we
on up over the mountains,
down through pretty valleys to Beck
with and from there 26 miles
through the Sierra valley to Camp
BELLS Hot Springs. We saw the hot
springs, the water coming r
them at 112 degrees. Leaving the
springs next morning at 9 o'clock we
through Hobart Mills, thirty
miles from the springs. The roads
are fine, being oiled and rolled. The
is table land. Reached
Truckee at 1880, and drove along
the Truckee river for 25 miles and
got to Tahoe City in time for din
ner. After dinner we went fishing
TO show folks we were game sports
men. We got a fine mess of trout.
We spent a couple of days at the
driving around the Emerald
bay. The lake is sixty miles around.
A steamer makes the trip every day.
The road around the lake is new and
very steep grades. One must have o
good car. We had a Maxwell 3d.
1912. 1t made the trip fine without
sven a puncture. We think perhaps
/ Buick might make the trip. We
Jaw many Fords. Tin Lizzies they
call them here. Many carr were
struck but the Ford goes by. All
hey need is plenty of water.
Leaving the lake we came back
Truckee, then down past Bonner
AXE. This was named after a party
hat anne to California in early
lays, and they all froze to death but
one man. From here on the grade
IS very steep. One must drive care
FULLY and have good brakes. One
las to go down hill in low gear in
places for safety and the brake
irums are burned blue. At the sum-
nit they have a team of horses to
pull machines through the snow
,hed crossing. We made it without
lelp but took three pulls at 1t. This
crossing is to be eliminated by plac-
ng a subway under the railroad.
After leaving the summit you
Wind back and forth through the
shads making dangerous cross