Arizona republican., 1914-09-20
TRAIL BLAZERS
 LAY COURSE 0F
 DESERT GRIND
Chairman Shettler Lines Up Cities of California and Northern Arizona to Con- tribute to Purse of Los Angeles-PhOeniX Race

Alter batting over bS miles or desert and mountain highway, the Western Automobile Association pathfinder arrived in this city late yesterday afternoon. The car was driven by Louis Nikrent, winner of 1 the second annual Los Angeles to Phoenix race and contender in the last four desert races.
 Leon T. Shettler, chairman of the racing committee of the w. A. A. was in charge of the pathfinder. Al lG. Waddell, automobile editor for 1 the Times and Chas. H. Branaman. iautOmobile editor for the Los Ange- 1 les Examiner also made the trip l from the northern city.
 i The crew of the pathfinder report 1 ed great enthusiasm along the route. Each town in southern California and and contribute to the purse The northern route is in good condition l for almost the entire distance but it lis claimed by local race enthusiasts that it is too long for the drivers. 1 It would be necessary to run the race in three laps with two night controls. Needles will in all prob ability get the first night control, the second layover probably going to Prescott. Each of these northern Arizona cities has promised to con- tribute $500 to the purse which would offset the 5000 which was to have come from San Diego, had the race been run through that city. San Bernardino refused to take hold of the race project and it was necessary to take steps to line up additional money in Arizona to cover that city's contribution and another $500 to take the place of the $500 which has always come from the boosters at Yuma.
 There is considerable sentiment in flavor of the southern route being displayed here but there' are many Phoenix people who are willing to have the northern towns share in the great race this season.
 Chairman Shettler and the Exam liner automobile editor left for Los Angeles last night. Waddell and Nj krent remained over to spend a short time visiting with friends here while the Paige car driven across the des- ert is prepared for a record run back Ito Los Angeles.
 Route no Boulevard
 The northern route is not Boule- yard by any means. The condition of Nikrent's cars at the finish yester- day showed that there was both sand and mud encountered on the run. Nikrent said that the bOulevards from Los Angeles to San Bernardino are in excellent condition and there by the racers on the first sixty miles of the desert run.
 Through the Cajon pass the road iweaves through the canyon and is dangerous on account of the narrow
 stretches along the hill sides.
 From the summit of the Cajon to
 Victorville the roads are well con-
 ditioned and as far as Barstow the
 pathfinders made an average of al-
 most thirty-five miles an hour
 From Barstow to Needles the roads are diSo SOOu dCCOTulIS tO tHe mem
 bers of the pathfinding party al-
 though there are one or two short
 stretches where the sand is almost as
 deep as in the Mammoth Wash on
 the southern route. From Needles } into Kingman the roads are generally
 good, but there are several bad
 stretches.
 Out of Kingman as far as Peach Springs the roads are well shaped
 up but from Peach Springs to Nel-
 sons is the worst part of the entire
 trip. There are deep ruts and higf
 centers which kept the driver guess.
 ing with his heavy touring car.
 Thss side of Seligman the road: are reported fair over the cutoff tC
 Prescott although there are practi
 cally no signs and the pilot of the Paige pathfinder found great diff. culty in getting into the northern metropolis.
 The scenic part of the drive wa. over the pass between Prescott ant
 Hillside. From Hillside into Wick j. enburg the course was rough II !, spots but generally in good condition owing to a rain which had dropped the dust the day previous.
 ; The poor roads between Wicken
 burg and this city were roasted, bu
 Nikrent made good time, averaging
 more than twenty miles an hour fo E (Contlnued on Page Eight)