Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1915-07-30
Trip to- the Fair BY Auto

shortest, as one can see by the blue
book. We left the hotel fresh in the
morning with plenty of oil, gas, and
a lunch. There was no trouble get
ting water. 1t is everywhere, right
off Mt. Shasta. It was about three
i miles beyond where we left the Will
4 liams ranch to where the road forked
4 to Kennett or Baird. Before we
reached this place we met two ma
chimes and were told by all means
to go the other way, as they would
4 not go that way for any money; that
/ they would ship back from Dunsmuir
| So when we reached the turn we
headed toward Baird. 1t was only
mile or, so from here to where We
struck the TN mile grade, but we
kept going. My thoughts were all the
time some Reo." At 10 we turned
on to a 6-mule team, the hind wheel
in little dry ravine and the front
wheel down against a big oak. His
brake had broken; and he had slid
off the grade. There was no earthly
show for us to pass. I backed down
the mountain to where he would pass
if he could get his wagon back on the
grade. The driver unloaded about
half his load, and 7 carried rock and
built up under the wheels that were
off (some hot, If anybody should ask
you). He got the mules one at time
back of the wagon and hitched on,
| and I took the tongue and steered 1t
back into the road. Then he got the
team in front and drove down to load
on what he had thrown off. While
he was doing this Anna and / went
down to the machine and ate our
lunch. At little after ~ he went by
and we started on up the " mile
grade 1926 per cent Ono dogs ran
out to bark from the time we turned
on to the Baird road-the six mules
and driver were all the live stock we
saw until we got to Pit river ferry.
We stopped on the railroad crossing
and walked down to the ferry to get
the man to bring it across for us.
When he got there and found us in
an automobile he was surprised, and
said, chow did you ever get here?
This is the first auto I have seen for
a long time" He made the best
landing he could for us and when l.
struck it with the front wheels I hung
up the hind wheels spinning around
| in the sand. 1 could neither back or
go ahead This I tried two or three
times, but when he and Anna got on
to the back part of the machine
made it. But he said the worst was
vet to come. The wind was blowing
so he could hardly make any kind OF
a landing on the other side, but when
he did make it there was nothing to
it-Reo just went right ahead.
| Encounter Tough Road.
There was still another mile and
half of this grade ahead of us. After
we had gone up it we came to an Old
cabin with a watering trough along
side the road and we stopped to give
REQ a fresh drink, because what wa
ter she had in her was hot. There
we found a lonely man, L wbuld
Judge about 40 years old. He was
smart man and we enjoyed our talk
with him. He told us we would nave
one-half mile more of the grade, ana
then it was all over so far as grades
were concerned, but when we had
gone about two miles to keep straight
on and that in about 10 miles we
would come to, Anderson, which was
on the route map from Reddlng to
Red Bluff, and that We would save at
least ten miles by leaving Reddlng
to our right. He said Redding was
routed on III. W., just to make people
go there. He had lived there for 20
years and knew what he was talking
about. From his appearance be-
lieved him. So straight ahead we
went. After reaching the summit we
had only gone about three miles when
cylinder began to cut out, but ne
had told us that about two miles
| from where We were then there was
a family living in a shack, ana we
kept humping along with this one
cutting out until We got there. sure
enough we found tree large enough
to make shade for the auto. I went
to work to change the plug and Anna
talked to an old lady, who told her
very sorrowful tale, which Anna
will tell you when we get back.
1t was about five o'clock when we
were ready to start with Anderson
about six or seven miles away over
road to follow by memory from
what the man had told us, but we
found it, This was the only house
on the road, but from the way the
road was travelled there were lots OF
roads that came into it. Before we
| reached Anderson it was we'll traV-
! eled road even if it was not built on.
] Good supper time found us at Red
Bluffs, where I was thinking to my
self, REQ is good enough for me,
even if she don't go good at over 20
miles" At Red Bluffs We met Leo
nard Starr, and We spent the evening
together. In the morning we took on
gas and oil, and tested the tires and
found each still had 80 pounds OF
Dallas air in them. The next days
drive was from Red Bluffs to Dixon;
and. say. it was a bad one. The sun
was hot, and when we would ventilate
with the wind shield the hot wind
coming in would burn our faces SO
we had to keep it closed. We stopped
at every roadhouse for lemonade; and
I am with drinking lemonade like the
lady with carrying water for the Ford.
I drank enough to float ship. We
thought we would make VacaV1ll ana
see Ed Crystal in the evening, but
| NC bod trayaled where they were