Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1915-07-30

leIt ldlldS ny duIOIlODlie IOE Inc eX-
position at San Francisco, and other
California points, and of the trip Mr..
Crider writes as follows:
San Jose, July 18th, 1851 am
going to try and kill several birds
with one stone, so read this and pass
it along. We arrived here safe and
sound yesterday evening in time for
lunch. OF course we had to take time
for a bath beforehand. Now about
our trip. The afternoon we left Dali
las we drove to Junction City and
stayed over night with John Kinks.
On this afternoon drive I wished for
the "Stearns- Knight" as 20-mile gait
was very slow over this level country.
You know my gait in REQ is only Is
miles, with an occasional hit-up to 20.
We had a good visit with the Kinks,
and they would hardly let us go on in
the morning. The next morning we
started for nowhere, but landed at
Cottage Grove and had Sunday din
ner with Roy Riggs, a real Sunday
dinner. The disagreeable part was,
they said we must not go on but stay
over night with them. This We
thought we could not do, so about 2
o'clock we started on. Up to this
time 7 was still wishing for the
Stearns. At 6 o'clock we landed in
Roseburg, but before we got there I
> had forgot wishing for Stearns, and
glad I was in a REQ. Visited with
Joe Hubbard that evening. Again in
the morning we started for nowhere,
but landed in Ashland in the evening.
The Stearns never entered by mind
again until we reached Medford. Up
to here I kept thinking REQ is good
enough for me, but when we reached
that Is miles of pavement I wanted
to turn my 3O-mile gait into SO, and
you know the REQ is not built that
way.
Ashland is sure live place, and
entitled to lots of credit. This was
Monday evening. Had our supper and
then enjoyed a band concert, consist
ing of 33 pieces until 10 o'clock. We
saw couple of signs reading this
way to free camp ground for autos, so
through curiosity we drove out and
just think what we saw-a spink-span
place filled with automobile camp
ers, spring water flowing over rocks,
pure as crystal, cement steps leading
to springs, just as nice as Shasta
springs; ladies' and gents toilets, suf-
ficient to accommodate at least 1000
people. They are building large
kitchen and putting in gas heaters for
camps. Just now they are letting
them build camp fires, but everything
is spotless clean. I believe there are
$50 electric lights on the ground,
some of them hung up about 100 feet
in the trees, which makes the whole
l;rl,4 10, NJ irly nf
it, stay as long as you please; no
charges for anything. SO there we
unrolled our bedding and slept in the
machine, for the first and only time.
If you ever drive south don't forget
to make Ashland for the night, even
if you are late,
In the park were machines from
everywhere; some waiting for repairs,
others resting, apd say the yarns that
We're told of thetgoing both north and
south. There -e lie people who would
not go back si~Ieither direction for
thousands of d>SSts; some were worn
out from walkihS both up and down
grades; some had carried enough wa
ter to float boat to keep their Fords
going; some engines would not pull,
other makes would not hold. We
had already seen machines in all of
these conditions. We waited for
awhile to help one machine which
had upset. When it started back
brakes would not hold, so he ran it
into a bank, rather than off the grade.
The upset only broke the wind shield,
Tenders and a few minor things. 1t
was able to run back, I think about
a mile to a blacksmith shop, where
4. Ntr1Fr fr1
few hours One Ford in particular
had five large passengers, and full
camp outfit. The machine weighed
1900, the passengers and outfit 1850,
and they were all from Everett, Wash.
They were one of the parties who said
the walking was rough, and that they
had carried enough water to float
battleship They were on the road
to Los Angeles to see an aunt, and
would be coming on the next day.
That was the last We saw of them.
Satisfied With REQ.
The next day brought us to the Will
liams Mountain hotel. or ranch, which
is Is miles this side of Dunsmuir.
Here we got a good clean bed for 10
cents and meals extra good for so
cents. (Kirk, Yocum and McCallon,
this place beat the place at Ocean
Park a city block and you all know
how far that should be-. Before we
got there 1 had forgot there was
Stearns car, because there were bells
ringing all over REQ. 1t was drive
slowly, and not lose your nerve. Time
fairly flew because had to be in the
game all the time. Anna and I never
had a real quarrel during the day. If,
when I could see off the bluff on my
side I asked her, how far down do
side, asked her, how far down do
YOU think that is?" I could not get
her to answer me. There was no dan
ger getting on the wrong road; the
only thing was to keep on this one.
We stopped at Shasta springs for
about an hour. If coming south be
sure and make the Williams hotel,
for there we got everything and more
than we could have expected. But
don't try to make it If you have to
drive after night. There was H. w
gangs along this road, and there were
places where one has to come up on
it and leave it again where it looks
impossible to be made. The old road
was surely better than where these
places had to be made. We talked to
the highway workers and everybody