Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-05-29
A Rhythmical Tale
of the Yellowstone Trail

They boasted out at Aberdeen the
trip could not be run, but Studebaker
had a man who said 1t could be done
The Yellowstone Trail is soft with
rain, the Yellowstone Trail is new
but Nissen swore by the shirt he
wore he'd put the big car through.
They boasted out at Aberdeen that
South Dakota rain woud keep a load
off the soft Spring road till shone the
sun again.
Three hundred fifty miles it is from
Lennon east until across the State,
across the line, you come to Orton-
vile. Three hundred fifty miles it is,
but Nissen called it fun. His mind
was set that he could get the record
for the run. His faith was founded
on the fact he knew full we'll the
maker had made the car live up SO
far to the name of Studebaker
With NJ. 3. Payne to drive the car
and Matt Kerr as mechanic, he'd no
fear but that he'd soon put all rivals
in a panic In sixteen hours they
promised him, a little less or more,
they'd drive the car across the State
as never was done before. ]. NJ.
Parmley. president of the Yellow
stone Trail, and J. H. McKeever, edi-
tor, were asked that they'd not fail
to ride with Payne and Kerr that
day. They promised so to do; de-
spite a perfect sea of mud, they kept
their promise true.
At a. m. the start was made. from
Lennon forth they flash. In less
than half an hour through mud to
Thunderhawk they dash. But what
was mud to Thunderhawk was moth
ing TO compare with what, be'gosh,
toward Mcintosh they found they had
to dare. They go through mud and
slippery slides ahead of schedule still,
for with their chains they keep their
gains, and the car "eats up" each hill.
Mclaughlin unto Mobridge seemed
just one long road of grief through
flats of mud that hub-deep stood it
was without relief. But Driver Payne
held tight the wheel, and likewise
held his speed. he kept ahead of the
rate he'd said would get them through
10 feed that night at Ortonville at
eight across the muddy plains. But
he had not thought of the havoc
wrought by frequent swapping chains.
The car stood up like they knew it
would, with quality higher than cost,
and each delay along the way was
caused by chains they lost. From
Ipswich on the roads were good for
a stretch of several miles. The Stude-
baker took the gas and the passen-
gers wore smiles; as they tore along
at a lively clip, more than fifty miles
an hour, the one refrain from Driver
Payne was, This old boat has
power"
The town turned out to welcome
them when they came to Aberdeen,
and Parmely praised stout Nissen's
nerve and praised his stout machine.
Whitmore now took the place of Kerr,
and they added F. c. Preston. From
Aberdeen the staunch machine soon
left to keep its quest on. The after
noon was like the morn. some
stretches bad, some good. Through
Groton. Andover and Bristol, they
made what speed they could. Through
Ortley, Summit and Milbank, the car
kept on it's course with water some
times on the road with depth to
swamp a horse. The carburetor once
but when the water is so high on low
but whe nthe water is so high on low
the car still goes.
At eight-ffteen to Ortonville the
happy pilgrims came. Despite the
mud they had made good and showed
the car was game. For Studebaker
men make sure the car they build is
stout to stand the tests that village
pests insist will put it out. So South
Dakota rings with praise how Stude-
baker shone that muddy day along
the way they call the Yellowstone.