Omaha daily bee., 1915-09-08
New York to Frisco by Auto
With Stop-0ver at Omaha

Will DGOp-UV6T dI OlldHd
L- Emily rest in GOLFERS ----@
Wy HAT EVER made you think OF taking such
w triD7" asked someone.
had TO think a moment. The advertise
ments more than anything else. They were all 80
optimistic; they went to my head New York 20
San Francisco for $751; 60 to the exposition in a
= car Travel luxuriously from your door
through unsurpassed scenery, and over the worlds
greatest highway TO the Pacific shore. until II began
TO rather delight that the good roads OF
Europe were closed"
one question. however we could answer. and
Il the most important question OF alwhich route
were we going to take7 We had no idea. and no idea
how to find out!
The 1914 Blue Book out Of print; the new one
for this year not yet issued went TO the office Of
the A. A. A. at hour and found II. naturally
closed. Meanwhile applied various information
bureaus-some OF those whose advertisements had
sounded 80 encouraging-but their personal answers
optimistic than definite
Al the Automobile club very polite young man
answering questions with a facility altogether
fascinating
Il would like to know the best route to San
Francisco"
Unfortunately" he said suavely. I'VE have all
our information yet and seem 10 be out OF west
ern maps But can recommend some very delightful
tours through New England and the Berkshires."
But. You see, San Francisco IL where going.
DO you know which route IT,, II you prefer It, the
least badg'
'Ons see he looked eOfry. III you Inubt Cfosa
the continent. there is the lincoln highway"
once outside however. the feasibility Of asking our
road as came to ~ did very practical, 30
I went to Brentano's to buy some maps They showed
a large OF the United States with four routes
crossing H. equally black and straight and alluring
! deciding upon the ones through the Allegheny
mountains TO Pittsburgh and 81. Louis when two
women knew came in, of them Mrs. D. con
spiouous hostess the New York social world, and
a Californian by birth. The very person need
I thought "She knows the country thoroughly and
her idea OF comfort and mine would be the same.
Can you tell me- asked her which lie the best
road TO California"
Without hesitatng she replied The Union Pacific"
mo. ] mean motor road
Compared with her expression the worst skeptics
had encountered enthusiasts Motor road to
California She looked at me ptyingy.
at can't be difficult; the Lincoln highway goes
straight across--"
"In an ina g1nary line like the equator!" sho
pointed at the map that opened the counter.
"onoe you get the Mississippi the roads are
just trails OF mud and sand This district along here
by the Platte river II wild and dangerous, full OF the
most terrible people. outlaws and bad men who
would think nothing OF killing you II they were drunk
and felt like g. There isn't hotel. Tell me, where
do you think you going to stop2"
began 20 feel uncertain and let down. but said;
Hundreds have motored across!
Hundreds and thousands OF people have done
things that It would kill you to do am sorry" she
said, ~ you really wanted to go BY and by maybe,
II they build the roads and put UP good hotels.
but then II would be deadly dull"
As a last resort returned to the A. A. A. This
time the touring authority at his desk.
e" would like TO know whether 1t will be possible
for me to go from here to San Francisco by motOrf
Sure its possiblel Why isn't itI'
Il have been told the roads dreadful and the
accommodations worse"
"The roads all right" He accented roads"
81 wondering n there hotels"
And what II there arentH Splendid open dry
country; won't hurt anyone TO sleep out night
two TIA do you goodl A doctord charge you money
for that advice. I'm giving II to you freel"
Where oh. where Is the west that fasteners
dream oftho OF Bret Hartes stories, the
| depicted In the moving pctuTes7 We have gone half
the distance across and all this while we might be
| anywhere at home. Omaha is a perfectly eastern"
city. the Fontenelle Is lovely. big. new, up-to-
| date hotel attractive that going to stay
a day and luxuriate in rooms. The river Is
coffee-coored and Council Bluffs is not at all like
! the Palisades Of the Hudson. had imagined,
but high hill back OF the city with the best resi-
denoes" IT,
! In most eastern cities automobiles chased away
though they lettering tramps; they have to
keep moving along In Omaha there nice little
chalked-of parking places in the street where motors
can stand undsturbed. l wish New York and Boston
would follow their example
| All OF Omaha society seems 20 come 20 the Fon-
tenelle TO dine Just in New York so to Sherry
| or the Rita They came In motors and parked them
all down the street In Omaha too, We saw the first
evidences OF fashion-dresses that looked like walking
| pages out OF various women's magasines Indeed.
| they were much dressed. really well-dressed
| New York woman seldom and Frenchwoman never.
gives the appearance OF being especially dressed
She looks though she happened to put on black
| dress or white one. but never as though she had
| put on the black the white onel
1T IL all very well. OF you have had fine
hotels and good roads far but wait until you come
| 10 North Piattel" That Il the substance OF what
| everyone has said TO us.
Why wonder, does everyone pick out North Platte
any more than any other OF the places? II began with
Mrs. q in New York Her point OF view OF course Is
| rather effete II does not bother much. But in
Chicago too. the people pted for having TO so 10
| North Platte. And when drummer downstairs
| said: u guess you won't like the hotels at North
Platte overmuch," 1t got nerves. asked the
| drummer II he had been there. and he said: mo;
no one stays In North Platte except the railroad
men--they have to-" CThat Is the one unexplained
phase about the question-no that have seen
/ has personally been there.l
OF all the boeey storiesl Perhaps II We had mag
ined that going TO find Blackstone a
Fontenele would have been bitterly disappointed:
hut compared 10 other hotels along the lincoln
highway the Union Pacific In North Platte IL a
| haven Of delectsb ility.