The Ocala evening star., 1915-09-11
RIDES A WEEK
ON COUNTY ROADS
SENSATIONAL FEAT BY s. L.
BERGH, FRESNO, CAL,
NEWSPAPER MAN
OBSERVER FOR THE RUN
Crowd at Finish Applauds Wonder
Car" and wonder Observer"

Fresno, Cal, Sept. TO-, The feat
of S. U. Bergh, a Fresno newspaper
man, in occupying almost continu-
ously for a week, a seat as observer
in a Maxwell "stunt" car, is put for
ward as a bold bid for a worlds rec
ord and a prominent berth in history S
hall of fame.
The car was the first of the new
model shipped from Detroit to the
manufacturers representative in that
city. In order to give the general pub
lie and the members of his selling or
ganization in adjoining territory a
view of the car, the dealer determined
to put it on the road. To demon
strate the sturdy quality of the car,
the hood was locked and sealed, and
the run made nonstop affair, under
observation The Fresno Herald as
sumed charge of the trial and assign
ed Mr.. Bergh, member of its staff,
to see to it that the motor should
neither be stopped nor touched for
repair or adjustment.
Mr.. Bergh fortified himself for the
week by a good sleep and slid into
his seat at the appointed moment
Saturday noon. For all day Sunday
ana until Monday night he asked for
no relief. The Maxwell travelled con-
tinously. On Monday night he was
relieved for a few hours by news
paper friend, it being expressly stipu-
lated that no supplies were to be in
stalled during Bergh's absence.
Back on the job Bergh stuck it out
for "a hours more. Now and then he
would catch few moments of rest
but invariably stop would find him
wideawake, ready to check any install
lation of supplies and keeping an
eagle eye on the odometer. Most of
his meals were eaten with the crew.
in the car and while travelling the
roads of Tulare and Kings county.
On Wednesday Bergh's employer
offered him relief from the remand
er of the trip but the observers heart
was in his work.
"I'm feeling fine," he declared. "I'm
having the ride of lifetime. Give
up this seat? Not on your life! I'm
going to be the first man in the world
to ride a week in an automobile"
And so the run proceeded to its
end. The car made repeated visits
to Visalia, Porterville, Hanford and
other neighboring towns. Day anC
night over rough roads and oevl
smooth-city pavements and country
lanes, the Maxwell glided tireless anG
buoyant. Drivers were changed ev.
cry four hours but Bergh rode on anc
ions.
AS the end of the week drew near.
er, interest in the combined feat OF
the nonstop "Wonder Car" and the
non-sleep "Wonder Observer" stead
lily grew. To inform the variou:
newspapers along the route, Bergl
secured a portable typewriter OF
which he wrote bulletins of mileag,
and supply consumption.
A big crowd saw the end of the rul
anu cneereu Car anu DeISA W III
echo. Bergh took the final readings
denoting that the car had run owe
1000 miles, averaging better thai
26 miles to the gallon of gasoline, AM
went over to the Herald Office to turl
in his story. He then bathed, ate
square meal and went to bed, com
laining petulantly that the mattress
es seemed bit hard when compar
ed to automobile upholstery. Afte
IA hours of unbroken sleep he rous
ed, ate and took another nap, afte
which he said he was ready to star
another week of life on the road.