The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-05-23
BY E. G. Cannon Ball" Baker

encounter The next day we got ours with capital "
Leaving Kansas City in the rain we hit the high road to
ST. Louis Harder and harder came the rain and deeper
and deeper grew the mud until there was little visible
below the hubs of the machine On we went, slipping
his way and that but managing to keep headed toward
St Louis Speed forgotten. We still cherished the
thought however that we would be able to move for
ward even though slowly. The bottomless mud grew
more botomess, if such figure might be used, but on
we went Had this road been one hundred times as wide
might have been able to make little bit faster time.
In and OF the ditch went scores OF times, where
no driver and could possibly keep the road rac
ton seemed impossible. and actually two feet side
ways to every foot ahead AT point, just to illustrate
the pleasure OF driving in Missouri during the rain,
came upon five cars stalled in the mud. A big seven
passenger had become mired and was groanng away
useessy In an endeavor get Horses had failed to
move her Knowing the possibilities OF my own Car, shot
out into the ditch, into the fields around the five stalled
cars, onto the road again Ii was in Missouri that we
spent few hours in a ditch ourselves Riding along
road eight miles hour, began slip and, though
the brakes held he continued her downward course
and stopped only when she landed against the opposite
bank la three hours with the aid OF four mules and
block and tackle had her out, with the motor hum
ming joyouSy at getting another chance at Missouri mud
Hours behind the schedule which Sturm and had
dOped out before starting, we got into ST. Louis. was
up to to make good in our endeavor to reach New
York We left ST. Louis at 6:35 Saturday evening" re-
solved That we W0ulQ reaCn New I0rk IN Time 10 make
the Cadillac proud Of the ob or we would die in the at
tempt Through the City Of indianapolis passed early
Sunday morning, stopping long enough to get bic to
eat We left Columbus Ohio, behind at go in the
morning OhioS excellent roads giving chance to
speed. From Greenup, ILL.,, TO Cambridge, Ohio, we
travelled $40 miles In II hours and so minutes elapsed
time the actual running time being little less than 10
hours We e>t little taste Of OR old friend Missouri
Mud in the Allegheny Mountains Of Pennsylvania, near
PitHburg the night before reaching New York. The run
from Plttsburg to New York 395 miles made in IA
hours and Is minutes elapsed time. Quite little OF this
running through dense fog in thu mountains where
speed was no D be though Of
Hal the eighteen hours Of steady rain happened
poor dirt and clay io,di OF Missouri the ranscon-
mental record would be another day lower. However
the Missouri mud furnished test of this great cars power
and endurance, again demonstrated in different Wav by
the speed made in travelling from ST. Louis TO New York
Thu distance W. travelled between theS. two cities was
l028 miles and W. mace it in 81 hours and II minutes
elapsed time Our actual running time WAS about 80
hours, or an average Of 81 miles an hour
certainly drove the Cadillac Eight to the limit on
this Stretch making the precious hours lost in Missouri
mud The wonderful way in which the Car stood this
final test and Its excellent condition at the end convinceS
me that the limit in this case was my endurance and not
that of the car. The spring suspension is good and
the cushions comfortable that W. never used our air
cushions 50 indispensable on previous trips across the
continent AS said BEFORE this is The first time have
driven a car that could outdrye and outast me, and
haveh ad some varied experience.