The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-01-07
HUPMOB|lE UNITED
AMERICA TOUR ENDS
Every State and Capital in this Coun-
try Has Been Visited by Tourists
Since August.
ABOUT 10000 MILES COVERED
Idea Conceived by President j. Walter
Drake. of Hupp Company, Who
Furnished Car and Financed the
Scheme.

On August 2S, 1915, a Ave passen-
ger Hupmobile left Washington, ID.
c., on a tour which included the cap
ital of every State in the Union the
purpose of the tour being to promote
a closer union between the people or
all the States by demonstrating the
practica bility of more frequent inter-
course through the medium OF good
roads.
The idea of this tour was conceived
by j. Walter Drake, president or the
Hupp Motor Car Corporation. who
furnished the car and financed the
scheme.
Auspicious Start of Tour.
The start was made on August IS
and under the direction OF United
States Good Roads Commissioned Page.
A large number of prominent persons
being present and taking part in the
ceremonies attending the official
start of an undertaking never before
attempted. c. E. Salisbury. OF De-
troit. was at the head OF the party.
and accompanying him were his as
sistant, G.. r. Lipe. OF Detroit; w. A.
Krohn, of New York city, official pho
tographer of the tour, and Mr.. Patter-
son. a newspaper man. With the eX-
ception of Mr.. Patterson, who was
taken sick a few weeks ago, the tour
has been completed by the original
personnel OF the party.
The undertaking was christened the
"HupmobI1e United America Tour,
having as its slogan. IAN states, all
capitals-~one flag, one nation, both
name and slogan expressing COM
pletely the spirit of the enterprise.
The length of the tour will be ap-
proximately 10000 miles-a distance
almost equal TO the circumference oil
the earth.
Arrive in Richmond.
The touring party arrived IN klch-
mond Friday, having visited forty
seven capitals some two hundred ad-
titional large cities and numerous
smaller towns
All the wonder points Of the United
States have been visited. inciudlns
Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite
VALLEY and the Grand Canyon. The
trip has been made under weather
conditions of all kinds. in many sec
lions the route carrying the party
Through heavy SHOWS and deluees of
rain.
Mr.. Salisbury relates many amusing
and exciting experiences. tucluting
being lowed across rivers by team
of oxen or mules with the water al
most covering the car; blinded and
tirenched by snow. fog and rain while
OF country. furnishing enough thrills
to the builders of the Hupmohile 10
while crossing some of the swamp
lands, the party had several very mar
row escapes from complete disaster.
Every conceive bic form of roadway.
from the best macadam and graded
roads to the old fashioned corduroy
roads and pioneer trails We're gone
over. Mr.. Salisbury states Z at the
l,s. hot
average, and that as a whole the
Southern roads are better than in the
Western sections. with the exception
of California He says that Indiana
has the best roads Of any state in
the Union.
Motion and still pictures have been
taken ny Mr. krohn all along the
route covered, showing the conditions
in various places. These pictures VIII
be used 10 demonstrate the feasibility
OF national highway between each
capital and will be Of invaluable as
sistance in determining the necessary
expense and hest routes TO that end
performance of the Hupp.
IT is a source Of much grat}fiCat on
to last lifetime, In Louisiana,
know OF the really wonderful per-
Torrance which has been accomplish
ed by their car. The car used was a
regular stock model and has stood the
test OF meeting every emergency under
the most severe conditions in truly
Il itit-hth tef r Salisbury
says they have been delayed less than
an hour on account of repairs during
The entire trip
At Fish Springs Utah, whore the
party were tied Zip on account of
heavy snowstorms for several hours,
they were forced to pay 50 cents a
gallon for gasoline and 60 cents a
gallon for water. while 1t took az
much as Sc to buy a decent meal. The
tour at times resolved itself into an
endurance test for the men as well
as the car, and all the members OF
the party were glad 10 avail them
selves of much needed rest on the
arrival in this city.
One More Capital 10 Make.
The tour to Richmond has covered
1926 miles, and by the time Charles
ton, w. Va, is reached and thence to
Washington the total mileage will be
something over 90. 900 miles.
Richmond Is the forty-seventh
capital visited, Charleston being the
forty-eighth and fast one. The party
will take up the last lap of their long
journey today and expect to reach
New York city about Wednesday,
when a delegation from the HupP
factory will meet them and the party
will attend the New York Automobile
Show.
Mr. Salisbury is a personal friend
OF the local Hupp dealer. Mr..
Spencer. of the Terminal Motor Co,
they having known each other when
connected with the parent company In
Detroit. The visit in Richmond has
been mutually pleasant to both
Messrs. Salisbury and Spencer. due to
their former friendship.
Motion pictures of points of interest
in Richmond have been taken and will
be exhibited as a part of the official
data OF the tour