New-York tribune., 1918-03-10

The driving of passenger cars and
trucks to New York from factories in
the Middle West by way Of the Buffalo
Utica-Albany route is to-day not a
practicable proposition, according to
r. II. Johnston, New York manager OF
the White company, and Charles A.
Stewart, manager of the Automobile
Dealers Association, who have just
been exploring part of this route.
The conditions observed on this ex-
ploring trip were described yesterday
by Mr.. Johnston as follows:
"Mr. Stewart and myself left New
York Saturday in my sixteen-valve
White touring car, with the intention
of finding out if the road conditions
were sufficiently favorable for us to
begin driving cars and trucks over the
road from our factory at Cleveland.
1--WE found the roads entirely open
and in good condition all the way to
Albany, as is evidenced by the fact
that we ate our breakfast in New York
and arrived in Albany at lunch time.
The state roads between here and AL
bany are, generally speaking, in better
condition than the pavements in New
York City. There were two or three
places where there were stretches of
water on the road to the depth of eigh
teen or twenty inches, but these meant
nothing more than that cars and
passengers received a good splashinp
"The boulevard from Albany to
Schenectady was in fair condition. It
was covered with several inches of
snow. in which were deep ruts. We
here had to choose which set of ruts
we wanted to follow, as switching ia
cllitles from rut to rut were very linn
tied. Beyond Schenectady condition.
Immediately changed for the worse.
Leaving that city, we started to cross
the toll bridge to Scotia, when the toll
keeper warned US that this route was
closed and we would have to take a de-
tour. We told the tollkeeper that we
were out seeking information, and pro-
ceeded despite his warning. We passed
through Scotia without any trouble
but on leaving that town we found the
roads completely blocked by deep snow
drifts. Accordingly. we turned back. to
follow the detour which had been
recommended to US. This detour car.
rled US past the General Electric works
and finally on to the towpath of the
Erie Canal. There is no objection tc
travelling on the towpath, provided il
Is made 'one-way' street. The tow.
path is just wide enough for two We.
hicles to pass, but if one driver yeers
by few inches, or if his vehicle make.
the slightest side slip, there would he
one less chauffeur for Secretary Hugo
to register next year.
THE towpath part of the route i.
only about seven-tenths of a mile anr
beyond that we followed the roar
through Rotterdam and then crossed
on an iron bridge over the Mohawl
River. thus coming back onto the l,air
road on the north bank of the river
rms detour from the turn at Schenec
tady is about eight miles long. IN,
regular road between the two points !,
only about four miles. Before mo
ceeding westward We went back cast
ward from the bridge over the mai,
road as far as we could go. About ,
mile beyond the bridge we found TIM,
the river had been up over the ron,
and on receding had left enormom,
cakes of ice piled so high that nothin.
but dynamite would clear the road M,
guess is that it will be about a monti
before this part of the main road vii
hs open. because the spring thaw viii