The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-07-19
Cross United States
Motor Convoy Arrives
At Chicago Heights, III.

Making excellent time on the trans
continental trip from Washington to
San Francisco, the transcontinental
motor convoy of the motor transport
corps, United States army, arrived at
Chicago Heights, Ill. (see No. IL on
map), today
With 625 miles of Lincoln Highway
and ten days of travel between it and
Washington, the motor transport
corps transcontinental train rolled in
10 South Bend (see No. IL on map),
Friday evening on schedule time, to
receive a hearty welcome from the
thousands of homewardbound opera
tives of the city's big manufacturing
plants.
The past week has brought the
train many variations of weather
and Of roads. Light rains fell on
Monday afternoon, the. 14th, on the
way to Wooster (see- No. on map),
and heavy downpoUr~the same night
made the camp ground at Wooster a
quagmire. After more showers, the
skies cleared and ideal weather greet
ed the convoy on the 10th, 18th, and
18th.
One of the worst roads yet encoun-
tered was an eight-mile stretch Of
badly rutted dirt and gravel roadway
between East Palestine (see No. 5 on
map), and Wooster (see No. on
map). Despite this handicap the
train that day made the best run of
the trip to date. rolling into Wooster
(see No. on map), eighty-three miles
from East Palestine (see No. on
map), at $3.50 p. m. With time out
for mess and receptions at various
towns, the running time was under
seven hours.
Another bad stretch of road was
met between Wooster (see No. 6 on
map), andBusyrus (see No. on
map, where the train was forced to
pillow through thirty miles of rutted
dirt and gravel and wornout stone
roads, often eight to ten inches deep
in mud.
The presentation Of hydrant key
as the key OF a perfectly dry" town
made a hit with the train personnel
at Dalphos, Ohio (see No. 8 on map).
Colonel Mcclure accepted the gift
with-a graceful speech, IN which he
said he hoped that no one connected
with the convoy would need the serv-
ices Of the hydrant, but that he was
ready to use the key if occasion de-
manded il.
The operation department has gain
ed considerable experience during the
past week in running over the wet,
muddy and rutted roads.
Several Trucks I'm Danger.
A little excitement was caused at
East Palestine (see No. on map) by
8 sudden accidental blaze of gasoline
that endangered several trucks. A
driver was right on the job with an
sxtinguisher, which smothered the
blaze, and other drivers hoped to
the nearby trucks to take them out
of the danger zone.
The engineer detachment had a
neat job Tuesday. Shortly after the
train had left Wooster (see No. on
r1ap) a tank truck crashed through
small wooden bridge which had
seemed stout enough, but was not.
The truck was pulled out uninjured
and continued under its own power
but the bridge had to be reconstruct
ed by the engineers before the re-
msinder Of the train could proceed.
The maintenance department has
had none but minor troubles to keep
81 busy-this week. In fact no main
tenance difficulties of any conse-
guencs,- have yet appeared.
Colonel Mcclure announced himself
today as well satisfied with the prog
ress of the train and the improve
ment in functioning exhibited by
every activity OF the. expedition.
Parade at Pittsburgh.
The high spots of the first week out
were the parade Of welcome at Pitts
burgh and the enthusiastic reception