The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1919-09-04
FRANZ TELLS OF
MOTOR TRIP EAST

A transcOntlnentsl automobile trip
across the United States, according 70
(. A. Franz. lmpresses one with the
general trend toward permanent road
construction.
Everywhere, says Mr. Franz. v ho
made a journey Of 4. 100 miles in going
from here 10 his old home at Dodge
vile. y. Y, with his car trouble limit
ed TO three punctuTes, we had TO de
tour because of new construction Of a
permanent nature. New York is the
only state with an oil bound macadam
road its entire length. While this
highway is kept perfect by constant
maintenance, New York roadbulders
are going in for concrete, stating il
will be cheaper to spend more heavily
on original construction than TO be sub
lected 10 the constant drain of malnte-
nance required by the mRcadam.
In the middle west citizens have
had their I'LL of the old fashioned water
bound mscadam. 1t might have been
very we'll for horsedrawn vehicles, but
the heavy motor traffic has dug holes
in the roads, and when we travelled
through those sections heavy rains
were prevailing. The holes. four inch
es and more deep and sometimes sever
al feet long, were filled with water.
1t is not pleasant driving for day
over such highways.
After going all the way across the
country ! return home with a pride in
Oregon roads. Taken all in all we
have as good highways already as any
state west of the Mississippi river, and
when our program of construction now
underway is completed, we can show
all the east few things in scenic
highways, permanently built. "
Mr.. Franz sold his big Haynes Six
in New York and he and his wife, who
accompanied him on the motor trip.
returned by rail-
I'VE were sorry we aid not drive
back says Mr.. Franz. Tourist
traffic is very heavy Out of Chicago
our train proceeded in two sections of
Ia coaches each. Twice we missed our
connections as result Of delays, and the
trains were uncomfortably crowded
1t WAS hot and dusty. and the motor
trip would have been much more pleas.
ant.
"A transcontinental automobile trip
has great educational value. One can
learn the methods of life of people of
different communities You never hear
of highway or road through the
eastern Mississippi valley. The natives
all say pike. After we passed Indi,
ana our Oregon license was curiosity.
We visited Cortland. N. Y. where the
garage man told me he had never seen
an Oregon license before, Youngsters
would follow us in the streets and spell
out the license tag. 'Gee!' | heard
one little fellow say. that country
must be far away.
but you bet they had all heard of
Hood River apples. They are consid-
cred everywhere | went as the best ap.
pies one can buy. 1t seems they cost
more. In a town near New York
talked with a fruit man. and he knew
all about Hood River apples. He han.
died them. He also said ne handled
some Yakima apples, but he pro
nouneed it in such fashion that had
some difficulty in catching on to what
he meant. He said, 'Yaw-kee NAV,
with the accent on the second syllable.
According to him good many 'Yaw-
keemaw' apples had been shipped to
his section of the country.
Interested in apples, | of course
paid special attention to the New York
districts. We drove east from Buffalo
through the great fruit areas, and
was shocked to see the damage result
ing from heavy freeze year before
last. Hundreds of trees seem to have
been killed entirely The apple crop
seems very short.
We had our hardest time in Iowa
gumbo. ! shoveled mud there one af-
ternoon until was ready to drop. My
car, although chain was on every
wheel. Just settled down. as the rear
wheels spun, until the axle rested in
the mud. We made our record journey
that day, the minimum, of 95 miles.
When you go east do not carry any
Canadian money. When | tried to
pass Canadian quarter or dime they
all thought was trying to cheat
them. Do not say anything about a
bit. drove up to fruit store one
day and asked for two bits worth of
oranges. The man looked puzzled and
said, Mister, how much is that in
United States money!
The factories of the east where we
touched all seemed to be running at
full blast. In Dolgeville are located
four big shoe factories. Lasters are
paid from Sc to 50 per day, and girls
engaged in very simple piece work are
drawing $25 and $50 per week. These
factory girls went to work dressed in
silks, but despite the high wages being
paid there seems an undercurrent of
dissatisfaction. Labor seems to be
wanting more, and general upheaval
seemed imminent.