The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1920-11-18
MRS. DICKINSON CONCLUDES
STORY OF LONG AUTO TOUR
Princess Anne, Nd, Oct. IA.

STORY OF LONG AUTO TOUR
Princess Anne, Nd, Oct. IA.
Readers Of the Independent:
In my letter of the 18th inst, you
noticed we were visiting in Michigan.
Now we will 60 on on our trip east
through Ohio and Pennsylvania.
We started on Tuesday morning,
Sept. 21st. It was very cool, but the
sun was shining. Newago was our
little town where we started from, it
is about 40 miles north Of Grand Rap
ids. 1t is situated on river and
this makes it factory town as water
power can be had.
From Grand Rapids we turn in q
southeastward direction toward De-
troit, going through Lansing, the cap
ital. We saw some fine country around
Ionia, Michigan, roads were good, be-
ing all gravel roads. On our way
we still see plenty of fruit going to
waste.
From distance of % miles out Of
Detroit we strike cement road with
two street car lines on one side and
little towns all along the road. The
adjoining country was all laid out into
lots and cement walks; also young
trees had been planted. We drove for
over an hour in the city before we
really reached Detroit proper and
when we got there it looked as though
a greater part Of the population Of
the United States had turned out.
Such mob on the streets and cross
ing the streets. 1t really isn't an easy
matter to drive through city, watch
ing for other cars, street cars and
people and trying to watch for the
name Of the street where you make
your next turn. We had map of
all of the larger cities and l would
study it and watch for the street num-
bers while my husband drove the car.
Upon leaving Detroit we saw the
big H. B. Ford institution and many
other large factories.
Before leaving Michigan, l want to
saw many cars i'm transit. They
drive the cars out from the factories
as freight service is so slow. We
would meet from to 6 Fords in row
or that many Bucks or that many
Dodges. They even come from south
of Omaha and drive out bunch of
autos that far away. To me it seems
risky thing to buy an auto after it
has gone over some of the roads they
go over. don't think that the ma
chinery can stand it. At Ionia,
Michigan, they make only the car bod
les, take them somewhere else for fin
ishing purposes. Thence we saw large
truck loads Of auto bodies going along
tie road.
1t was on Sept. 22nd we came thru
Detroit and that same afternoon went
thru Toledo. I saw the first lake
steamer while we were going toward
Toledo and in the city we had another
strange experience. It was the open
ing of river bridge, which opened
up into the air. From the distance
it looked as though we would have
to go straight up, but in time it came
down from each side and locked in the
center so traffic could 90 across and
it did 60 for there was plenty waiting.
This opening was for boats which were
on the river.
The next day we passed through
the prettiest part of Ohio with the ex-
ception of the last hour or two. South
4 OF Toledo on the asphalt road we saw
oil fields on each side and farmers
would farm right around them. These
pumping stations were pumping the
oil out of the ground automatically.
We saw many refining stations and
many place where they were drill
ing for oil and had such affairs as
the Des Laos Western Oil Co. You
all know how that looks. With one
glimpse of the eye I saw Al at one
point near Canton, Ohio. Why, it
might be such a thing that North Da-
kota people will some day see such
sight in their own state. We hope
so.
Farmers were harvesting corn and
doing their fall blowing when we came
through. The eastern part of Ohio is
rather billy as it is nearing the noun
tains. Canton is q very smoky CITY.
Oh, yes, I forgot to tell you we got
back on the Lincoln Highway about
40 miles south of Toledo. This took
us east.
A dense fog overlook us as we were
nearing the eastern line of Ohio and
so we stopped for the night. We
were close to the Ohio river where #
flows around that point of w, va. and
makes it's boundary line. We saw
many river barges and the old time
boat with water wheel on the hind
end showing the boat along.
We crossed into Pennsylvania on
September 25th. Going toward Pitts
burgh some AZ miles or so it is all
one city. Very smoky and plenty of
colored folks on the streets. The
road is worn out brick which is sol
rough that it makes riding hard in
stead Of pleasure. Coming within 81
or 8 miles of Pittsburg we passed the
railroad yards It was 50 smoky
that you could not see the sun.
We went through Pittsburg quite
nicely though the paved streets were
as rough as the road and went up
hill and down hill Pittsburgh is Of
some size and it took us quite while
to get through and we drove right in
to Williamsburg. We did not drive
very late it being Saturday evening,
but stopped whens we found a good
Va SIsy e.