The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-08

in the summer months the roads from Portland through to Fort Kent are by no means the acme of perfection, and that by September i5 all general tourist travel is by common consent abandoned. And Maine roads in December-there Leal test for both car and driver.
 At three minutes past on the evenins Of Friday. December 26, ?. F. Frost seat ed himself in his Franklin touring car in the city of Boston, and accompanied by the Sawyer brothers, started out with the grim determination to get that ear through to Fort Kent in record time. And he did
 Each man agred to take his turn al the wheel for a third Of the distance, and the process of clipping off the miles had begun. Portland was reached at l;i5; Augusta at Ills. Bangor at 3;13 Houlton at 6;23, Presque Isle at 7:A. and when Fort Kent hove into sight at 9:iO a. m. the car and drivers were still going strong Four hundred and eighty-six miles of ice and snow-covered roads, including every known variety ot road and near road Several times ii was necessary to cut across fields where the roads were mpassable) covered n 12 hours and Sf minutes elapsed time-an average of $S.52 miles per hour.
 Such a trip made without mishap or an adjustment of any kind would. seemingly, have satisfied the ambition of most mo- tcrists. however enthusiastic. But not so with Frost and his companions! Only five minutes for rest, and the faithful cid Franklin had her nose pointed for Boston. The return journey was not des- tined to be as happy as the first leg or the trip, for just outside of Bangor a team of horses swung across the road Tn frcnt of the car, which was travelling at
 fr oar rr.f lision, took the ditch and hit a granite culvert. None of the occupants was in- iured. but the engine was pushed back and tre car put out of commissin. This haupened about 4:33 on Saturday after noon, December 27. The car was re- turned to Bangor. repaired and started on the last lap of it's journey on Tuesday afternoon. December 30, at 4:23 CLOCK It reached Augusta at 6:19 D. m, Port land at 943 D. m. and the Hotel Lenox in Boston at II :2S D. m. On the return trip to Boston in many places not the slight est sign was to be seen of the traeNs made by the car as it headed northward'
 The actual running time of the return trip was 12 hours and 51 minutes, as com pared with 12 hours and Sl minutes elapsed time, for the trip to Fort heht: The total running time for the Iouhu trip was 24 hours and 47 minutes. How ever. if is estimated that the return time was extended about 51 minutes by broken gasoline connection, due to the ac- cident In view of the fact that the ac- cident and the subsequent unnatural sit- nation. it is only fair to discuss the drive in terms of actual running time: for IL can be easily seen that had the awkWaro situation not arisen on the rough, mar row roads near Bangor, the running tune would. in fact. be the elapsed tune.
 Such is the story of a run, remarkapie for the stamina and grit ot the drlsers ea and for inc ability of lightweight, fine touring car to take punishment MT Frost and his companions have set up 1 new mark for long-distance travel by motor over snowbound roads.
 With normal hearing and still at