Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1920-09-09

TOURING TO The EAST .
sAsaesesssseseAss
This does not pretend to be so de-
tailed story as the excellent Log
Of the Chain Gang" that Arthur
Hurd wrote concerning motor trip
to California, but Is simply few
notes on what the tourist who faces
the east is likely to find. Touring
Is really not much different from
driving at home. A car behaves
about the same In 1000 mile
straight-away as 1t does In the same
distance at home. On this trip We
drove about 300 miles, changed a
tire but once on the road, had only
minor repairs. put on chains twice
for slippery roads. That was the ex-
tent of the car trOuble-and cOnsid-
ering the varied highways 1t was a
minimum. There were miles OF deep
sand, miles Of steady rain, much OF 1t
over rutted old macadam roads, long
hills In Vermont (they call them
mOuntains) and riotOus bridges In
Missouri but 1t all passed In the days
work. Finding the way was gen
orally easy except for getting out OF
the smaller towns. The farther east
one goes the better the marking. The
New York state roads have signs for
every curve, highway crossing and
bridge and one cannot go wrong II
he is careful. The state maintained
highways are always the best roads,
uniform and well kept. Local roads
are apt to be neglected and Of all
sorts Of improvement.
The first days drive was to st.
Joseph, via Msrysville and Sabetha.
st. Joe has no traffic cops; at each
crossing the driver must sound his
horn once; If he intends to turn,
twice. 1t makes weird music on
the narrow rough streets. Across
Missouri to Hannibal was a series OF
scenic railway roads, with crazy
bridges in each valley. Most of Mis-
souri, seems to be ignorant that road
drags are invented and some OF the
dips and angles are nerve-wrecking.
However, the PIT miles were ne
gotiated in the day. If anybody
advises you to take the Ocean to
Ocean Pixies Peak road across Mis-
souri-don't. Hannibal Is old fash
toned, back woodsy and lives on the
glory of Mark Twain. The leading
hotel is named for him, its only good
point. On side street Is the house
in which he was born. An Oh LADY
shows you the chair he used, his pipe
his bed and sells you postal cards
and photos. Out south along the
Mississippi is road to Tom Sawyers
cave and along 1t you meet boys who
look like Huck Finn and Tom. Out
In the river is the island where HucK
and Jim hid out. When you get TO
the cave you find that a plaster mill
has undermined 1t and 1t mas peen
ruined. But the natives have picked
another cave which does just as wen.
IA beautiful park in the city has
statue of Twain as its feature.
Crossing the Mississippi You come
into Illinois and for 80 miles wind
among the hills and sand with ferry
over the Illinois river. The boat car
ries three cars; with ours was one
from Kansas City and one from TEX
as. Tourists, are. thick on the mark
ed roads and they come from every
state east of'the Rockies. We over
took a party in three ears which had
camped in Abilene. They were from
Indiana and had been to Yellowstone.
Curiously, after leaving Hannibal
when M. H. Malott's party with us
that far left, not Kansas car was
seen until on the return trip al
Beatrice, Neb. A Kansas car attracts
attention in the East especially from
the police. This one of the rev
states that does not require Doth
front and rear license. Time after
time cops stopped us asking about
our front license. Up in Vermont one
said it was the fourth Kansas car
he had ever seen. All accepted the
explanation except one who wanted
cardboard license put on front
which is against the Kansas law.
But cops are good sports. One on
motorcycle drew alongside as the
Oldsmobile was sliding through South
Chicago at about ~ miles an hour.
"You are strangers" said he, "but
IL YOU lived here I'd pull YOU
don't do it again." We didn't.
From Hannibal to Lincoln, ILL.,,
the third day. Roads improved after
reaching Springfield and from there
into Chicago. the fourth day, gravel.
asphalt. macadam and cement be-
came rjore common. 1t was good
going. The best roads are the &C.
ment-smooth, easy to see at night,
they make a model highway ana
practically all the new construction
in the east Is of that type. There
is no direct improved road from chi
cago to Buffalo. The heavy trucking
has demoralized the macadam and
tourists are disguised. So we swung
southeast over gravel roads to Hunt !
ington, Ind, south Of Ft. Wayne, /
passing Culver and its beautiful lake. i
The next day took us through Ohio
Fostoria, Ffndlay and Fremont, to
Cleveland. The next day 1t rained'
a steady drizzling downpour, but we