The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-09-15
SMUGGLERS NOTCH?
YES BUT NOT IN HIGH
Vermont Editor Goes Through Fam
Gus Mountain Pass and En-
Joys Experience.


1t is possible for an automobile to
20 through Smugglers Notch-and
that is about all The trip can be
made either from the Stowe Of Jeffer-
sonvil,e side and it is an open ques
ton which should be chosen. If one
goes from the Stowe side, the good
all comes at the start; the bad is
aconstantly to be negotiated. Those
who are so consLl uted as to want to
get the worst out Of the way quickly
will address the climb from Jefferson
vale, 1t is a good bit of auto adveh-'
ture; the p easure is the, accomplish.
nent, says John r. Cushing in st.
Adams Messenger
1t all came about through error,
ans how. Paying less than, the .re-
auired' atteHtiongto what road Should
be taken Honest Ben" was given
the wrong twist of the wheel at JEFF.
ersonYille and started off on a strange
road, so narrow that there was no
turning back for some distance. Then
when the turn might have been made
man who had the appearance OF be
ing honest said there was nothing to
be afraid Of, that cars were making
it every day tin lizZies and their imi
tators, in all of which he was sub
! stantiated by his wife, who came to
the door OF the house and treasured
us with a smile that sightseers were
doing 1t for the fun of the thing
Nothing worse than you have al
ready been over was the smiling
bon voyage given us How much
/ deceit a smile may conceal
Above the Air Mixture Line
So water ess Honest Ben was sent
on his way along a typical back road
in the upland district. Up and up and
constant adjustment of the carburetor
to take care Of the altitude. Then
| right into lumber camp and a road
that turned and twisted through piles
of stacked boards until it seemed it
had been swallowed up. This could
Mt be right. Reverse and back to the
lumber camp where husky youth
are taking their Sunday ease. Can it
be done?' Sure, nothing to worry
about" Honest Ben" coughs a couple
of hearty back fires demanding more
gas and less air and on we go. Tn 5
trip that simply can not be negotiat.
I ed on air; ii takes a full flow of SO.
cony right up to the summit.
A Little further on two automo.
biles coming down are encountered.
Stops are made on each side by con.
sent. 1t is tine to talk it over Don't
advise you to try "OA! yes, you
can make it if you don't get stuck in
tie mud. Had to pull this fellow out,
And if you meet any one you're on the
turn out side and believe me. you'll be
in wrong Don't think you could
pass" First car moves on followed
by short council OF war aboard
Honest Ben Second car interview
cd. Have to be pulled out?" yep,
had to be pulled out coming down hill
don I Try it." Second car moves on;
aecond council Of war. The upshot
was that if tin lizzie could make II
there was no reason why an automo
bile couldn't do as well, and as for
tul II ng out IN case car were met the
legislature some years ago could be
invoked This bill provided that when
on a single track railroad two trains
met neither should proceed unit. the
other had passed Check.
Left Mud and Betting craus
Doubts were not to be lingering. The
worst was soon upon US Honest Ben
shoyes his sloping nose into soft earth
and we know now why the second car
had to be pulled out and why the mud
was clinging to it's mud guards But
Honest Zen picked out a good rut
kept to it and pulled like it had es-
tabl'shed its right to bear its name No
trouble there. not even a heating NJ
of the eng ne. The road widens out
and improves wonderfully for short
piece and then back into the'deep ruts
again. On and up good road again
(eoOd on the scale of relativity) and
then narrowing down with "V'
shape cut in from the side. the side
bing drop OF at least Gree million
feet, possibly a little less. Here's what
they meant about trying to pass. But
tbprp 40 M ruln of thn road tho. qavs