The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-04-06
LONG. LONG TRAIL To
TALLAHASSEE IN AUTO
But, Undaunted by Double Trouble,
HiIlsbOrough County Officials are
Determined to Get There

hllLSDOrOugn county OHcldIS are
Determined to Get There
Returning to Ocala Sunday after !
noon from Tampa. a motor party !
which included Mrs. ]. W. Dumas,
Mr. and Mrs C. ]. Dumas and Mr..
7. F. Fay of New York, encountered
four men engaged in giving first aid
t. disabled auto which was resting
rs comfortably as its enfeebled con-
dition would permit at a point sbout
midway on the long and lonely stretch
of road between Auburndale and
Groveland, where the stranded motor
lists had been awaiting assistance for
several hours. They proved to be
County Engineer Hettrick of Tampa
and three commissioners of Hills
borough county, who were on their
way to Tallahassee to attend the
opening session of the legislature.
They had sad tale of motor mis-
fortune to relate. 1t appeared that
they had been preparing for the trip
for weeks, and to be certain that they
would make it in record time, one of
the commissioners had had his car,
of we'll known and expensive make,
thoroughly overhauled DAYS before
the start was made. They left Tam
pa about $50 in the morning, ex-
recting to reach Lake City before
dark, but after about an hours driv-
ing something went wrong with the
engine, and the car had to be lowed
to Lakeland, where the motorists
days to put it in readiness for the
road again.
Mr.. Hetterick, however, dispelled
: the gathering gloom by 'phoning to
Tampa for his own auto. comforting
= the owner of the disabled vehicle by
assuring him that the party would
now proceed on the trip in "a real
car" In response to Mr.. Hetterick's
: call, the substitute machine arrived
g at Lakeland in due time, and blithely
: and gayly the Hillsborough officials
once again were on their way Mer-
: rily they rolled along and hopes were
: high that the time lost would be re.
trieved ere fell the shades of night.
It Auburndale reached, the party en-
e tered upon the forty-mile section Of
'. highway that lies between that towr
and Groveland, with nary a garag,
or telephone in its entire length. Blu
of this they rocked not. for were they
> not coursing over it in "a real car,
like bird on wing? No motor cop
is to check their speed, no crossroad
S, cuts to make them heed. Yes, they't
he surely reach Lake City by nightfall
0. Suddenly the pine trees that ha,
ID been passing so swiftly that the,
n, looked like picket fence became pin
IN trees again, and the car stopped. Tn
er driver fed her the gas and the moto
OF raced, but she wouldn't bulge. Fo
OF while the circumambient atmospher
In was filled with tools, motor lore an
ne the variety of English that is usual
r. INDUCED in on such occasions Whe
g. the members. of the party realize
IS. that the axle had snapped off at tn
ne hub Of the left rear wheel, that the
to were twenty miles from an outpos
d, of civilization, and that the legisls
ID. ture might complete it's labors befol
er help would reach them.
n 1t was at this stage that the Ocal
ut party hove in sight and establishe
Il, a line of communication between the
NV and the rest of the universe Thoue
zee their own car was filled with passel
)r, gers and baggage, the Ocalans MAJ
ge aged to find room for Mr.. Hettric
,se whom they carried to Grovelan
nil where it is presumed he succeeded
nd making arrangements to have h
'ut car towed to a garage for repairs.
Undaunted by his experiences, N
Ter Hettrick was determined to carry O
ir- and was confident he and his par
ay would reach the state capital befo
Der the reading of Governor Hardet