The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-08-05
Western caada ofers
Thrilling Automobile Runs

Victoria, b. c., Aug. 4.-Complet.
ing the thrilling and at times hair
raising path-finding run from Edmon-
Ton to Vancouver, tEe entire distance
through Canadian territory, the Ed
mOnton -Autemobile club automobile
pilots C. w: Niemsyer and Frank
Silverthorn, who ended their journey
recently at Victorly, gave graphic
2ccount of the trip.
Ehey described their journey as one
Of marvellous beauty and remarkably
herd work, but they said they had op-
ened the pathway to Edmonton and
tfat tho expenditure of but COM
p2ratively small amount of money
would make it permanent and pleas
ant trail for the tourist. They encoun-
tc"cd muskey, burned bridges, rock
slides, grizzly bears, railroad trains
windstorms and furious rains; but
thy came along with cnly three blow
outs and those caused By rail spikes.
Leaving Edmonton June II, the car
proceeded westward with a heavy
load. 1t weighed 1900 pounds, car
ri1d two to four men and 1000 pounds
Of baggage. The outfit consisted of
picks and shovels, axes, hammers,
four 12-foot, 10-inch planks and sew
eral shorter pieces; complete set of
tools and spare parts; two spare tires
and spare wheel; SO gallons of gas
and five gallons of oil. They made the
entire run on 41 gallons Of gas and
six quarts of oil, and came every foot
of the way on their own wheels via
deserted railroad grade, active rail-
ways, tote roads and the Yale road.
From Edmonton they proceeded
through the Yellowhead Pass trail
taking the abandoned Grand Trunk
PGcific railway grade near the noun
tains and following it to Jasper
They picked up Badly Robb, we'll
known mountain guide, who was with
them throughout the trip. At Jas
per they took to the steel railway and
bumped the ties to Lucerne, resuming
the abandoned grade one mile west of
'here and following it to Red Pass.
Then they took steel to Tete Jaune
Cache and the old tote thence to AL
| frrda, steel to Blue River and Avola.
thence tote road TO Lytton, steel and
tote road to Hope and the Yale road
to Vancouver, and then by Canadian
Pacific ferry to Victoria.
The pathfnders reached here with
blistered hands and sore muscles.
i'hey brushed and built miles of roads,
constructed 81 bridges, some of which
were good enough to be called pcrma-
nent structures; they killed a 14-foot
grizzly be'r with 3O3 rifle and took
| 200 pictuLas Of the wild life of the
trail, Rocky Mountain sheep, deer,
birds and 20 on.
From Edmonton to Edison they
struck one strip where they averaged
only rnilS an hour owing tothe neces-
.sity for bBlding brush trails and little
bridges .aYross muskeg country. It
was or.Cmn period Of the rnn that a.
great ffAGh6fm came down and made
temporary mess of things.
Entering the mountains proper they
passed Though marvellous country
| presenting variety of views that
could not sbe surpassed IN America.
Mr.. Niemeyer is familiar with the
great motor highways of the United
States; it's deserts and mountains and
mighty parks, and he says thev pass
Cd desert areas of sage brusl similar
20 the Great American desert; noun
tain scenery that rivalled Colorado
and Yellowstone Park. A portion of
the Thompson river canyon could well
be called the Yellowstone of Canada:
great, brilliantly-c -colored ravines and
hills of rock and verdure, terrific
cliffs and wonderful forests.
The car was driven on The railroads,
around curves and along precpices
where the variation OF hair would
haze thrown the occupants hundreds
of feet to death. The car wheels
straddled the rails, the outer wheel
being on the outer edge of the ties.
The ties in many instances were pro-
Jecting over a yawning space which
fell straight to the roaring river.
At one point where erosion had
worn away tote-road for some hun
dreds of feet they went down to the
river and 9eaded" trail through
the water, around rocky point, and
then back to the road. At another
they found a'rock as large as house
right in front of them They had to
cut their way around, through shnle
rock. One section was mess Of fall.
en- timber due to a great windstorm
that came down on them. This was
near Tete Jaune Cache. They cut
their way through. Everywhere they
went they left a passable trail be-
hind them
There was one near accident, they
say. They were proceeding on steel
toward tunnel, and had not been no.
titled of an extra train. 1t came belch-
ing out just before they reached the
entrance. Niemeyer took the only
chance, swinging off against a pile of
| rOckSk bendino an axle and iorrinU