Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-02-19
TELLS of ACHIEVEMENT
OF FIRST PACKARD AUTO
odd Pacific Made Trip From
San Francisco to New York
in So Days.
HAD ONLY ONE oYLINDDn
Today, with Lincoln Highways Help.
Twin-Six suscessor OF Old O-iIorse-
mower Car Can Make Trnnscontl-
mental Trip In Short Time.

Not long ago. In the course OF a
discussion such MS might be held
among members OF the, Old Timers
Club. there came to my mind very
interesting event, associated with the
carly days OF the automobile indus
try. 1t dates back to 1903. when the
Packard factory was located In War
rem. Ohio. and deals with the ndven-
lures OF old Pacific" a one-cylindcr,
ninc-horsepower Packard that had
been commissioned to make trans.
continental run, from San Francisco
to Now York.
Required 80 Days.
Tho start was made from San Fran
cisco. June IS, with T.. r. Fetch in
charge and the finish took place in
front of the Aston Hotel. New York.
ffty-threc days later. Between the
Two cities stretched trail of cx-
: pcrlcnces such M never before had
becn encountered by motoring pio-
hocrS. Trnnscontinentnl trips were
JUST coming into vogue those days.
anu road maps were as unknown as
beH-startcra. AS "a matter of fact.
recall that the only man available
Tor great part OF the western hall
OIL INC Journey was Union Pacific
railroad map.
'!d facihc' was the first gaso-
inc -propelled vehicle to cross the
Ncfada sands. Seven days were re-
Iuireh TO do tho job. and TO secure
traction everything that human in
tEenuity could suggest (from Il long
strip or canvas. TO tho iloor boards
81 the car itselO was called into
pay. IT was here that a supposedly
experienced guide, taken on in san
francisco, admitted tina. "thc country
vas al new TO him." very much TO
e CONSERVATION Of other members
me crew. Despite the handicap.
however. "Old Pacific" won out uItI.
mately and shook the dust OF Nev,d,
on her wheels.
Leave Scene of Murder.
Even murders in those days n,ora
VI secondary interest to the aDpenr.
"Hce OF an automobile. This wa.
proved In carson City, wnere a muir
uer hau occurred an hour or 80 he
iore oid Pacific" made her cntr,nc.
70 the town. The crowd. on scnin -
INC hrst motor car of their Iivos
p'o'nptiy LEFT the Sreaa OF the murds,
"ithcss n sight less common
mere was anything more dim.
Sui, IMAM the deaert country q, Nc.
"ua' ~ was the gumbo or md ~
49, on one particular st-..,u OF
IL,
inc morning untfi Q o'clock mr. ni,,,
travel twenty miles. Today viii
mo mo heip OF the Lincoln Highwav n
S"ih-"lN successor OF old paciaon
chh make the twenty miles I'm ahon,
seventeen Ininutca
INC ere" OF the old pioneer bad
much TO contend with So much IN
i'c'' that In ~ OF weakness they
sscehded 10 mutiny and announced
-. i'"n 4 certain point forward
they intended 10 choose their own
route. When this u!tinatum rc,chen
marIeh, oh!o. andrwas delivered IA
-. Walden. then Packard sales
manager snd personally rcsponsibIa
Ior tho supervision of tho transcon-
mental run. II was met with n smile
van" plan. Thencciorward. until
o!d Pacific" had emerged from Tho
'erlitory In question. the route wa,
uiclated very effectively by wiring
expense money only to those town.
'hrouSh which the run was to pass.
Going Becomes Envy.
Once into the Central Nest rho
'hs became easier. and II was on,v a
matter OF time until "Old Pacific"
puHed INTO New York with an escort
OF Some 200 enthusiastic motorIsts
astride their White Steamers. Ram
hiers. Stearns Steamers. Popc-Tole-
Nuos, etc' truly II was "A remarkable
achle'einent and was SO recognized
by inc press of tho land.
80 iar MS the mechanical features
OF Old Pacific" were concerned. thew
were primitive. Yet they were adj
'ahccd In those days. and formed the
OASIS o; Packard quality and depend
aniiity such as we have today "Old
racine had nine horsepower concen-
tarted In one cylinder, and weighed
ready for the road 3.nnN ~or-.a The
pIdkes Were ...Jus;"d autumatically
wheh the rear wheel assembly was
moved back TO take the slack out Of
Tho chain drive. The ciu;cn consisted
OF east iron plate that revolvcn
between two steel ones. The wheel
base measured ninety inches, and n
governor limited the speed TO twenty
miles an hour.