The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-05-12
Or. JAcksoN's FEAT
Burinotonian's Auto Trip Across
Continent Recalled

Continent Recalled
Mo Of those who may be planning
TO polish up their motor cars and set
out on a trip across the country fail 10
realize how recent has been the growth
Of this American pastime Of driving
from coast to coast more or less en-
famille. Except for the occas onal
yenturesome Pioneer striving for new
records or else for publicity It has
grown up entirely since the World
War
The first automobile trip across the
country was made in 1903 by Or. H.
Nelson Jackson and Sewall X. Crock.
or. as the result Of a wager DR. Jack
son left San Francisco May 20 In two
cylinder twenty horse power Winton
touring car, equipped with a complete
camp ng outfit, some extra spark plugs,
a spare tire and a few tools
After ferrying across to Oakland, DR.
Jackson drove through Stockton and
Sacramento and up the Sacramento
river to Anderson. There he left be
hind the Southern Pacific and with no
other supplies than twelve gallons of
gasoline and five gallons OF oil, struck
out across country The first part Of
the route followed the Pitt river and
made a connection with the railroad at
Alturas. Beyond Alturas the tourist
entered the desert region Of southeast
ern Oregon At one time on this stage
, OF the trip they were thrty.six hours
without food driving day and night
without seeing a human being. but,
fortunately, they had plenty Of drink
ing water
From Omaha ca tward through Chi
cago and Cleveland to New York the
route lay over already well beaten
paths The tourists ended their trip
in New York July &c. having been 63
days on the road and actually travel
ing As days.
While Jackson and Crocker were
still in the middle Of the continent the
second successful party left San Fran
cisco This party was composed OF
z. r Fetch and NJ c. krarup. in o
single cylinder. niRe horse power
Packard. They were The fir over the
road through Nevada from Reno to
Cobre. following the Southern Pacific,
route which has been adopted by a
great many tourist since. Fetch and
Krarup reached New York in SO days,
thus having the dist notion Of first
breaking an established transconti'
mental record
The third transcontinental tour OF
1903 was made by l.. l.. Whitman and
L. |. Hammond in an eight horse pow
err Oldsmobile, also starting from San
Francisco. They were the first to
adopt what has since become one OF
the standard routes, namely the direct
line across Nevada and Utah to Gran
ger. Wyo, and the Oregon trail from
Granger to Omaha. Despite their bet
ter and more direct route, Whitman
and Hammond spent 73 days between
San Francisco and New York.
The first transcontineutal tour, tax
ing the word in It's customary mean
ing. was that of Messrs. Gehr and Can
field and their families in 1906. They
started from Wenatchee. Wa7h,, on the
ives, hank Of the Columbia river and in
the heart Of the famous apple country
and hlazed an entirely new trail
through the mountains of Wyoming
They arrived in New York after lSC
days on the road.
Fortunately Tor the tourist OF today
the dangers and discomforts that be
set the pathways of the pioneers have
In great measure been eliminated, Sc
that the modern tourist can make his
plans for a transcontlnental trip with
a rea 1onable assurance OF getting e
his destination at about the time de
sired without fear OF much trouble oil
d,lay, provided he takes reasonable
pre autiun and does not attempt the
impossible. Leon A, Dickinson In
Leslies Weekly.
with better roads, more powerful
cars and many people catering to the
needs Of motorists all along the way
month Is now considered ample time
in which to make the trip across The
continent, and several Burlington par
ties have made II n less time. Thu
two.cylinder Winton in which Or
Jackson established the record is still
IN his possession, but Is being givel
the lcng rest which it5 hard trii
earned Burlington Free Press.
ID 4