Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-02-17
PIONEERING IN THE
"0LD PACIFIC" CAR
OF PACKARD MAKE

UT THONHnD WHNE
Not long ago, in the course Of a
discussion such as might be held
among members of tho Old Timers
club there came to my mind very
interesting event, associated with
the early days Of the automobile
industry. 1t dates back to 1903
when the Packard factory was
located at Warren, Ohio. and deals
with the adventures of "Old Pa
cific," one-cylihder. nine horse
power Packard that had been COM
missioned to make a transcontt-
mental run, from San Francisco to
New York.
The start was made from San
Francisco, June IS, with e. T.
Fetch in charge and the finish took
place in front Of the Aston hotel,
New York, fifty-three days later.
Between the two cities stretched a
trail OF experiences such as never
before had been encountered by
motoring pioneers. Transconti-
mental trips We're just coming into
vogue those days, and road maps
were bS IilhllONll SAo Sci 0NtAi w. ~
AS a matter of fact. l recall that
the only map available for a great
part of the western half of the
journey was a Union Pacific rail-
road map.
"Old Pacific" was the first gaso-
line propelled vehicle to cross the
Nevada sands. Seven days were
required to do the job. and to Sc
cure traction, everything that hui
man ingenuity could suggest (from
a long strip of canvas to the floor
boards of the car itself) was called
into play. 1t was here that a sup
posedly experienced guide, taken
on in San Francisco, admitted that
"the country was all new to him. "
very much to the CONSERVATION of
other members Of the crew. De-
spite the handicap, however, "Old
Pacific" won out ultimately and
shook the dust of Nevada off her
wheels.
Even murders in those days were
of secondary interest to the appear
ance Of an automobile. This was
proved in Carson City where a
murder had occurred an hour or
so before "Old Pacific" made her
entrance to the town. The crowd,
on seeing the first motor car of
their lives, promptly left the scene
of the murder to witness a sight
less common.
II there was anything more diff
ficult than the desert country of
Nevada, it was the gumbo or mud
of Iowa. On one particular stretch
Of road it required from 5 O'CLOCK
in the morning until o'clock at
night to travel twenty miles. To-
day, with the help of the Lincoln
highway, a twin-siX successor OF
"Old Pacific" can make the twenty
miles in about seventeen minutes.
The crew Of the old pioneer had
much to contend with. So much
in fact that in a fit of weakness
they descended TO mutiny and an
nounced that from q certain point
forward they intended to choose
their own route. When this ulti-
matum reached Warren, Ohio, and
was delivered to S. d. Walden, then
Packard sales manager and per-
sonally responsible for the super
vision of the transcontinental run,
1t was met with a smile and a plan.
Thence forward until "Old Pacific
had emerged from the territory IN
question, the route was dictated
very effectively by wiring expense
money only TO those towns through
which the run was to pass.
Once into the central west the
going became easier and it was
only a matter of time until old
Pacific" pulled into New York with
an escort of some 200 enthusiastic
motorists. astride their White
steamers, Ramblers, S arm
steamers. Pope-Toledos, etc. Truly
it was remarkable achievement
and was so recognized by the press
of the land.
SO far as the mechanical fea-
lures of "Old Pacific" were con-
eerned, they were primitive. Yet
they were advanced in those DAYS
and formed the basis of Packard
and dependability such as
we have today. "Old Pacific had
nine horse power. concentrated In
one cylinder, and weighed ready
for the road, 5000 pounds. The
brakes were adjusted automatic
ally when the rear wheel assembly
was moved back to take the slack
out of the chain drive. The clutch
consisted of cast iron plate that
revolved between two steel ones.
The wheelbase measured ninety
inches, and a governor limited the
speed to twenty miles an hour.