San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-16
Major Harris Reports
Practically No Car Trou-
bic ON Trip From San An
tonic to Washington,
D. C.-No Better Service
Could Re Asked, He Says.


tributors in Southwest Texas. Major
Harris describes the wonderful per-
Torrance of his Hudson on recent
trip from San Antonio to Washing
ton:
a 1921 Bancroft Place. n. w.
.E Washington, D. c.
Il August 10. 1923.
Mr.. A. ID. Yule, Crockett Automo.
bile company, Romano and Oakland
streets, San Antonio, Tex.
Ny Dear Mr.. Yule: ! had intended
TO write you a note as to the per-
Torrance of the car on the trip from
San Antonio to Washington, but
have as vet neglected to do so. In
stead of commenting in general, l
will enclose a copy of a diary made
during the trip. In general my i'm
pressions on the performance of the
car are as follows:
A. No better service could be
asked of any automobile over the
trip taken.
B. 1t is not believed that many
cars would make a better per diem
average-235 miles.
C. There was no engine trouble
of any kind except obstruction in
gasoline pipe, which / should have
foreseen before leaving.
D. The Hartford shock absorbers
are q great help on rough roads.
q. 1 averaged about two miles
more a gallon on this trip than l did
In ordinary city driving.
/ Altogether I was delighted with the
serviceability and dependability of the
Hudson car on such a long trip.
Sincerely yours,
G. T. HARRIS Jr., Major, q. S. A.
IN Diary Of Trip.
Overland trip from San Antonio,
Tex, to Washington, D. c., by auto
mobile. Type of car, Hudson coach !;
type Of tentage, tent fly attached TO
top of car and ground in the usual
method.
In preparing for the overland trip
by automobile from San Antonio,
Tex, to Washington, D. c., 1 had
diversified tires on the rear wheels
35x5, Firestone cord, new; used
34x4 IL on front wheels, carrying
two spares, 34x4 IL.
Left San Antonio, Tex, at 5 a. m,
on July 10. Ran to Austin, Tex.
so miles in three hours. Roads hard
surfaced, but rough in spots, due to
wear. Stopped in Austin 30 minutes
to have obstruction blown out Of
, vacuum tank outlet. Should hav,
done this before I left San Antonio
Left Austin at $50 a. m. Mex
stop at Temple, Tex; arriving Their,
II 80 a. m, so miles. Had lunch
Left Temple II 80 p. m, and pro
ceeded to Cedar Grove, Tex, Wis
Waco, Hillsboro and Alvarado. Road.
principally gravel, pretty good, except
a few miles under repair. Campet
night Of July 10 in a large grove al
Cedar Grove. eighteen miles south o.
Dallas. In this grove was a natura
spring and the camp was on privat,
l property, we being the only campers
This was a delightful surrounding fol
a camp. We burned fire all night
My brother has been with me on thu
trip up to this point and spent THU
night in camp.
1 Total run for first day 2s6 miles
N In view of the fact that we hat
to stop in Dallas for a half day or
/ business, we slept late on Wednesday
! morning, July IL and left camp Al
( ga. m, arriving in Dallas 9 AS a. m.
eighteen miles. Left Dallas at 2 30
/ a. m, leaving my brother there ant
taking on with me n soldier on fur
Tough, named Maffe. Camped TO
night In Denison, Tex, in Munse,
Park. tourists camp. Roads good
Z Total run for second day 9s miles
30 The Third Day Out.
r Thursday, July IL. Alarm clocl
sounded at 5 a. m, broke camp an,
got under way at 6 80 a. m. Crosse,
/ Red river at Durant. Okla, at whicl
( place we struck 100 miles. Of tn
+ worst roads in the world. Abou
| fifteen miles Of these 100 miles wer
! over an old railroad embankmen
1 from which. the ties and rails ha,
been removed and we bumped, bumr
E ed, bumped for a couple of hour
incidentally this embankment was s
< narrow that passing another car wa
4 hazardous proposition. The n
mainder of the 100 miles was worn-ou
( dirt roads full of chug holes. Thi
drive was fatiguing, annoying an
trying on the temper. If we wen
/ over thirteen miles an hour VI
bumped hard on the chug holes: !
we went under that it was hard pull
ing for the car in high. We passe
through McAlester, Okla, arrivin
there II O'Clock; had lunch: leavip
at / o'clock, and, with great reliet
reached the Canadian river and tn
end OF the 100 miles of bad roat
Paid 81 toll and, as reward, were a
lowed to run over 40 miles over ne,
macadam roads into Muskogee. Okla
where we camped in Spalding Parl
IN the tourists colony. Made cam
at 4 p. m.
Total run for the day 40 miles.
Muskogee has a wonderful tourist.
camp with shower baths. runnin
water. gas stoves and cook shack
and electric lights. all free.
Friday, July Is. Alarm cloc
sounded at 4:30. Broke camp at
a. m, proceeding north. Fairly goo
roads to Vinita, Okla, 80 miles
along stretch of single width macada,
road to Miami, Okla. 81 miles. c.
lost going out of Miami. in IL
mining region and lost an hour sr
half. Had lunch BY the roadsiC
In a drizzle of rain. without KNOWN
there we were going. Not a plea,
ant meal. Got back on the roa
finally and made Fort Scott. Kar
by 3 30, went to the Chamber {
Commerce about roads to st. Lou
and was advised to strike direct
east through the state of MissouI
STARTED out on this road and arriv,
at Nevada, Mo-, at p. m, 20 mil
from Fort Scott. These 20 mil
L