The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-08-13
TilIer Not Wheel

Her first attempt at driving a car
was when Apperson asked her to
drive one of the first cars several
blocks in Kokomo. OF that first ride
she says:
After few turns the entire en-
CINE started-it cranked on the side
and 1 took my seat with many
misgivings. 1t was a shaky hand
that took hold of the tiller--a left
hand drive. I moved the lever into
first speed and we we're off. Talk
about your thrills! I arrived at the
factory without stop or mishap. I
made the turn into the driveway
and stopped the wagon at the side
door of the factory, where found
Mr.. Apperson waiting FOR me. He
had proven that a woman could
drive a horseless carriage made by
the Haynes-Apperson Company.
After this trip I drove the machine
around Kokomo many times during
the two years was with the com
pany."
After Mr.. Landon opened the first
auto shop in Elkhart, Mrs. Landon
and Mrs. Truman Gard took an
epoch-making trip from that city to
Kokomo. Of that trip she says:
I'VE left Elkhart about 6 a. m.
The machine had a top but no
windshield or speedometer, and
there was no danger of exceeding
the speed limit-not that there were
any speed laws then.
Stopped at Plymouth
we went through South Bend
and made our first stop at Plymouth
for refreshments and few minutes
rest. Arriving in Rochester and
after making inquiries (no blazed
trails them we got out on the wrong
road and found ourselves in the hills
north of Peru in a deep cut Wagon
track, which once in you stayed in
Motorists of the present time who
are accustomed to paved roads
would have thought it impossible
Just where we were going we didn't
know, but we were on our way.
1.-THE road seemed to become mar
rover and banks rose on each side
of us, possibly three or four feet
high, but they looked like noun
tains to us. With one wheel in q
deep rut-another on large rock
slowly we moved around sharp turns
and UP steep inclines for no hills
had been cut down then.
Like Canyon
"At one place we faced a six-foot
jump-off that looked like the Grand
Canyon, and it was necessary to
make a sharp turn, not three feet
from the edge of it, around a high
bank. I wondered if my brakes
would hold and that if they failed
me I would throw the clutch into
reverse.
1.-THE brakes held and we crept
slowly around that high embank-
ment, down the side of the hill, only
to come suddenly upon stream OF
water about twelve feet wide and a
foot deep. We couldn't turn around;
neither could we back up. While
the present day motorist could slip
through this water without worry.
had no mud pan on my car and the
carburetor was exposed to the splash
of water. Well did I know what II
meant if got water into it.
Drove Through Water
But luck was with us. We ford
ed the stream without mishap and
soon came in sight of Peru. John
D. Maxwell, who built the car and
who lived in Peru, said must have
been exploring Eel river.
"At Peru we located a bicycle
shop and replenished our gasoline
supply, then went on our way 10 Ko-
komo, arriving there about 3 p. m.
"Apperson Bros. were then in
!. their own Liant and I drove directly
to the shop and hunted up Elmer
Apperson. Seeing my auto toys
cap veil and dust-he asked how
had come and when I said 81
drove he exclaimed: We'll I'll be
ID
1--WE figured that we had driven
1873 miles in about eight hours run
ming time. I think I'm safe in say
ing that no women were making
trips of such distance by themselves
at that time"