The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-09-24
Observations
Length of South
America Planned
For Auto Tour
BY Everett A. 5auman

BUENOS AIRES-UP-An epic
automobile trip from cape Horn
10 Catacas-the length OF the South
American continent will be under.
taken IN November by the four
Maillo brothers famous drivers
who have already made world head
lines with their drive from BuenoS
Aires 10 New York City in 1904.
The aim Of the Mailos is to prove
10 the world that automobile traf-
fc from one end of the South
American continent to the other Is
now practicable. Starting out from
Wind-swept TERRA del Fuego, the
four brothers will guide their 1910
two-dc6t Plymouth over the barren
Patag0uian deserts north to Buenos
Aires and thence by an excellent
highway across Argentina and the
Andes 10 Santiago Chile Recl!mh-
ing the Andes, they will go next
10 La Paz. Bolivia, and then 10 Ii
ma. Peru. one OF the toughest legs
OF their trip From Lima they con-
tinue due north 10 Bogota and then
west Ivy a new road linking the
Colombian capital with CARACAS
On tie northward trip the four
brothers will take a trailer which
will he left behind, however, on the
return trip.,when the Maillos hope
10 hans up the amazing record OF
only geo hours over 1l.l50 bilom-
eters q mountain and desert lying
betwsra Caracas and Buenos Aires.
The 900 hours, they explain. will be
time spent in driving. not the total
length OF their trip.
Permits for special gasoline al
loWanCes in the countries through
which they will travel are being
secured for the Mailos by the La
Plata Cultural and Sports Institute.
which IS sponsoring the trip. BY
use Of a special tourist garnet.
issued by the Argentine Automobile
club. he four brothers also hone
that 70 will be possible 10 reduce
frontie" and customs formalitieS
10 m nimum They expect to reach
CahacaS some time in January and
SET out on their return trip in Feb
ruary.
None OF the Maillo brothers is a
professional mechanic. Three are
merchants. and the fourth a news.
paperman, in their native city OF
La PLAZA Since youth, however.
they have been intensely interest
ed in automobiles and devoted their
spare time to a study OF engines
Today, all four are experts in au-
tomob'!e repairs. They were I'M
known in the local automobile
world when they began their IA
nous drive to New York. for the
first tine. in 1887. This attempt
met with disaster in the Peruvian
mountains A road all the way
from La Paz northward 10 Lima
was nOneXistent at that time. To
ford treacherous mountain streams,
the brothers had to recruit as many
as 400 Indians from neighboring
tribes. They scaled road-less noun
tain ridges by literally pushing
their ear over the top. The broth
ers got across the Andes. but their
car was a wreck. and they returned
10 Bu5noS Aires.
In October. 1910. the brothers set
out again. this time with more
luck Seven months and 10 DAYS
later they were driving down New
York's Fifth Ave. With the excep-
ton Of the stretch on the Panaman-
ian peninsula north to Cristobal-
impa ssable jungle country-the
brothers made the entire trip over
land Leaving New York on July
29. 1871. they were back in Buenos
Aires on November Is OF the same
year.
In 1871, the Argentine Automo-
bile Club announced that a Grand
Prize OF South America race would
be held between Buenos Aires and
Caracas. The feat had TO be post
poned. however. because OF the
Peruyian-Ecuadorian border incl
dent and the outbreak OF the war
with Japan. There was great pub
lie disappointment because the trial
could not be effected. for it was
felt that the race might stimulate
a food OF iuter-American tourism.
Test OF the continent-long road
way, however. Will now be made by
the Maillo brothers.