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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 19, 1915)
TTTE SUNDAY OREGONIAJT, PORTLAND, SEPTEIBER 19, 1915.' 7 AUTO PARTY FINDS COOS ROADS GOOD F. L. Buck, S. B. Webb and Families Make Unusual Trip I of 1224 Miles in Oregon. NATURE'S WONDERS SEEN Crater Lake, Bend Country, Lava Beds, Mountains and Willam ette Valley Tour Gives De lightful Diversion. DiJ you know Coos County has fine roads? F. Ij. Buck, Deputy Clerk of-the United States District Court, says so, and he had plenty of opportunity, on a 1224-mile automobile tour just com pleted, to compare Coos County road with those in other parts of the state. For variety the trip taken by Mr. and Mrs. Buck, their baby, and Mr. Buck's brother-in-law, S. B. "Webb, of Salem, Mrs. Webb and the two Webb children. Just about outranks any trip take'n by Portlanders in Oregon this year. Carried by Mr. Buck's four-cylinder, five-passenger 1915 Mitchell and Mr. Webb's six-cylinder 1914 Mitchell road ster, the vacationists traveled through the Willamette Valley to Eugene, thence across the McKenzie Pass to Sisters. Bend and La Pine and later through Crater Lake National Park and then to all interesting points in the Coos Bay country before returning home. "We left Portland Saturday. August 14. for Salem." said Mr. Buck upon his return. "The groceries and other provisions necessary for camping out were purchased there and placed in the storage boxes especially con structed to fit the running boards of each car. Party Camps on McKenzie. "Leaving Salem Sunday, we jour neyed south via Independence and Cor. vallis to Eugene. Then we proceeded east from Eugene and camped that night on the McKenzie River near Leaburg. After several days camping on the McKenzie, the trip was con tinued on up over the McKenzie Pass and down to Sisters. "The trip over the pass was rough, and in places looked almost impassably. Kearing the summit, the grades in crease, varying from 30 to 40 per cent, with many sharp and dangerous curves and hairpin turns, calling for slow and careful driving. In some of the steeper parts the surfacing of the road is gone, leaving rough, jagged lava rock and large boulders which collect their toil from the tires. The lava beds on the summit, which are several miles across, are wonderful. Great piles of lava meet the eye in every direction, and here and there a scrub pine tree, bent and dwarfed, is struggling for existence. Canyonit Are Numerous. "This expanse of lava Is not 'Smooth, but has many canyons and hills, in dicating that the eruption which cast it there must have showered it in great volume. In the distance, hills with some signs of life on them seem to piece this lava bed. There is no lava on their summits, but it is clear around them nearer their base. Cross ing this bed on an August afternoon is almost like visiting the inferno, and the pine trees and sand just beyond are welcomed, although, to an Ore gonian accustomed to the Willamette Valley, Dame Nature could imprbve that country considerably and yet it would not compare favorably with this side of the mountain. "After passing the summit and going down to Sisters water is scarce and the price of gasoline advances. We carried 25 gallons of gasoline in five gallon sealed tins, as well as a five gallon can of water for emergency. We preferred the hotel at Sisters rather than camping in the sand, and found space in a blacksmith shop, after the horseshoes and nails had been swept in a corner, in which to store our cars. Slaters-Bend Trip Delightful. "We left for Bend early the next morning, where we breakfasted. The trip from Sisters to Bend in the early morning was delightful. Lots of jackrabbits entertained us with bursts of speed. "Some of them were Just hatched, while others had been on the turf sev eral seasons and had grown to good proportions. But they all had the fourth speed ahead, and when those bunnies with the long wheelbase put her in high they certainly burned the breeze. Now and then one more bold than the others would hesitate, and, as a rule, he who hesitated was lost, as each machine carried some artillery. "After breakfasting at Bend, we went to the Standard Oil plant and tpok on gasoline at 17 cents per gallon. We still had our extra gas in the sealed tins. Leaving Bend, we went south via La Pine and Crescent, through miles of pine trees and sand mixed with al kali dust. While in the vicinity of La Pine and still in the timber, with no signs of life, and the only thing that indicated life ever had been there was the dusty road, we came across a large sign suspended across the i road from the trees with these wordi: u. s. com missioner, mile,' and a hand indicat ing east. How anyone could find him in such an out-of-the-way place was a mystery to us, but we presumed those in need of the official were directed to keep on going down the road until they saw his sign, and then go another half mile, which we found were at time full measure in Central Oregon. Town Not Recoigniaed. "We tried to make the town of Crater before dark, and according to our guide book and speedometer, we were to reach there at about 7 o'clock, but it was not recognized. We continued on a few miles, looking for both Crater and water. Not finding either, we put back to a schoolhouse which we later learned was the town of Crater, where we felt sure we could get water, and after finding some and filling the water bags and radiators, decided we had bet ter camp for the night. Not having drinking water, we left the main road for a ranch about a mile away, It was just dark when we arrived. The woman of the house said we could get supper there, and the rancher permitted us to sleep in the barn. After supper 1 backed my car up alongside the barn and suspended the trouble light in the haymow which was left burning all night in order to scare away the mice and rats which frightened the young eters. "After rollcall in the morning we packed up for a dash to a spring miles away where we got good water and had breakfast. Then we went on to the Sand Creek road and followed it up the east side of the mountain to Crater Lake. Kature'a Wonders Viewed. "Coming to Crater Lake from the east permits the tourist to view the canyon and the pinnacles which are two of nature's wonders. After passing the pinnacles we had a short visit with the Government agent, leaving with him a dollar per car for the privilege of putting the cars over the roads in the Crater Lake National Park. We lunched beside a pure mountain stream. the water of which was . eo cold it fained th'e hands. "On arriving at Crater Lake in the afternoon, we saw the original of so many paintings. It is a grand sight, and one worth the trip to anyone. Leaving Crater Lake, we - came down the mountain as far as Prospect and camped there in an orchard, arriving in Medford August 22. We stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Elliott, my mother-in-law, a few days, and then came north to Brockway, where we took the Camas Valley . wagon road to Myrtle Point, going on to Bandon via Coquille. Doe and Fanni Seen. "After leaving Brockway and get ting well up in the mountains, the road came out close to an old clearing, probably, made by some homesteader, and just inside the dilapidated picket fence stood a doe and two fawns. They did not seem at all frightened, and we stopped our machine to look at them. They watched us intently about five minutes. Then the doe started out of the clearing with a slow swinging gait followed closely by the fawns. They only went a short distance in the brush and then stopped. We waited a short time thinking perhaps the buck would put In his appearance, but evidently he had met his fate or else was too wise to make his appearance just at that time. We would have been, glad to have seen him. "The scenery at Bandon is more beautiful than that of any Oregon beach I have seen, the coast line being B9- rugged and there being so many FIELD DRAWS AGENCY Portland Declared Distributing Center of Northwest. RURAL ATTITUDE IS FACTOR Oldsmobile Branch Is Located Here as Result of Central Location and Shipping Facilities; Office Is at Couch and BroadTvay. v Why was the Northwest branch agency for the Oldsmobile automobile located in Portland recently? Because W. W. Stillson, its manager, after a painstaking study of the field determined that Portland, on account of its central location and the excel lent shipping facilities that it affords. ready I am taking orders for our new all weather top. ' "The new Winter top can be mounted on a car in lieu of the regular touring top in almost no time, thus converting the open touring into a snug limousine at small expense. This top has most of the accepted ear-marks of a limou sine, the interior being finished off in a fine cloth with a dome light In the center and the exterior in weather proof material." CAR GOES 419 MILES IX DAY Cadillac Auto Makes . Record for Traveling Ordinary Roads. - "Racing cars have covered 500 miles on a paved track in something like six hours, but it is doubtful if any stock car ever covered, in one day, and over ordinary roads, the distance recently recorded a Cadillac Eight in New England, says H. M. Covey, Portland Cadillac distributor. "This car made a trip from Providence, R. X, to Fran conia Notch, N. H., and return, 419 miles, in one day of driving. "The trip to the Notch from Provi dence was made in faster time than the return. The distance is 200 miles, and the car was at the Notch 350 minutes after leaving Providence. At times, the speedometer registered 67 miles an hour. Early in the run, fog was encountered: and throughout the LATEST FOUR-CYLINDER MODEL GRACES NEW HOME OF OLDSMOBILE CAR. h-- :; - . m?t-2 " ' y:K7wlIZrf " v J X MANAGER W. W. STILLSON AND FOUR "FRIEXDS" IN NEW MODEL OK FIRST CAR THAT EVER I CAME TO PORTLAND. gigantic rocks so close In shore. We found Bandon to be a hustling little town, situated right at the mouth of Coquille River, and several fair sized vessels were then lying at the docks. We stayed at the hotel that night, but prepared our breakfast on the beach. The cream obtained at. Bandon makes Portland's blue-ribbon cream look and taste like skimmed milk. In the vicin ity of. Bandon are miles of pasture land and hundreds of fine looking jer sey cows, and that explained why the cream was so rich. - v Cm Roads Are Fine. "The roads in Coos County are fine. The trip from Coquille to Bandon, a distance of 30 miles, was made over a quite narrow road most of the dis tance, but frequent places for passing have been provided. On returning to Coquille from Bandon, we came toward Myrtle Point six miles then turned north and crossed over to the Coos Bay Wagon Road, returning to Roseburg that way. While that road is much better than the Camas Valley road, there are a good many dangerous places and sharp turns on the edge of the bluffs. "Fequently we had to stop and either back up or let the other fellow do the backing, and when that is done for a quarter-mile or so along a high bluff with a rocky wall and a swift stream below waiting for you if you go over the edge, you feel that if ever you get out of it alive, you will pick a better road the next time. "We made the trip from Bandon well up the mountain toward Roseburg in one day. Camped along the east fork of the Coquille River part of the next day and arrived in Roseburg that night. The next day we ran down to Salem, and on the, day following, re turned to Podtland. The speedometer on my car regis tered 1224 miles, averaging a little bet ter than 14 miles to the gallon of gasoline. Generally speaking, the roads were good, but in some places, they were bad. The best time made was 45 miles per hour. While cross ing McKenzie Pass, it was 2J,i miles per hour. Of the four practically new. tires, only one blew out, and its mate along with it is ready for the discard There were no punctures and no en gine trouble." Maxwell Wins Climb. Driven by Charles Bourii, of Mani towoc, Wis., a 1916 Maxwell touring car won the Maribel Caves hill climb from a large fleld, being the only one of the contestants to beat seven min utes in the ascent of the steep, long grade. is the logical distributing point for the entire Northwest. The new home of the Oldsmobile, on the southwest corner of Couch street and Broadway, is not in a strict sense a factory branch, although it affords full Oldsmobile service and houses an adequate supply of parts. On August 1, S. F. Seager. one of the founders of the Olds Motor Works and the man who made the Olds gas engine, and Captain H. D. Ryus, formerly man ager of the Oldsmobile branch at Los Angeles, formed a $500,000 corporation and took over the selling rights on the Oldsmobile for the entire Pacific Coast. Branch Opened at Once. Immediately they dispatched W. W. Stillson, who for the past year and a half had been looking after the Olds mobile wholesale business for the en tire Pacific Coast, to Portland to open up a branch for the territory embracing all of Oregon, Washington and North ern Idaho. Before affiliating himself with the Oldsmobile Mr. Stillson served in the southwestern part of the coun try as factory representative consecu tively for the Pierce-Arrow, Harmon and Chalmers companies. ' The Portland office includes a ground floor and a basement each 50 by 65 feet in area. The salesroom, in the corner of the building, has capacity for four cars and for the administrative of fice. At the rear of the ground floor is the shop and tbe garage. The stock is kept in the basement. Retail as well as wholesale business will be handled from the Portland of fice and both the four cylinder and eight cylinder types of the new models are now in Portland. The Oldsmobile was the first automobile to be handled in Portland. Way back in 1904, or thereabouts, Harry L. Keats, the-pres-ent Chalmers dealer, left the bicycle business to become Portland's first au tomobile dealer. And now Mr. Stillson, as the representative of a half million dollar corporation on this Coast, is renting floor space from Mr. Keats in the Keats building. Attitude In Country is Factor. "Before locating the Oldsmobile of fice at Portland I satisfied myself that the people of Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho would rather look to Portland to transact their business than look to Seattle," said Mr. Stillson be hind his pleasant smile yesterday. "And so here we are. "The 1916 eight Oldsmobile and the new four are both being marketed in two and five passenger sizes. Later in the season we will be able to furnish different types of enclosed body. Al- trip mountain roads of fair quality were traversed. "On 'the return, the same roads were traversed for the main part, but sev eral detours were made to pass through towns not included in the route taken on the trip north from Providence, which accounts for the greater distance of the run back to Providence. The car was driven the entire distance by A. J. Feltham. of Providence, and car ried six passengers." Gossip Along the Row l N automobile man well known on r the Pacific Coast L. J. ("Joe") Oilier, has become vice-president ii charge of sales of the Studebaker Corporation of America, to succeed E. R. Benson, who resigned his place soon after complet ing a tour of the country that included Portland in its itinerary. Mr. Oilier was a prominent figure in the "bike" business on the Pacific Coast before the dawn of the century. Sub sequently, after drifting Into the auto mobile business, he was made manager tor the Studebaker interests at Los Angeles and made that branch the leading office of the Company. Soon he was snapped up as sales manager at the factory and now he has stepped one rung nearer the top of the ladder, R. T. Hodgkins has been made sales manager in Mr. Ollier's place, and others to be promoted as a result of the change are W. T. Bush, formerly manager of the Canadian ractory, and U. Li. Williams. From Puget .Sound P. W. Vogler, president of the Northwest Auto Com pany, writes to his headquarters at Portland that the Seattle and Tacoma agencies have each ordered 150 Reos for their city trade alone. ' No less a dignitary than T. J. Toner, of San Francisco, the "boss" of the Maxwell interests in the West, was in Portland last week discussing the popularity of the Maxwell "Wonder Car' with Northwest Manager La Casse and C. L. Boss, the local dis- triDutor. In summarizing the trend of events in automobile production the current issue of Motor Age says that the 1916 models are characterized by reduced prices. V-type eight and 12-cylinder cars, decreased weight, increased ca pacity and improved bodies. C. H. Williams, manager of the Ore gon branch of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, left last week for PRETTY ACTRESS FINDS OLD FRIEND IN PORTLAND. MISS LEONE AT THE WHEEL OF A CADILLAC EIGHT. "It sails along like a bird." Miss Maude Leone, the popular emotional actress, was chatting behind the wheel of a new Cadillac Eight with Ollie Hemphill, of the Covey Motor Car Company. The two have long been friends. Not once was it necessary for the pretty actress to drop down from the high gear as the big eight flew over hill and dale. Miss Leone was particularly impressed, she said, with the smooth motion of the car. "The views from Portland Heights and Terwilliger boulevard are the finest bits of scenery on the Coast," she said. "When it comes time for me to leave the stage I'm going to settle in Portland in one of those 'squashed down' bungalows with a garage big enough to hotere one of these eight-cylinder cars." "The Wonder Car 1916 The Maxwell has lowered all economy records for: 1st Miles per set of tires.4 2d Miles per gallon of gasoline. 3d Miles per quart of lubricating oil 4th Lowest year-in-and-year-out repair bills The Maxwell earned a victory over 40 other cars in an impartial test made by the Yale University Sheffield Scientific School. In the test made by the Yale professors, the Maxwell averaged 33.2 miles to a gallon of gasoline at 19.8 miles an hour, with a correspondingly low record for consumption of lubricat ing oil. We have them qn hand and can now make deliveries, but the Pacific Coast territory is oversold at the present time 800 cars more than their factory allotment. Price, including electric starter and all equipment, $655 F. 0. B. Detroit. C. L. BOSS & CO. 615-617 Washington Street, Portland Akron, O., where he will spend four or five weeks at the Goodyear factory. Mr. Williams doesn't yet know the significance of his visit, as he went in answer to meager telegraphic instruc tions. His Portland friends, are fear ing that he may be promoted to a fac tory position or to some other branch post. J. C. Braly, the Franklin distributor in this territory, is in the East on a 10 days' visit to the Franklin factory at Syracuse. N. Y. He is trying to hurry along the delivery of several carloads of Franklins. NEW GOOD YEA It TTRE LAUDED Branch Manager Explains Ideals Followed in Manufacture. "We cannot help bragging just a little about the success that has greeted our new tire in the 30x3 and 30x3 sizes." says C. H. Williams, branch manager, the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. "The owners of cars using those sizes and that type tire are just as much entitled to freedom from tire trouble as users of larger tires and Goodyear has spared no pains in work ing out an ideal tire for the particular service in mind. Before putting out our 1915 type 30x3 and 30x3 4 tires we gave them the severest possible tests in jitney bus and similar service, and found that the usual tire troubles had been overcome. "The new 30x3 is 20 per cent larger than formerly and the 30x3 U tire 18 per cent larger. There is an extra ply of fabric around the bead, and extra rubber above the bead. to prevent water from working into the tire fabric. We use four plies of fabric the strong, enduring kind, that goes into our larger tires whereas many other makers use only the three plies. And our tubes for these tires are a triumph, too." Big Business for Starters. An output of 400 self-starter systems for Ford cars every day and still more to come Is reported by Gray & Davis, Inc.. of Boston. Mass.. in a bulletin to Hughson & Merton, Pacific Coast ageiits. The company's business is now running around $5,000,000. an increase of 20 per cent over 1914, and in large measure the requirements of the Ford cars are responsible, as the self-starter manufacture is a big part of the com pany's business. The factory announces that within a few weeks, on completion of a new metal-treating building, pro duction of Ford self-starters will riso to 500 a day. Tires Studied in Classrooms. G. W. Hobbs, professor of automo bile engineering at the University of Wisconsin, said recently: "That the au tomobile industry occupies a prominent place among the industries of the country is shown by the fact that sev eral of our leading universities of learning have Inaugurated courses in automobile engineering. Complete lec tures covering the construction and methods of preparing the raw material are given and illustrated by the actual tearing down of sections of Marathon Angle Tread Tires." 1 OEEflRDTH ROADSTER The beauty of this roadster will grow on you the longer you look at it. At any angle from which you study it, you will search in vain for a single harsh line or curve. Your first impression is one of substantial propor tions, grpat staunchness and strength. It has all of these qualities in a high degree. But it weighs only 2150 pounds, and this lightness of weight adds wings to the powerful motor. The body is all-steel not steel on a wood frame, but steel throughout You discover one of the advantages of this elimi nation of useless wooden framework when you come to examine the storage space at the rear. There is room there for an extraordinary equipment for two luggage space for a continental tour, if you like. As you can see, the finish is lustrous, fast and beautiful. The seats are unusually wide and deep, and everything is at your finger's tips a half an arm's length away. A roadster in all that the word implies designed to carry two people with all the comfort their hearts can desire. Dodge Brothers. Detroit The price of the car complete is $785 f.o.b. Detroit Covey Motor Car Co. Washington at 21st