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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (July 21, 1918)
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN. PORTLAND, JULY 21, .1918. BARLOW TRAIL IS THE BARLOW TRAIL OVER THE CASCADES VIA GOVERNMENT CAMP IS NOW OPEN TO TRAVEL, AS THIS FORD BUG, PILOTED BY RALPH J. SlAlSnLi, UiiBIOIMSTKATIiD LAST WlSLJi BY MAKING THE RUN FROM THE CAMP TO WAPINITIA IN FIVE HOURS' TIME. CQJBlJRIrl T NOW OPEN OAUTOS j Ralph J. Staehli Goes' Over It j in Ford Bug With Bad Tires in Five Hours. BOAD FOUND PRETTY GOOD Srachlnes Going Over Every Day and No One Reports Trouble, Trail, Due to Mild Winter, Being Better Than Last Year. . This Is & etory of faith, three "bum" tires and gasoline and oil. Also a Ford "bug," real mountain roads and parts of Oregon that must ever be Classed AS snmA nf thA mrmt wnndnrfnl j mountain scenery In the country. It Is me etory of a trip over the Barlow l trail from Portland to Waplnltla and Bend and thence back to Portland through the McKenzle Pass. Cars are mighty ecWce - these days and around an automobile agency any thing that will stand on all fours Is kept handy for the man who comes In and wants immediate delivery. Still, Uel Wright wanted to know how the road over the Barlow trail to Eastern Oregon really was and what, advice to give folks who called at the William L. Hughson Company regarding the routes to the country east of the moun tains. So he looked through the garage and decided that about the only thing that might not be wanted right on the min ute was a Ford "bug." In the first place, it was too hot for most people to travel in anything without a top. In the second place well, just because. Even Money on the Bag. It was even money around the shop. Borne said the "bug" would get over the mountain, and some said the roads and all would never let it by. But, with faith firmly seated at the wheel and knees showing up over the top of the armor-like cowl, the start Was made. In one or two spots even then the tires on the front wheels showed where the fabrio was getting the wear. i Leavinar Portland bv wav of the I Base Line road and swinging over to Gresham, the road through bandy and Cherryvllle vwas found in fair shape for this time of the year. It was somewhat cut up and sometimes it led the party to wonder if the Marmot road would not have been the better. But, in any event, the three "bum" tires and the Ford got to Rhododen dron. Information about the Barlow trail generally was lacking. Five machines, all from Los Angeles, which had toured through Central Oregon and had Jiret come 'over the trail, said -The Hughson party would never make it with the little rig. There were many ups and downs, hard rocky grades and tnany rough miles. Over the Trail tn Five Honrs. But, not a bit deterred, another start was made and, leaving Rhododendron at 8 o'clock Sunday morning. Govern ment camp was reached before 10. Here another party consisting of Mr. and Mrs. C. S. Hudson and Mr. and Mrs. Archie Whisnant, of Bend, had just ar rived from the other side. They had found the road fair and had crossed through in less than five hours, trav eling in the early evening and after dark. The Ford, piloted by Ralph X Staehli, advertising representative of the Will iam L. Hughson Company, made the trip over the trail from Government Camp in about five hours, and. In all. found hardly more rough road on the east side of the mountains than there is on the west aide as far as Govern' ment Camp. From Government Camp the road skirts the edge of the timber and is well defined and no rougher than any typical mountain road. Soon the descent begins and for a mile or r bo the trail runs acros a beautiful up land meadow that presents a wonder ful picture of Mount Hood in the crys tal clear mountain air. - The many high centers and stumps that only a year or two ago made the road a treacherous one for all but the most adept driver, says Mr. Staehli, have been worn away. Another thing that left the road in better condition this year was the mild Winter. There have been no deep washes and the road is practically as good today as it usu ally Is at the end of a Summer's driv ing. Meadow Lake m Beauty. Larger cars are said to bs making the trip in from three and a half to four hours without a bit of trouble, Finally Meadow Lake is reached, a hallow body of water as clear as a tub of Bull Run and with some fish of huge size occasionally sending up a spray of diamonds as they cavort in Its shallow depths. From there on, there is only 'one more stretch of road that presents any troublesome features. That is a grade about a mile long, parts of which are 20 per cent. A good many cars boll as they make this climb, but' plenty of water along the road does not make it necessary to take water along. wnen tne top or this hill was reached, Stoehli felt that the "bug" with the three bum tires had won, for from there on the road was really bet ter than the average from Portland to Government Camp and the delightful drive through the timber, which here occasionally shows the red trunk of a yellow pine, more than compensates for the occasional bumping that some obstreperous root gives the rig. Soon the road is almost like a paved highway and winds in and out among the timber, which now is entirely pine. For short stretches deep ruts and badly cut surface hinder progress, but there is nothihg to be feared. This type of road leads practically all the way to Wapinitia. There came one of those surprises that compensate us for living. Roads Pretty Good. Bum tires and all were forgotten by the party when a hostess who has opened a small inn recently to take care of motorists who have traveled far. put on the table a grand spread. But the grandeur of the meal was only nan tne story. The biggest surprise was a charge of only half a dollar. From Wapinitia the road to The Dalles or to Shaniko is said to be in fine shape. Mr. Staehli anr the Ford. however, went the other way, turning south from Wapinitia overhe Warm fprinss Indian Reservation. Roads throughout Central Oregon were found in splendid shape for motor travel and in no place excessively dusty or sandy. Everywhere the traveler who has not Veen over the road for a year or two sees where obstacles have been re moved and a curve here and a bad place there ironed out. The road is still far from being a boulevard, but an ordinary driver with a fair car can make Bend easily in six or seven hours. The trip on the grade to the Warm Eprings River still has its thrills an good brakes are essential. Geologl cally the country is one of great inter est. The traveler as he passes through the canyon3 sees bright colorings in " Jit 'r c- -r--""& ..rr. 'i w -zur -. . m t If. .fl&t.i?ZA.-,r. ' .,.-. . srtfi&s $ tin (vj .-.j ,v-l-- " - f' fv I; if r'v.1' -- .'C-:?r ' . 'li . .--(0!'7? Jf.i - W . r :':: : jr4-.-.-x ? i- Ifl : . . .-'v.-- v T.i- , -tali's. W L : rTS After Crossins; the Honatalu en the Barlow Trail, Staehli and His Bnir Returned by Way of MeKenste Pass. -1 Tn, of the Three Slaters and Section et Lava Field as Seen From McKeude Pass Road. 2 Mount Hood From Meadow on Barlow Trail Aboat Mile Beynna Government Camp. 3 Interesting Lava Formations Sear Warm Springs Agency on Central Oregon Highway. 4 A Waterhole Along th Barlow Trail. the walla where erosion has laid bare the strata ot. the earth. There are layer after layer, first of solid rock, then gravel, then lava, then soil, then alkali, then volcanic ash, only to re peat the order several times in the limb from the bed of the river to the rim more than 1000 feet high. Those Tires Still Gains;. Faith was rapidly gaining over the occasional appearances of doubt and when the three bum tires had reached the top of the Mecca grade-and the Ford was taking it all "on high" the party was as good as back home. Nev ertheless, there had been some real tire-tryers on the trip and when Del Wright saw the pictorial evidence on the party's return he decided to tell any friends of his to be sure to take along a good supply. of blowout patches and spare tubes. From Mecca.lo Bend, through Madras and Redmond, traveling is all very good, with roads in splendid shape. The trip up to the McKenzle Pass from Bend was made without a bit of trouble, the stripped car passing over the sand without hesitancy. No car should have trouble if the driver will let a little air out of his tires, especially the rear ones, to give greater surface over the worst part. The road over the pass, especially the lava fields, is still one that tries rubber to the Quick and the scenery had to be enjoyed with fingers crossed as the three bum- tires crossed ridge after ridge of jagged rock. Further along the Forestry Department has done some splendid work, but a car with its rear end out from under it told the story of steep grades and trouble encountered in trying to come from West to East. Many Machines Met. Travel over the pass and all through this scenic portion of Oregon 1 heavy, and especially in Central Oregon they are seeing three times as many ma chines this year as they ever saw be fore. California seems to have come to Oregon In a body and at every hotel down the road from north to south parties from the state to the south were named on the register. Many of these, finding that the Co lumbia Highway still is closed, cross the mountains without hesitation and none as yet has reported the least trouble, which is both a tribute to the condition of the road and the fact that cars sent out by the manufacturers in the East are finally meeting the de mands, of the service that the West ex pects of them. The McKenzle country was full of campers. Tents and machines were seen every little way. The road down the west side from Salem and the east side from Eugene was roiiowea ana round good for the most part. Here, too, auto travelers were met at every turn, with bundles of blankets and tents and a tonneau full of accessories that go with life on the wheel. Wednesday morning bets were cashed, for the Ford "bug" and the three bum tires rolled into the garage of the William L. Hughson Company with the original air in the casings. The trip was in a measure vindication of the arguments of those young chaps who run around the streets with less than half a car, for this car-with all the weight stripped off covered the 450 miles over roads worse than which there are none in Oregon, with a sur prisingly small consumption of gas and on tires that Mister Careful Motorist would hesitate about driving around his own block. In more ways than one the trip provedthat all that part of America which can possibly do it gets" on wheels somehow or another. Just this side of Harrlsburg was a case that proved this point. The license on a machine camped for the night showed it to be from Wash ington and a pennant indicated Tacoma. Tied to the rear of the automobile was an old "sea-going" hack of the kind that the leading banker used to have. Many a good Sobbin would have turned over in his grave to see a finely-built Fischer hack tied to the rear end of the gasoline usurper. The outfit carried nine persons. Near Eugene another party was go ing to a picnic and the shortage of automobiles was overcome- by tying a discarded horsedrawn hotel bus to one of the motor cars. BRISCOE CHIEF WON W. H. Wallingford Keeps Port land on Auto Map. USED-GAR FIRM FORMED L. G. RAILSBACK AND T. T. EILLER IN BUSINESS FOR SELVES. Used-Car Salesmen for Western Motor Car Sales Company Boy Acme Anto Company. A new used-car firm was established In Portland last week when L, "G. Rallsback and T. T. Hiller bought out the Acme Auto Company, at S31 Alder street, and announced that they would be open for business at once with good used. cars.. . Both Mr. Rallsback and Mr. Hiller are experienced used-car automobile men. Mr. Rallsback has been for the past six months in charge of the used- car department of the Western Motor Car Sales Company, Chalmers dlstrib utora. Mr. Hiller has been with him in the used-car department there. They expect to do a lars-e business in used cars in good condition. GOODYEAR AD CHIEF VISITOR Ii. Jj. Kins; in Portland From Akron, O., on Tour of Coast. L. L. King, manager of the advertis ing department of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, was in Portland last 'week from Akr.on, O., in the course of a tour of the West and the Pacific Coast. While here he visited with John A Leatherraan. manager of the Port land branch of the company. . Mr. King says the remarkable strides made in fast truck transportation in the East have been made possible by the development of the pneumatic tire for trucks, which was first brought out by Goodyear. The possibilities of fast motor transport, he says, have only been tapped. Much exploration work in this field is being done by the Good year Tire A Rubber Company, which regularly operates a fast truck fleet between Akron and Boston. Mr. King is much pleased with Portland and its touring roads, and predicts a big field Here lor last motor truck service. DIRECTORS ARE CONVINCED ; With Output Limited by War Condi tions, Briscoe Dealer Organiza tion Reduced to 11, of Wbom Wallingford la Made One. All because W. H. Wallingford went East three weeks ago, and while there took a trip to the Briscoe factory at Jackson, Mich., to see what could be done about giving him more Briscoe cars for the Oregon territory, the Bris coe business in the United States is to be handled by 11 distributors Instead another meeting. Mr. FIndlater put the case before them quite stron.it ly. and the board voted to take care of 11 distributors for the coming year in stead of the 10 agreed upon previous ly, and to make Mr. Wallingford the 11th distributor. Big Allotment Promised. More than that, he was promised 500 cars for the year ending next July 1. A shipment of several carloads of Briscoes is now en route. Inasmuch as the distributors have now been lim ited to 11. Mr. Wallingford Is pretty sure he will get the 500 cars all right. He would be glad if he could get .dou ble the number. With Mr. Wallingford added to the list, the Pacific Coast will have three of the 11 distributors: those at Port land, Seattle and Los Angeles, San Francisco being eliminated though the parts depot there will be maintained. The next nearest distributing point is Denver, and the next beyond that Kan sas City. Mr. Wallingford, who is also die trlbutor here for the Premier and Lib erty, visited those factories also while East. He found them both consider ably hampered in output by difficulty in obtaining certain units, but makini some cars. However, they could prom lse him nothing definite as to future deliveries. Many big manufacturers of motor cars, otherwise well stocked with ma terials, are having great difficulty, Mr. Wallingford says, in getting some llt- v 1 in ' ' . ,1a ,ni, 1 lj- m .n n tn. aaa-b vw a That sounds startling, and Mr. TTil- , ""', . j a a i, ii . u- ... I turn out a completed car. He told lingford found it fully so. - He was never more startled than when he ar rived at the factory and found that. due to curtailment in production on ac count of the war, the Briscoe directors had just voted to cut down their deal er organization to 10 dealers for the whole country. Their point of view was that it would be a lot better both for the Briscoe and for the distributors themselves for the factory to give plenty of cars to 10 live dealers representing different sections of the country, than to try to spread a limited output among many dealers, none of whom would get enough cars to keep his organization going. ' - Wallingford Goes to Bat. But what nA.rtluln.rlv Interested Mr. Wallingford was to find that" both Portland and San Francisco had been slated for decapitation, the Briscoe di rectors, at the instance of Sales Man ages FIndlater, having decided to con centrate their Pacific Coast business in Los Angeles and Seattle. Mr. Wllllngford arrived on ta scene just after all this had been decided. Everybody was very, very sorry, but wfiat could be done? Well, Mr. Wallingford has overcome some pretty stiff obstacles in his day. He has learned that the man who never gives up doesn't have to give up. He went to bat right there. He put up his case to Mr. FIndlater, laying all his cards on the table. Among other things, he laid stress on the big business he has done with the Briscoe in the Oregon territory in the few months he has been dealer here for the car, which he took on only last February at the time of the auto mobile show In Portland. The upshot of It all was that Mr. FIndlater became "sold" to Mr. Wal lingford. The board of directors held CONNOISSEUR IN AUTOS SELECTS JORDAN CAR. v . - l T.P. HO WITT AND HIS NEW JORDAN SPORT MARINES. T. P. Howitt, well-known stock buyer and commission man, has the reputation among his friends and automobile men "of being a particularly discerning and critical prospect when it comes to buying a car. He nets a new automobile every year and demands a car that will hold up under hard driving antfgive real service at all times. The other day Mr. Howitt heard that the new Jordan Sport Marine was in town and went to the showrooms of tha Mitchell. Lewis &. Staver Company at Broadway and Oak streets to have a look at it. The result was that he bought the car, though substituting wood wheels for the usual wire wheel equipment of the Sport Marine model because of the fact that he has a good deal of driving through mud to do. Mr. Howitt drives his car never less than 1000 miles a month and often as niga as ,1600 or iuu muea. . . p. , about one factory that has a whole building stored full of auto rims, and has a huge supply of most of its need ed parts, hut is limited to a very small output because of Inability to obtain one unit. M'RELL AROUND LOOP TRIP MADE TO SALEM VIA BOTH EAST AND WEST SIDES. Member of C L. Boss Automobile Com pany Says Rex-Tlgard Pavement Is Nenrly Done. Motorists wishing to drive to Salem will be agreeably surorlsed to find that most of the Rex-Tlgard road is now paved, according to R. J. McRell. of the C. L. Boss Automobile Company, who last week, with a party of friends and relatives, made the round-trio in Hudson Super-Six from Portland to Salem, going by the east side road and returning via McMlnnvlUe on the west side. To Oregon City the highway Is In good condition at present, but from there to New Era it Is only fair. From New Era south a new road is being built to eliminate the dangerous New Era hill, where many accidents have occurred. From Canby to Aurora the highway is fairly good, but badly cu up, however, thence to Salem. Between Salem and Dallas the roadbed all the way is of very good macadam. Mr. McRell drove from Dallas to McMlnnville by way of Perrydale and Sherfdan. Dust was almost hub-deeo In places. There are about three miles of paving out of Sheridan, but at Belle vue one has to detour to the left fo construction work into Gopher Hollow, then turn to the right up over a hill. which Is very rough and dusty, and back into Bellevue. From there to McMlnnville the roadbed is of good macadam. From Newberg in to . Portland -the new pavement has been completed, ex cept for about two miles. MORE HIGHWAY COXSTRTCTION Worlc of Csnyonvllle-Rlddle Section to Be Started Soon. KIDDLE Or., July 10. (Special.) Another stretch of the Pacific High way soon is to be begun between Can yonvllle and Riddle, and this will al most complete the road work Riddle was to do in order that the highway would come by way of Riddle. This piece of road is on the Bollenbaugh Hill between Canyonville and Riddle, and will take out a grade and some bad road. The County Court met in special ses sion at Roseburg this week to con sider the construction of the stretch of highway south of Canyonville, through Cow Creek Canyon. It was decided parts of the road would have to be cleared during the construction work, and the court ordered that it be closed to traffic between the hours of 8 A. M. and 6 P. M. The closing of this road will cause tourists considerable inconvenience temporarily, for traffic will not be al lowed to pass during those hours, and It is not possible to build a detour road. This is one' of the most diffi cult pieces on the Pacific Highway. Flush and refill rear housings; pack all grease cups; clean out muffler and remove rust from, rlma. HER1T3 the practical one-man tractor for Northwestern farmers. Eaay to control, stop or reverse all with one lever. So simple that a boy can do your plowing. Cheaper to operate, too. The HEIDER burns kerosene and saves gasoline for our Army. ,TT9"'?n"r. wr,t that he has plowed hundreds of acres with his HEIDER. using three fourteen-inch plow bottoms, and in one year has only had 40 cents worth of repairs. The HEIDER Is unlike other tractors .tn construction, and. unlike them in the extra economical arrvir It irivaa vnn niir with special friction transmission which means no gears to strip 'wer Psrta, less trouble, less chance of breakage, and lower t.w n nciui.n is tne laeai tractor suited to tne olf conditions of the Northwest. . u so Write TODAT for ear New Boek entitled, "Owners "T Se Knew the eeenomy ot owning; n HEIDER tne traeter that given yon nil yonx Meals tn one onttlt DO IT MOW I Old H Kert Boy t , Implement en In the weat. Barked by n Reps. tatlen ot S3 Yeara Scouts Plowing With a Helder Tractor. East Moreland Addi tion. Portland. Oregon. - 1 i2 p " 1111 ' 1 1 ' - I'- AUTO DIRECTORY TWIN STATES MOTOR CAR CO. 514-516 Alder St, at Sixteenth. Phone Broadway 494 Franklin offers more of "what you actually need and want in an automobile." BRALY AUTO CO. Bfaln 4880. A 3881. 19th and Washington Sta. International Motor Truck A Track for Every Pnrpese. Mannfsrtnred by Internntlenal Ilarvrstrr Com pany of Amerlcn. For Sale by Ilrnnemnn Motor Trark Company, Broadway 5eV4. Ninth and Conch streets. nnnnnensr MINUTE MAN SIX Brunn Motor Car Co, 444-46 Stark St. Phones: Broadway 2958, A 2953 MACK Trucks Capacities, 1, ltt, 2, 3tt, 5, 5 Tons. Complete Stock Kepair Parts. F. C. ATWELL, Salea Agent. Washing-ton at 21st, Tel. Mar. 440 SIXES New Light Six, $1250 Factory Mitchell, Seven-Passenger, $1525, Factory 31ITCHELL.LEWIS & STAVER CO. Broadway at Oak Oldsmobile Distinctive High Grade. Light Weight. OLDSMOBILE CO. OF OREGON Broadway and Couch Phone Broadway 2270 M0& is ready to serve your requirements with suc cess. Touring $2110. Roadster J2J40. D. G. Warren Motor Gar Co. ss-ao n. as at. MAIN 78. EIGHT CAPACITIES 4 TO 5 TONS Investigate Onr Trnetor nnd Trailer Proposition ROBERTS MOTOR CAR CO, Inc, Park at Everett St. AUTO ACCESSORIES AND PARTo AUTO ACCESSORIES AND PARTS ARCHER & WIGGINS Distributors of High -Grade Automobile Accessories SIXTH STREET AT OAK BOWSER GASOLINE and OIL TANKS STORAGE SYSTEMS FOB PtRLIO AWIl PRIVATB GARAGES. S. D. Steddara. District Sales, 71S-3U Corbett !. Mala 1476. JJroadway and Glisan Phone Bdwy. 546 The bniy battery with a definite guarantee. All makes of batteries charged and repaired. David Hodes Co. N. Broadway and Flanders. AUTOMOBILE GEARS, PARTS AND ACCESSORIES REDUCED PRICES. ENGINES A SPECIALTY AT voir worx tires TyjjT t ER AD-ON-A-TREADS (TRETCHLESS INSIDE TIRE CO 134 North Brailway. Opnnsltn New Poetofflc LOOK FOR THIS SIGN arrasr ifcaBBnaBHSBMBBassnnBal There's. an Exide Battery For Every Car THE STORAGE BATTERY CO. 348-350 Couch St. II 7500 MILES GUARAN TEED ON FORD sizes; ' Perfection Asbestos Tires Ka Innae Trends. Nn Sand Blisters. Cool or Asbnatoa Fnbrle Protection. Kept Com In and Let Ca Explain. Asrents nnd Denlern aatea. Sena for Descriptive Folders. Price, Etc TRI STATE TIRE CO, Dlstrlbntors. Tel. Brondwnr 7 Sixth St, Portlnnd. Wt Stock Them. We Repair These, We C'karie Thena. Free AdTlce nnd Inspection. ATJTO ELECTRIC EqilPMKST CO, Sixth nnd Bnrnslde Streets.