0
AutoWill Tackle Trail Where Klondikers Once Trudged
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7asA toMazeltonlOOO Miles Northward From Seattle, Being Made Oder Old Telegraph
What more do you get
if you pay more than
Ipieedwell prices?
. i Tra, Which Was Cut in 1865-1867Ftrst Auto to Undertake Trip - , -
-
Here is a specimen
of Speedwell
thoroughness
THE OREGON SUNDAY JOURNAL, PORTL AND. SUNDAY? MORNING, SEPTEMBER. .3. . 191L
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II
1912. Flandors 20 PathfindlnR car which is now breasting .wilds of British Columbia. P. E. Sands, manager
of E. M. F. Northwest company at Seattle, is shown la front seat Will F. Curtis, photographer of the
party, In tonniau. v
An international Industrial romance
of nearly half a century ago, the com
plete history of which haa never been
written and is virtually unknown to the
world's present generation is to play
an Important part In the pathfindlng
tour of the three Seattle motorists who
started out Monday. August 28, to drive
to Hazelton, B. C, a point farther north
on the American continent than any
other car had ever gone by an over
land route. '
Traveling In a Flanders "20," fully
quipped to slash their way through
the great forests In the interior of
British Columbia.' they expect to find
a material aid to their progress in what
is known as the "Old Telegraph trail."
a line that was cut northward to Hazel
ton in the years of 1865. 1866 and 1867,
in an endeavor . to place the capitals
of Europe and North America In tele
graphic communication by way of Alas
ka and Bering strait.
Hear Boundary X.lna.
Hazelton, a little town of probably
1200 lnhabltnats today, Is within 60
miles of the Alaskan boundary. It la
surrounded by mountains and forests
virtually Impenetrable, and its only com
munication with the outside world has
been by boat. For some time, the gov
ernment of British Columbia has had
funds at hand for the construction of
a highway to the town, and has hesi
tated because no practicable route could
be found.
The Pacific Highway association a
year ago offered a handsome gold medal
to the first automobile to reach the
town by the overland route, and though
several have tried, none have suc
ceeded In forcing their way through
For this reason the progress of the
Seattle car will bo watched by the
government officials of the Canadian
province and the general public of the
Pacific coast.
For. several hundred miles, from Ques
ncl to Fraser Lake and possibly most
of the remaining distance Into Hazel
ton, the Old Telegraph trail may be
found the advisable route.
History of Boad.
This relic of 46 years ago, the land
mark left by a fiasco in which the world
of those days was intensely Interested
and in which millions of dollars were
invested, may provide at least a pack
horse road and with some work by the
government may some day become a
part of an overland highway into Alas
ka. In 1865va corporation independent of
the Western Union Telegraph company,
but comprised principally of the heavy
stockholders and trustees of the lat
ter concern, was formed and capital
stock subscribed for the construction
of a telegraph line that should reach
from the cities of the east .across the
American continent, north to Alaska
and across that territory to Bering sea.
across the straits at their narrowest
point, through Siberia and thence into
Russia and the Important capitals of
Europe.
At first an effort was made to gt
the support of the Western Telegraph
Union, but a few of the stockholders
regarded it as a visionary scheme, un
practical and impossible.
, Baaaon for Xlns.
The reason for desiring this line was
that a great syndicate was at that time
engaged with more or less success In
laying the first -transatlantic' cable, and
many of the members of the telegraph
company's members feared that with
the completion of this cable, If it proved
successful, the Western Union would
lose the world's business.
The cable was being laid by the Great
Eastern, at that time the largest ship
afloat. Much trouble was experienced
and some of the Western Union's stock
holders and trustees argued that the
cable would never "make good," and
that in case it failed an effort to
string: wires overland to Europe would
be unnecessary.
The Independent company was formed,
however, and the project was pushed
forward. Telegraph lines already were
In operation to San Francisco and up
the Pacific coastkto the Puget Sound
country. These were extended by con
tractors to the Canadian boundary,,
where Colonel William Bulkley, a na
tive of the states, was plaoed in sole
charge of the enterprise through Can
ada and Alaska to Bering straits.
1000 Ken a Work.
With an army of more than 1000 men
he took up the work, 'extending the line
to New Westminster, thence' east and
north through the town of Hope and I
over the- Hope mountains,, thence along
what is now known as the old Caribou
trail. From Quesnel thej line took a
northerlv direction, past Fraser lake.
through the great Bulkley valley and up
to the village of Hazelton.
The struggles of these rugged plo
neers, their ceaseless war with the ele
ments and the Indians, the tragedies
of death and burial In unknown graves
In this wildest part of the Pacific north
west, might easily form the theme for
countless frontier stories today, though
the -difficulty of gathering data grows
constantly, for the survivors, scattered
now to all parts of the earth, are pass
ing rapidly to the beyond.
Though supplies could be carried into
the interior only flu foot or by pack
horses, great stores, worth several hun
dred thousand dollars, were gathered
by Colonel Bulkley In the valley that
bears his name, where headquarters
were established for the campaign that
was to carry the line on through Alaska.
Bqulrd Thrse Tears.
This work required almost three
years. In 1867, with vast quantities of
wire ready to be moved northward out
of Bulkley valley, and with his army
of stalwart men, thoroughly trained to
their work and inured to hardship, on
the point of starting forward from
Hazelton, word was flashed over the
wire up the Pacific coast from the east
that the Great Eastern had arrived In
port, eympleting her line of transat
lantic cable and brought the old and new
worlds within a few minutes' touch
of each other. ,
The first message had been ' flashed
across the ocean over the submarine
line and the enterprise declared suc
cessful. Colonel Bulkley was instruct
ed to drop the entire 'work of the Over
land telegraph Una. The men were dis
charged at once. The great stores of
provisions were deserted, left to the
plundering Indiana and the herds of elk,
antelope and deer that roamed the coun
try in bands of thousands.
applies Abandoned.
Hundreds of thousands of tons of
hay and grain had been plied up for
pack' horse supplies. These furnished
nourishment for the wild herds the fol
lowing winter. The thousands of tona
of wire were left where they were piled,
and with these the Indians butlt many
weird, unique things. They used them
In the construction of their houses and
built strangely shaped bridges across
the mountain streams along the well
beaten trails. Until a few years ago
many of these bridges were still to be
seen, and are described by men who have
gone over the trail Into Hazelton since
that time.
The same trail bears another histor
ical interest to the people of the United
States. It is the route that was taken
by hundreds of men who took the over
land route Into Alaska during the Klon
dike rush of 1898. Scores of lives were
lost In the snow storms at that time.
Up to the present time no one h
ever been Known to travel even aa
far as Hazelton by wagon.
Distance lOOO miles.
And yet P. E. Sands, manager of the
E-M-F Northwest company in Seattle,
who Is piloting the little Flanders "20. -on
the "First Car to Hazelton, B. G"
trip. Started out with the expectation
of reaching Hazelton in two weeks' time.
On the day of his departure he received
a message from Mayor Dllllng, of Seat
tle, to be delivered to the mayor of
Hazelton, and has been given the lm-
preanlon that his completion of the jour
ney by motor car Is now obligatory.
The distance to be covered is estimat
ed at approximately 1000 miles. Thi
fh-st .severe test of both car and men
began with .'the second day's journey.
when they entered Snoqualmie Pass, a
rugged slit through the Cascade moun
tains through which no other machine
has traveled thla year. Two days of
the most strenuous toil . were required
to take the car as far as Oold Creek,
only about three-fourths of ' the way
through the pass.
Once this road is passed the party
anticipates somewhat easier going up
through eastern Washington and Into
British Columbta as far as Quesnel.
From that point to Hazelton, about 160
miles, the nature of the route Is not
definitely! known.
CUT HOUSEHOLD'S
EXPENSE SO MY
MAY KEEP AUTOS
Tradesmen and Mechanics in
England Complain of Con
dition Since Craze for Cars
Began Among People.
Washington, Sept. J. Consul Albert
Halstead, representing the United States
at Birmingham, England, reports to the
state department his observations of the
effect of the automobile on other busl
nessesln England.
"While bringing prosperity to auto
mobile and cycle makers and to those
who deal in accessories, automobile
clothing and other articles attached
to the trade, the increased use of the
automobile in England," says the con
sul, "apparently has had a correspond
ingly detrimental effect upon some other
businesses. A leading house painter
and decorator In Birmingham complains,
for Instance, that people spend their
money for automobiles and their up-1
keep instead of for the redecoratton of
their homes, so that his business has
been seriously affected. Those who for
merly would reoaper and repaint their
Yoomi and have their houses done over
Inside at regular Intervals, now satis
fy themselves with rewhltenlng the ceil
ings and doing only such work as la
absolutely necessary to keep' property
from deterioration. People live more
in hotela and on the roads. The head
Of the largest furniture and house fur
nishing store in the Midlands confirmed
this report, stating that the furniture
trade also haa suffered; people caring
less for the attractiveness of home, de
voting their surplus money, and even
more than their surplus, to the purchase
of automobiles and their upkeep; many
purchasing motor cars without an Idea
of the cost of their maintenance and
the loss through depreciation."
Real estate agents state, according to
the report, that there is a decided ten
dency for people to take smaller houses.
spending tneir saving of rent or taxes
upon automobiles. Theatres, dealers
in musical instruments, booksellers and
even men's and women's clothiers. It is
reported, find that the motor car inter
feres somewhat with their 'businesses.
Of course, the large class whose In
comes do not warrant expenditures
either on automobiles or motor cycles.
continue to take pride in their homes,
and, says Consul Halstead, "as the Brit
ish people are home loving, the hope
and belief waa expressed that eventu
ally the present graze would subside."
LOCOMOBILE THAT WON TROPHY AT GEARHART PARK RECENTLY
lift , x S -. iA - M , V i ill
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X- -V-.-v-.;'- .v. .y.- :. -S. viW"1 ' ' l"t
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- W. F. McGregor, standing, owner of car; C. 8. Hrlgtow at wheel, who drove Car to victory '
Every detail of Speedwell construction
rings true; the. key note is Highest Ex
cellence. Take our front axles, for in
stance: the tops of our steering piVots
are provided with large Timken roller
bearings,
shown
posed i r
picture,
p
These bearings carry over half the
weight of the car, at the same time making
steering; remarkably easy a vital feature
in a car driven by a woman; Look for this
point in the car you contemplate purchas
ing. If there is no anti-friction bearing
there, it means rapid wear and hard steer
ing, and that frequent adjustment at this
point will be necessary.
The wheels themselves are mounted upon
unusually large Timken bearings.
Note further, the Speedwell method in pro
tecting the steering apparatus. The connect
ing rod between the two front wheels is placed
directly in the rear of the axle and the reach
rod, which connects the front wheels to the
steering gear, is placed above the axle. If the
car accidentally meets with some large ob
struction in the road its steering gear is per
fectly.' protected.
1912 MODELS
1S-M Betni-raotr, 8 passenger $3500
la-O Toy Tonneao, 4 passenger seas
18-D Touring Oar, B passenger fieso
13-JC Close Coupled, 6 passenger 2650
la-O Torpedo, 4 -paaseagea 8700
13-H EpeqlaJL Semi-raeer with toy tonneau, 4 pass. 3700
la-B Special. Fore-door Touring Oar, 8 pass 3750
18-r Touring Car, 7-passengr 3800
' 1B-T Special. T ore-door Touring Car, 7 pass 8900
ia-E Xdmousine, 7 psssenjqrer 3860
13-B Suck Boat, 3 passenger 8750
13-A Cruiser, 4 passenger 3500
All models have 4 cylinder, 60 H. P. motor, 36 inch
wheels, and 121-Inch wne'.-lbase Is common to all save
the Cruiser, with wheelbaae of 132 Inches.
Speedwell 12-HS. Semi-Racer with toy tdnne&u, $2700
Top, windshield and extra tire not included
T
HAT is what business men are seriously asking themselves.
There are plenty of hard-headed Americans who
do not put any limit on a purchase " price, but who do
demand value received for their money.
They are today giving car prices the sober thought that
this important subject neds.
They find in the Speedwell precisely those qualifica
tions that form the basis for much higher prices in other
cars.
As a result, cars which have heretofore sold easily
seemingly because they, were high priced are the sub
ject of pointed inquiries.
.As a further consequence, men and women everywhere
w'ho are not to be satisfied with less than the best, are
now Speedwell enthusiasts.
The Speedwell Motor Car Company, Dayton, Ohio
Speedwell Moter Co.
533 Alder Street
Portland, Oregon
C3IGHT LETEEBBB&G9
,Tfc PatWJiBlepapfc-Ctflf Camjumy (bioarponrttd) trwemite ap4 dttUsjcttlattarrmiiililRtta;
xRCCCIVSO AT'
193 ""EE, Jhr,
1 CIARKNCE M. MACkar. Pntaiaeirik
L
Detroit IMioh. 9.-1911
PLAHDERS OT2TTY again maae clean sweep awarde"d 'first aaffl
eocond all the prizes ihcre srere in h6r xjlass in ten days reliability
run Minneapolis to Helena Montana. .Hardest iaontest any light car)
Bre.t entered one thousand three hundred ninety miles over mountains
. and plains worst. :road8 in America andf tained taost every A'ay uaud 'huo
; aeep;f &iq two PIUDERS Vera onl- oara in Eer class, to finish tfi'th
, erfeof eoorea and only one' other oar of any pribe a marmon ;$700i.
linishea Derfeot. JCars penalized included packard 51:"od'ard-rdaytoL
hfcot-detroit amplex.maswell cole irit hupmobile and other 'Small jfr
&his is eeiqnd great viVtory 'for yiAHDEHS ftWZST? .'tn a. month' othe!5
teas three perfeot road ooores in Iowa Tittle glidTden no other $800
bar on eartfi can stand up with PliNDERS TWEHTY"in nard road wo r andi
Jn fhi s latest contest she went eutytrf hbr olas and jEHmme lEEe; 'fou?
thousand, dollar fellows'. ; "
E. M. F. NORTHWEST CO.
Chapman and Alder Streets
PhonevMain 5969, A 243 ;
1 1 ) i'1" ''"7 " ':'":' ':i
i uhb sttjdebaeer corporatioh' '
U-H-fciFaotoriea.. ,
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