WAUPACA RECORD LEADER

May 18, 1916

 

OCEAN TO OCEAN AUTO RACE

 

YELLOWSTONE TRAIL ASSOCIATION PROPOSES TO GIVE HIGH A TEST

 

THEY CLAIM SUPERIOR ROAD

 

To be a Real Red-Blooded Contest by Night and Day.

Yellowstone Trail Drivers, in June, 1915, Ran From Chicago to Seattle or

2640 Miles in 97 Hours and ten Minutes

 

            The Yellowstone Trail Association, an organization promoting a public highway from the Atlantic to the Pacific Coasts, with the slogan, “A Good Road From Plymouth Rock to Puget Sound,” has issued a challenge to the Lincoln Highway, a transcontinental road from New York to San Francisco, for a night and day race offering to deliver a message from the east to the west sea coast, in less lapsed time over their route than it can be done over the Lincoln Highway, the runs to be made simultaneously.  The official challenge to do this was written by General Agent, H.O. Cooley, of the Yellowstone Trail Association, from its headquarters at Aberdeen, South Dakota, to A.R. Pardintown, vice-president and secretary of the Lincoln Highway, at Detroit, Mich.

            In the letter of challenge the Yellowstone Trail organization says that such a contest is really for the purpose of stimulating public thought on transcontinental highways, as well as to test the organization and road, and to center attention on the entire feasibility of long distance transportation by motor driven vehicles on public roads.

            The challenge indicates that if accepted it will be no gentle lady-like affair, with a fine day ride and a night of rest, but a genuine iron and blood contest night and day, with every second of time counting from the instant of starting.  The only conditions are that it shall be carried every foot of the way by auto with professional drivers barred, and each organization to traverse its own line of road.

            The route of the Yellowstone Trail is from Plymouth, Mass., through Hartford, Poughkeepsie, Binghamton and Olean, N.Y., Meadville, Pa., Akron, Fremont and Defiance, Ohio, Ft. Wayne, Columbia City and Valparaiso, Ind., Chicago, Ill., Milwaukee, Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Stevens Point and Eau Claire, Wis., St. Paul, Minneapolis, Olivia, Montevideo and Artonville, Minn., Webster, Aberdeen, Mobridge and Lemmon, South Dakota, Marmarth, North Dakota, Miles City, Billings, Livingston, Butte and Missoula, Mont., Couer ‘d Alene, Idaho, Spokane, Colfax, Walla Walla, North Yakima and Seattle, Washington.

            The route of the Lincoln Highway is from New York to Philadelphia, thence through Pittsburg, Pa., Canton, Ohio, Ft. Wayne and South Bend, Indiana, Chicago and Aurora, Ill., Cedar Rapids and Marshalltown, Ia., Omaha, Grand Island and Sidney, Nebr., Cheyenne and Green River, Wyo., Salt Lake City, Utah, Ely and Reno, Nevada, Sacramento and San Francisco, California.

            The Yellowstone Trail made a run against time over their road in June, 1915, undertaking to deliver a message from the mayor of Chicago to the mayor of Seattle, in 100 hours, counting each moment of lapsed time. The distance is 2640 miles, and the run was made by a system of relays in 97 hours and 10 minutes.

            The Lincoln Highway has never undertaken a run of this kind.  Their route is more central, and they go through more large cities.  It is the older organization and in such a contest should be the favorite.  The Yellowstone Trail men, however, claim that they have better road conditions, especially west of Chicago, and a better working organization.  The Yellowstone Trail is incorporated and organized like a big chamber of commerce.  The organization is five years old, starting as a road from the Twin Cities in Minnesota to the Yellowstone National Park, and they progressed so well in improving their line of road, that extensions both east and west were made until now it extends from coast to coast, reaching the three great national parks of the northwest, Yellowstone, Glacier and Mt. Ranier.  The Extension east of Chicago is new.  These two transcontinental roads are the only two in the country extending from one coast to the other under the organization and mark.