Gentlemen, Start Your Engines

1911 Buick Flyer

1911-Stevens-Duryea

1911-E.M.F.

So, what do all three of these beautiful automobiles from the past have in common, and what is their link to Wallace?  The year was 1911, and Wallace was prospering. The arrival of the automobile was changing America, and although still somewhat precarious, roads were being built all over the country for this mode of transportation.

Wallace residents who want to go to Spokane today just hop in their cars, trucks, vans, and jeeps and make the trip in about 1 hour and 15 minutes on a summer day. This is not always been the way it was. As a matter of fact, even when I was very young, a trip to Spokane was an event, and it was an all day affair. The old Fourth of July Pass with the tunnel near the top was not the nice freeway that it is today. In 1911, it was even much more primitive, and a trip to Spokane via automobile was more of an adventure than a Sunday afternoon drive. The trip often took 5-6 hours, each way!

Three prominent Wallace residents in 1911, J.H. Nordquist,owner of a Stevens-Duryea, Dr. Mowery, proud possessor of an E.M. F. and Ellis Hale owner of a  white Buick Flyer., decided to go on a most excellent adventure. Now, as we all know, it is no fun to own toys unless you can play with them. Not only do we want to play with them, we want to show them off and prove to our peers, and of course the girls, that our toy is better than the other guy's toy. So, in July of 1911, these three dare devils loaded their automobiles with passengers, and set off in a marathon for a round trip race to Spokane. They left Wallace about noon on a Saturday afternoon, and returned --drum roll----- Hale's White Flyer-8 PM on Sunday evening, Dr. Mowery's  E.M F. came in a few minutes later, and finally, Nordquist crossed the finish line and returned safely home at 10PM.

The three drivers gave this description of some for the road conditions, as reported in the Idaho Press July 20, 1911 edition. “The new road through the Fourth of July Canyon seems to have approached its best. It could not be expected to be in better shape the first season. Beyond the summit, where the portion built by Charlie Burns leaves off, there is some rough road and the worst grades are encountered in this portion."

Their road report also said “Outside of the comparatively few rough stretches, however, the road is in fine condition and the ride over and back is one of indescribable charm. The dust is deep in places, but discomfort from this source is avoided by keeping a distance of a mile or two between the vehicles."