By Ken Edwards
(This is the second art of a two-part article regarding the history of early automobiles in Yavapai County)
By April 1904, just a year after the first cars arrived in Yavapai County, many of the wealthier residents had made purchases of these new vehicles. On Friday, April 22 of that year, four cars set out from Prescott on a journey to Tucson, which they expected to reach in three days. An automobile tournament was to be held there the following week. "Admiral" Hedrick D. (Hed) Aitken, a prominent Prescott businessman, accompanied by his wife, was the commander of the Yavapai Automobile Squadron. Hed had arrived in Prescott in 1886 at the age of 25 and soon went to work for Levi Bashford in his store on Gurley Street. He stayed with the Bashford-Burmister mercantile company until has retirement in 1933, having risen to the rank of first vice president.
His younger brother, Jack, claimed to have bought the sixth car ever sold in Phoenix. Jack was also an avid bicyclist and had, in 1893, ridden a bicycle from Prescott to Phoenix over the Old Black Canyon road in 14 hours. This was an impressive average speed of about 7.5 miles per hour. As will be seen, this was a good deal faster than the trip could be made by automobile. His return trip was navigated in 17 hours.
Other members of the Automobile Squadron were Mr. and Mrs. Olaf A. Hesla and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Foster, also of Prescott. Hesla was a watchmaker and jeweler at Cook Jewelry store on Gurley, which he later bought out and renamed Hesla Jewelry. Little is known of Foster except that he was employed at Sam'l Hill Hardware Co. on Montezuma St. The fourth car was that of mayor Walter Miller, owner of Yavapai County's first automobile, and his passenger Alex Lyons, both of Jerome. The Aitkens' car was a Cadillac and the other three were Oldsmobiles.
The Squadron planned to reach Wickenburg the first night, but only got as far as Kirkland. A gentleman who arrived in Prescott from Kirkland the next day reported that he had overheard some conversation at the dinner table in which one of the ladies was complaining that they must have had to walk at least five miles. Apparently the cars were a bit overloaded and tended to high-center on the rugged stage road they had taken from Prescott to Kirkland by way of Skull Valley, a distance of twenty-six miles. Whatever repairs were needed were made, and the party was on its way again the next morning, traveling by way of Yarnell and Stanton to Wickenburg.
Despite some further difficulties along the way, the vehicles made better time the ensuing days, and the three Oldsmobiles made it to Tucson in six days, twice as long as expected. The Aitkens' vehicle, however "got sand in the high speed clutches" between Wickenburg and Hot Springs Junction where, Mr. Miller said, the sand was close to 400 feet deep. The Cadillac then had to travel the rest of the distance to Phoenix in low gear. This couple left their car in Phoenix for repairs and took the train the rest of the way to Tucson.
The squadron was entertained royally in Phoenix before departing that city. When they were about sixteen miles from Tucson, local automobilists came out to escort them the rest of the way into town. By the time they reached the city, there were fourteen automobiles in line, which made a magnificent showing.
Dr. Yount of Prescott was in Tucson when they arrived, attending a Territorial Medical Association meeting. He reported that the automobilists were a dusty, weary looking company of people when they arrived.
In Tucson, the adventurers were (again) royally entertained, and were given tours of the city. After a day's rest, they headed back to Prescott, making the comparatively uneventful return trip in another six days. The total distance traveled on the round trip was 585 miles. For the twelve travel days, this was and average of less than 50 miles per day.
Upon arriving back in town, the Journal-Miner reported that "They were all as happy and in as good spirits on their return as though there had been nothing to mar the pleasure of the trip. All the unpleasant features of the trip had been "cut out" of their memory and they can only think of the good things which happened to them while away, and they report having had a most delightful time, despite any little mishaps which occurred to their machines, as these are liable to happen, and in fact do happen to the best regulated automobiles." It was suggested by the newspaper that the difficulties they had had along the way might have been attributable to the fact that they left Prescott on a Friday.
Despite the trials and tribulations of the long trip to Tucson, the participants were undaunted. Their adventure only whetted their appetites for more excursions, and they were soon talking of making a trip to the Grand Canyon.
(Ken Edwards is a volunteer tour guide at the Sharlot Hall Museum)
Sharlot Hall Museum Photograph Call Number: (t117). Reuse only by permission.
Mr. Hed Aitken (a.k.a. "The Admiral") prepares to lead the 1904 Prescott Automobile Squadron. Here they are lined up on Mt. Vernon Street for a photo opportunity prior to the start of their caravan to Tucson. Automobiles first came to Prescott in 1899 as a circus attraction.