After making the trip from Newark, New Jersey to California, C.W. Tuthill and P.G. Scull did exploring and visiting in California. The return trip did not actually start until his December 21st dairy entry.
- Dec 2. 1916 Thermometer 60 Saturday Weather Rain Sent cards home. Went over to Vernons with Violet and surprised Aunt Elma & Florence. Had lunch with them. Vern came home after work. Aunt Elma had letter from Ida & Chester. They not settled yet. Staid a while in evening and came back with Theadore & Violet. Slept with Scull in our Grand Ave. Room.
- Dec. 3, 1916 Thermometer 60 Sunday Weather Rain Got up 11 A.M. And went to church. Had lunch in one of the famous cafeterias. Read papers. Then went to Trinity Auditorium then went out to Vernon’s. Theodore, his mother & Violet came out later. Came away at 9:45. Writing a letter to folks.
- Dec. 4, 1916 Thermometer 60 Monday Weather Cloudy Mailed a lot of cards & letters home & to Huntington. In P.M. We went out to Lelig Zoo & Ostrich farm. They mate. Bowled in evening.
- Dec. 5, 1916 Thermometer 60 Tuesday Weather Cloudy Sent photo & clippings to Smith writing to Helen. Pd. bill at Maxwell. Went to buildings at Exposition Park in P.M. Got literature on Colorado Went to see them dance in evening. Cards to Nettie C. & Irene.
- Dec. 6, 1916 Thermometer 55 Wednesday Weather Fine Sent package to Helen also letter. Rec’d oil & grease from Tucson. Put oil in clutch & went up Mt. Wilson .42 minutes from toll gate to hotel. Went thru observatory largest in world. 350 ft. in circum. 5880 ft high. Saw Pacific for 2nd time. Took two pictures. Staid home in evening and wrote letters. Went to a Judge’s place 25 miles out. Got orange blossoms. A beauty spot of the world.
- Dec. 7, 1916 Thermometer 45 Thursday Weather Fine Worked on car. Putting oil in diff. Universal joint and trans. Took all A. M. Went out to Universal City and took a drive out beyond on Frisco road. Stopped at Vernons but Agnes coming tomorrow. Staid there to supper and played Euchre afterward. Bought a Brooklyn Eagle. [newspaper] Dr. Benjamin died.
- Dec. 8, 1916 Thermometer 50 Friday Weather Fine Sent 40 postals and letter to Irene In P.M went out to Pasadena to Bush’s Gardens. Took two pictures. Came in and met Aunt Agnes at the train 5:05 S.P. Station with the folks. Went to movies in evening and watched a 1002 game bowled.
- Dec. 9, 1916 Thermometer 50 Saturday Weather Fine Went to Firestone Branch. Mr. Smith the manager certainly fixed us up fine new shoes [tires] on front (3988 miles) Called on Auto Clubs. In P.M. Went down to San Pedro harbor & back. Got gas ready for trip tomorrow. Rec’d Helen, [but ? ], home & Nettie C. Mrs C. not well. Leland, Christine & Barbara married. Phoned Aunt Agnes. Sent cards to all the folks.
- Dec. 10, 1916 Thermometer 45 Sunday Weather Fine Started from Los Angeles for San Francisco at 8 A.M. Had dinner in Santa Barbara. Beautiful drive along the Pacific Ocean. Had supper at San Louis Obispo. Drove all night. 4555 miles 226’s gal 8 ¾ oil.
- Dec. 11, 1916 Thermometer 45 Monday Weather Fine At 6 A.M. Stopped at Santa Clara for biscuits. Followed a squad of motor cycles in and arrived just 24 hrs from starting time. Marston of Maxwell took us all over town on a sight-seeing tour. Had pictures taken. Left car at factory branch. This is some town. Sending caerds to Ken Frank & Vernon D.
- Dec. 12, 1916 Thermometer 50 Tuesday Weather Fine Arose 10 A.M. Went over to the Service Dep’t and vulcanized tubes. In P.M. Went to cinema. Saw Chaplin in roller skating rink. Skull got up a 1 P.M. We walked around town. Bought & read a Brooklyn Eagle.
- Dec. 13, 1916 Thermometer 50 Wednesday Weather Fine Rebolted spring hangers to frame. Greased springs & fixed tubes. Scull wrote a 20 page story of the trip in evening. [ would like to find that story] Rec’d a telegram from Smith & sent him one. Went to bed early.
- Dec. 14, 1916 Thermometer 50 Thursday Weather Fine Worked on car in A. M. At 11:AM started for Redwood Park. Had lunch in Saratoga. Saw one of the world wonders. Trees 60 feet around and 350 ft. high. Got back 8 o’clock. Went up to Mr. Cheney’s in eve at 9:30. Waited until Aunt Agnes came from movies. Mrs. C. is fine. She gave me a lunch. Her daughter and son came in later. Got lost near Palo Alto.
- Dec. 15, 1916 Thermometer 50 Friday Weather Fine They are having snow in N.Y. Today. Warm enough to go without a sweater here. We went through the coin mint here and down thru the park & along beach. The mechanic made the rods too tight so we didn’t get as far today as we expected. Had crabs for supper. Read at Y. M. C. A. Writing to folks, cards to Aunt Cynthia. Note: Cynthia Tuthill wife of Cuyler Beebe Tuthill CW Tuthill’s father’s (Fred H. Tuthill) brother. It was Cynthia who gave CW Tuthill the address of Helen Widman because she was a matchmaker.
- Dec. 16, 1916 Thermometer 50 Saturday Weather Fine Worked on car in A.M. Ground in exhaust valves and [?] Ray assemble motor. Took Oakland Ferry at 5:30. Had supper there and started for Los Angles from there at 6:45. Fine roads until I drove at 3 P. M. Flat country.
- Dec. 17, 1916 Thermometer 60 Sunday Weather Fine Cold last night. Water frozen in car Had breakfast at Elento and arrived in Los at 2:45 20 hrs [something ?] trip. Helped pull out a [???] Some cars on this end. Went out to Vernon’s in eve. 249 gal 10 ½ gal oil
- Dec. 18, 1916 Thermometer 65 Monday Weather Fine Received letters from Franck. [Harry A. Franck author of books and man CW Tuthill traveled with to South American promoting Edison’s kinetophone.] home, Helen, H.T & Review.. Found have broken spring hanger on car. Put car in Ford Motor Co. Garage to grind valves etc. Writing to Helen. Received a letter from her.
- Dec. 19, 1916 Thermometer 60 Tuesday Weather Cloudy Worked on car all day. Discovered cause of knock. Some scored cylinder now. Put on new left hanger, ground valves and took up on #2 rod. Have a leaky radiator now. Loaned Schull $4. making total $14. in all. Walked down street in evening. Bought some cards (10) and a pen.
- Dec. 20, 1916 Thermometer [no note] Wednesday Weather Partly cloudy Finished the car today. Started from Los Angeles 5377 with 5 ½ + 25 gal gas 7 qts & 5 in tank of oil. Left at 4:30. Left addresses at P.O. Had supper at Santa Ana and went to moving pictures and saw them roller skate. Slept on shore of Pacific.
Note: This is the start of the return trip to Newark
- Dec. 21, 1916 Thermometer [no notation] Thursday Weather Fine Started at 8 of 7. Beautiful ride along ocean. Lined up front wheels. Had breakfast at Oceanside. Arrived in San Diego at 11: A.M. Got washed up had dinner. Went down to Ferry then out to Exposition. Staid until 6 P.M. The big organ & the army drill was fine. The buildings and grounds are beautiful. Sent H. trip cards. 255 gal 10 3/4 gal oil 5144 miles
- Dec. 22, 1916 Thermometer 70 Friday Weather Partly Cloudy In A.M. met two fellows from Newark after returning from Aviation Field. Went out to Mission & Old Town in P. M. Bought souvenirs. Left with Rose & keating riding in rear at 7 P.M. Had midnight supper at El Centro. Rode all night. struck sand dunes about 6 next A. M.
- Dec. 23, 1916 Thermometer 78 Saturday Weather Fine Left Yuma Ariz 10 o’clock. Some dusty holey roads! Bought some crackers, milk, & peanut butter at and had dinner in car. Rode on thru Aqua colverts and within 70 miles of Phoenix where we bunked in car because we were too tired to ride further. A hot day on desert.
- Dec. 24, 1916 Thermometer 60 Sunday Weather Cloudy Arose and saw the most beautiful sunrise over mountains. Had very poor roads into Phoenix but better than yesterday. Arrived there 11:30 having lost an hour from yesterday. Had dinner there (chicken) and left immediately with a hand drawn map for Florence & Tuscon. Had good road with poor spots to river across from Florence – Arrived at 7:15. Have to have turns. Sleeping in station. Playing pinochle. Some Christmas Eve!
- Dec. 25, 1916 Thermometer 30 Monday Weather Snow Raw Christmas. Had breakfast in Mexican restaurant. Heard it raining at 4 A.M. Got out of our quarters went down to the river to watch it rise. Luckily it didn’t & after getting some advise from the schoolgirl drove the car over the quicksands unaided. Had to go part way back & got stuck for an instant. Had Xmas dinner at 2 P.M. In Tuscon. Got gas at Texas station. Took pictures. Discovered broken hanger. Took it off. 1st snow patches here in 32 yrs. on Xmas. Staid at hotel.
- Dec. 26, 1916 Thermometer 50 Tuesday Weather Fine Couldn’t get new hanger so made a wooden support, got it in and after dinner started (3:30) Rode all night having to stop at Tombstone to put in new spring leaves. Arrived at Douglas at 3:30 A. M. 20 miles of bad roads, snow etc. out of Vail. Stop at Bisbee to go down 1800 ft copper mine but impossible. Five convicts built road into town there. New Mexico
- Dec. 27. 1916 Thermometer 30 Wednesdat Weather Fine Very good roads to Roda, not very good to Lordsburg where we had dinner at 12 in Chinese place. [M?] made [Driving?] after fan broke. Some radiator patches. Had supper 9 P. M. in Los Cruses drove into El Paso where we slept. Sent cards to Southern Club of Colo. Had I puncture and two blowouts.
- Dec. 28, 1916 Thermometer 50 Thursday Weather Fine El Paso arrived at 8 A.M. Soldered radiator. Bought a new spring & new leaf. In A. M. went out to Fort Bliss and over a bridge to Mexico for first time. Writing cards. Took pictures. Called at Y. M. C. A. Went to movies. Bought 12 gal gas to carry out Liponer’s plan at [Fabens ?]. Left El Paso 10 P. M.
Note: Signage on the cowl added to show they made it to San Francisco in 11 days.
- Dec. 29, 1916 Thermometer 30 – 60 Friday Weather Fine Had breakfast in Van Horn Texas. Dinner in Pecos. Took a picture of city restaurant 45 cent dinner. Had to take the long way down thru Ft Stockton for Midland. Prairie! Had two blowouts & stoped for tires about 8 times. Got 18 gal gasoline in Ft. Stockton & slept about 15 miles this side of there. Cut the old Firestone up for blowout patches.
- Dec. 30, 1916 Thermometer 60 Saturday Weather Rain Got up at 7. Fixed a flat! Arrived Midland [?] 9:30 after several stops. Rode over barbed wire. Had supper in Ft. Stocton [but it was crossed out].
- Dec. 31, 1916 Thermometer 55 Sunday Weather Cloudy Slept in Clyde after some time to get out of Abilene. Breakfast in B??d. Dinner in Straun . Lots of tire trouble. Supper in Weatherford. Bought 8 gal gas at Cisco. I paid for it. Had supper in Weatherford. Tire trouble all day! Rode to within 21 miles of Dallas thru Ft. Worth and a blowout. Stopped when at 12 midnight. Used 305 gal Texas + 3 “1/2” other.
- Jan. 1, 1917 Thermometer 65 Monday Dallas, TX 6957 miles to date. Arrived at Dallas and had breakfast. Went to Y.M.C.A Maxwell branch. Stopping over until tomorrow. Went to Old Mill Theater. Saw Stewart. Went to Y.M.C.A.
- Jan. 2, 1917 Thermometer 60 Tuesday Weather Fine Rece’d check from bank, letters from Nettie C., Helen and Aunt Cynthia. Got new tires. Put on new crank case cover and brake bands. Saw Mr. Thrash & Stuks. Left Dallas at 10:30 after buying 15 gals gas & Scull loosing his pocketbook. Drove all night.
- Jan. 3, 1917 Thermometer (nothing) Wednesday Weather Cloudy Ran into a drain ditch and broke a wheel at Longview. Texas agent loaned us one to go to Shrevesport & we proceeded at 1:30. Arrived there 2 P.M. Got a new sheel and made a —– of putting it on. Left town at 5:30 after having picture taken and having write up.
- Jan. 4, 1917 Thermometer 70 Thursday Weather Rain! Drove into Manny and had breakfast. Good roads into town. Bad roads to Alexandria at 2. P.M. Bought 16 gals @ .25 & drove out. Got in and out of some ditch at midnight outside of Nashville. Some night. Drove to Nasura where puncture stopped us. Trouble with wheel. Loaned Scull $10.
Note: This is the first mention of the cost of gas, 25 cents per gallon
- Jan. 5, 1917 Thermometer 50-65 Friday Weather Fine Breakfast in Mansura . Arrived in Simmonsport 12 and after fixing all the rims took a ferry across the branch of Mississippi & followed levee branched onto new roads and had supper at a French restaurant with a [bunch? Of ??] Rode until I went into a hole. Got her out & rode until we reached Port Allen.
- Jan 6, 1917 Thermometer 60 Saturday Weather Fine Went over to Baton Rough in A. M. and got the loan of a wheel from the Motor Co there. Got started at 11:30 & made the ferry for New Orleans at 5:45. Received letters from Irene [CW Tuthill’s sister] & Mamma, Aunt C. + Helen. Went to bed as we were tired.
- Jan 7, 1917 Thermometer 60 Sunday Weather Fine Didn’t get up until 11:30. Called at Maxwell agency and received letters from Smith & Liponer. New Orleans not a very attractive town. Scull owes me .50 for room.
Note: CW Tuthill wrote this letter to Helen
- Jan 8, 1917 Thermometer 65 Mondau Weathe Fine Called on Mr. Miller & Burnell of Firestone Tires. Sent telegram to Babcock. Wrote to Helen, Aunt Cynthia, Smith & Bank. Sent Smith a telegram. Loaned Scull. $2.. Writing to folks.
- Jan. 9, 1917 Thermometer 75 in shade Tuesday Weather Fine Received $50. from Smith by wire. Loaned Scull 10 making 22. Got car fixed & picture taken. Had supper with Miller and rode around town afterward.
- Jan. 10, 1917 Thermometer 70 Wednesday Weather Fine Took car to blacksmiths and had rims fixed so they wouldn’t slip. Adj. wheels. Got gas & tires & by way of a colored boy found Louisana steamboat & ferry Co dock and embarked on Str. [?] New Carmile for Mandeville now on boat eating ham sandwich. Sent cards Aunt Agnes, Frank, Vernon, Faye. Drove to Pearl River on Louisana boundary and bunked in.
- Jan. 11, 1917 Thermometer 50 Thursday Weather Fine Crossed ferry .50 Quite a character running it. Some very rough and muddy roads all day altho drove on Jackson Highway to Meridian where we arrived at 9 in eve. Saw John Hansher & brs. Mrs. Wood died three months ago. Drove out and did 15 miles before we bunked in. A cold night for here. Gas separator froze up in A.M.
- Jan. 12, 1917 Thermometer 28 Friday Weather Fine Breakfast in York at 10:30 after driving about 15 miles. Had dinner at Uniontown fish & oysters 2:30. Good road from Uniontown to within 6 miles of Montgomery. Slept in a nigger church P. M. 6 miles outside of city.
- Jan 13, 1917 Thermomter 35 Saturday Weather Rain / Cloudy Drove into Montgomery 5 A. M. and got double order of hot cakes. Fairly good roads. Had dinner in West Point. Arrived Atlanta 5 P.M. Just after it started to rain. Stopping near Y. M. C. A. on Luckie St. Received four lettes from Helen. I paid board $1.00
- Jan 14, 1917 Thermometer 30 Sunday Weather Fine A norther has happily cleared up the weather & it’s quite cold. Writing home to Helen. Took a ride out Peachtree St. and thru Park. Took a walk in P.M. And read in Y.M.C.A. Scull wrote to Smith. I paid board $1.
- Jan 15, 1917 Thermometer 40 Monday Weather Rain Went to P. O. Met Ray Navarro at Maxwell Service Station. Will have two days of rain now! Wrote to Amer. Chain Co. Loaned Scull $5. making $20. beside half of board & ferrys.
- Jan. 16, 1917 Thermometer 40 Tuesday Weather Rain Got car finished at 1 P.M. Put on chains went down and got 17 gal gas and 3 qts. oil. Sent letter to Bank and postal to Liponer.
- Jan. 17, 1917 Thermometer 35 Wednesday Weather Cloudy Slept I mile beyond Monroe. Breakfast had dinner in Athens and had lugs welded. Good roads from Piedmont to Anderson
- Jan. 18, 1917 Thermometer 60 Thursday Weather Rain Cloudy Slept one mile from Anderson and had breakfast. Some mud! To Spartenburg where we had dinner 36 miles from Anderson One P.M. Of terrible roads in S. C. Had supper in Gastonia at 10 P.M.
- Jan. 19, 1917 Thermometer 45 Friday Weather Fine Lumber pile. 17 gas and 1 oil here. Slept outside of Charlotte near store. Put in new spring on left front. Gave Mr. Marshall publicity in Charlotte. Received letters from Hunt. and Helen. Card from Irene. Sent cards. Weather report no “od” [??]. Supper in Greenborough. Some town. Stuck in mud 2 miles from Durham.
- Jan. 20, 1917 Thermometer 50 Saturday Weather Cloudy Slept outside of Durham. Received telegram from Am. Chain Co.. Hope to make Richmond tonight. “Precious [?]g husband” . Sent cards. Got on road to Raleigh went from there to Henderson where had dinner. Fairly good roads to here. Bad on to beyond South Hill 15 miles where we slept in an unfinished church.
- Jan. 21, 1917 Thermometer 30 Sunday Weather Rain Had dinner and breakfast together in Petersburg. Took road via Chesterfield Courthouse to Richmond. Arrived Richmond 4:30 P. M. in a rain. Called at service station Had supper, saw town left car at station.
- Jan. 22, 1917 Thermometer 65 Monday Weather Cloudy Got haircut. Gave Skull $10. Received check of $50. Gave the Maxwell branch some publicity. Had pictures taken in P. M. and clutch fixed in evening.
- Jan 23, 1917 Thermometer 30 Tuesday Weather Fine Left Richmond 6:30 A. M. Stopped 5 times for tires. Had dinner in Fredericksburg. Had 12 miles of meanest roads yet around Dumphries. Supper at Alexandria. Arrived back at 8:15. Letters from Irene and Helen.
- Jan. 24, 1917 Thermometer 32 Wednesday Weather Cloudy Had picture taken in Wash. Left Washington 4:15 P.M. Arrived Baltimore l hour 15 minutes after. Called at salesroom. Thought we had speedometer fixed. Left Baltimore 8:15. Drove to Wilmington, Del. Arrived at 11 P.M. Drove on to outskirts of Phila. and bunked in car.
- Jan. 25, 1917 Thermometer 30 Thurday Weather Snow Drove into Phila early. Had newspring leaf put in rear right bearings. Had picture taken for papers. Left city at 11:15. Met the bunch, 20 Maxwells at Randby at 12:30 and drove into Newark just 10 weeks after leaving. Quite a picture taking time. Had Porter’s car to go to Orange with. Called on H.
Note: the transcontinental trip completed
- Jan 26, 1917 Thermometer 20 Friday Weather Fine Went down and woke up Scull at 10:15. Took pictures to be developed Had dinner with publicity man and in P. M. went over to N. Y. to Amer. Chain Co. Blue Book. Had supper with Scull & sister. N.Y. I took a ride in the “Mud-eel”. Kept it up at house.
- Jan 27, 1917 Thermometer 24 Saturday Weather Fine Scull & I went over to N. Y. called on Mr. Parrish and had pictures taken for N. Y. papers. Went down and saw Gram & Aunt Alice [His grandmother and his aunt Alice] for a minute and then got P. M. train for home. Irene & Irv are home now. Played 42 & Peedle Loaned Scull $1. + 1.71 for films.
- Jan 28, 1917 Thermometer 32 Sunday Weather Cloudy Ken, Irene an I went to church in Ford. Papa [Fred Henry Tuthill] took Grandma [Nancy Beebe Tuthill], Grandpa [George Henry Tuthill] & minister had a good sermon. Irene & Irv went to Southampton in P. M. Papa and I went down to church in evening.
Note: We stopped here but CW Tuthill’s diary continued. A remarkable man.