This tall-format hardcover book measures 10½” x 4½” and has 176 pages, most of which are maps, with mileages, road conditions, and features such as the location of snow sheds on mountain routes. There’s an index to towns in the state at the front of the book and a directory of automobile dealers at the rear. Captions in the lower margins of the map pages give an overview of road surfaces, conditions, and grades. A couple of examples. Poor roads, corduroy, between Pepperwood and Rio Dell, with grades up to 30 per cent. Many hazardous curves at Rio Dell. Ferry over Eel River. Mountainous road, mostly narrow and rocky; numerous curves, some steep grades. The approaches to railroad in snow shed are hazardous. Desert road; bad sand between Palm Springs and Indio; ditches and sand hills after leaving Mecca on either side of the Salton Sea. This book is in very good, lightly used condition, complete and intact, with minor wear on the cover boards and a tiny chip on the spine. A previous owner has written the year on the front cover, there’s a faint crease on the lower corner of the back cover, and the front hinge is cracked. The inside pages are remarkably clean and bright, with no rips, tears, writing, or turned corners. Please see the scans and feel free to ask any questions. This is an original , authentic 1913 tour book, not a reproduction or modern reprint, and it is fully guaranteed to be genuine. On the title page. These early road guides are very hard to find today, partly because not that many were printed but also because they were typically put to some heavy use by motorists navigating rough roads in open cars, long before paved highways with comfy motels and fast-food restaurants made travel a lot easier. Among the dozens of car makes listed in the directory of automobile dealers are Auburn, Buick, Chalmers, Columbus Electric, Ford, Hubmobile, Locomobile, Maxwell, Mitchell, Overland Peerless, Rauch & Lang Electric, Reo, and Studebaker. Powered by SixBit’s eCommerce Solution. This item is in the category “Books & Magazines\Antiquarian & Collectible”. The seller is “new_world_maps” and is located in this country: US. This item can be shipped worldwide.
- Topic: Travel
- Publisher: Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company
- Author: Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company
- Binding: Hardcover
- Subject: Transportation
- Language: English
- Original/Facsimile: Original
- Region: California
- Place of Publication: San Francisco
- Year Printed: 1913
- Country/Region of Manufacture: United States