With two newspapermen along to document the adventure, two intrepid “automobilists” hopped into a 1906 Maxwell in downtown Minneapolis and headed for Chicago. They hoped to set a record by reaching the Windy City within 24 hours. Cold weather, poor road conditions and mechanical problems made the trip a difficult one. The men had to stop to fix a flat, repair a defective cone and replace a broken spring. And they got lost for three hours upon leaving Fond du Lac.

Did they make it to Chicago in record time? Read on:

Three men crowded into this 1905 Maxwell runabout in Mason City, Iowa, in about 1905. The Maxwell driven to Chicago was more likely a roomy touring car. (Photo courtesy mnhs.org)

Chicago in 24 Hours
By Auto Is Object

Party Leaves West Hotel
At Midnight for a
Record.

Minneapolis Tribune Man
Accompanies Motorists
on Fast Run

At midnight last night, a party of automobilists left the West Hotel checking out at exactly midnight for Chicago, on an attempt to make the trip in 24 hours running and elapsed time. According to the schedule, this will bring the tourists into Chicago at midnight tonight.

Those in the party are T.F. Smith, Chicago agent for the Maxwell Briscoe Automobile company; Al Rentner, a Maxwell racing driver; I.F. Alofsin, automobile editor of the Chicago Examiner, and Richard E. Tucker, automobile editor of The Tribune. The car is a 1906 model Maxwell, four-cylinder and 28-horse power. This is the same car which came up from Chicago in 32 hours Tuesday. On this trip the drives were learning the roads and it is confidently expected that they will be able to make the return trip in 24 hours anyway or less.

Dr. C.E. Dufton, chairman of the tours and contests committee of the Minneapolis Automobile club, sealed the bonnet and coil of the Maxwell car just before the start and then wired the information of odometer reading, time and equipment to C.P. Root of the Chicago Automobile club in Chicago. The local club will be represented by Mr. Tucker, who will act as observer and will make the notes on the trip.

If this record of 24 hours is made it will serve to bring Minneapolis and Chicago nearer together in automobile way circles. There is considerable feeling in Chicago and Milwaukee as to the desirability of having a fine turnpike road connecting the three cities and it is thought that with the clubs of the three cities working harmoniously together toward this end that next season will see considerable progress made toward a fine road.

POSTSCRIPT: According to Google’s map site, the 409-mile drive to Chicago now takes a little over 6½ hours. The Maxwell made it in just under 42 hours. “Although the 24-hour mark aimed at was not achieved,” the Tribune reported the next day, “the trip was the first continous-drive trip ever attempted between these cities, and showed that the time of 24 hours is not impossible, providing some of the particularly distressing Wisconsin roads are rebuilt.”

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