1903 White Steamer

This photo originally appeared in Horseless Age in the autumn of 1903. The race meet was held in Southern California and featured among several cars this White steamer driven by Captain Harmon Ryus. Ryus was a California-based driver and businessman and his greatest triumph (as well as the biggest win for a White steam car) came in the 1908 Los Angeles-to-Phoenix off-road race. For a fascinating background on this great off-road race conducted from 1908 through 1914, see the link immediately following this paragraph that takes you to a 1962 issue of Desert Magazine. On page 22 you will find an interesting story on these races written by the winner of the the 1912 contest, Ralph Hamlin. White steam cars were products of the White sewing machine company, a business that still thrives today.
 
196210 Desert Magazine 1962 October