In 1908, thanks to the efforts of two newspapers—the French “Matin” and the American “New York Times”—a transcontinental marathon auto race was organized across the Bering Strait. Known as “New York–Paris without the Use of a Ship,” it commenced on Lincoln’s birthday.3 photos

On February 12th, a race took place from Times Square in New York. Nine vehicles participated, coming from America, France, Italy, and Germany. The favorites for the race were American Henry Genssen, German Lieutenant Keppen, and Baron Eduard von Scheinfogel. Their teams competed using cars manufactured by Protos, Cyst-Milan, and Thomas-Flair, respectively. The French team led by Bursier used a De Dion-Bouton, while the Italian team of Henry Haaga chose the Bricsia-Züst car. The race followed a route from New York through Alaska, Seattle, Vladivostok, Irkutsk, Achinsk, and Tomsk, continuing then on a trail across Russia to Europe. The German Protos car was the first to reach Paris on July 11th; the American team finished second on July 26th. However, the American team was declared the winner. The German driver was fined 15 days due to his vehicle being transported by train to Seattle after breaking down. During the journey, all cars suffered damages—the Thomas-Flair required a damaged gearbox to be replaced, and the Protos needed its rear axle repaired. Today, the world’s largest automobile museum, the Harrah Museum in Nevada, USA, displays the Thomas-Flair, while the German Technical Museum in Munich exhibits the Protos.