New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-06-02
NAY STOP MOTOR CAR RACING.
A AUTOMOBILE CLUB or AMERICA TO TAKE ACTION Wv
sT4yEy ISLAND 4CCLDENT-DEA7H NOW TWO.
WILL OPPOSE SPEED TESTS.
ALBERT r. SHATTUCK CONVINCED THAT
RACING AUTOMOBILE SHOULD
BE ABOLISHED.

BE ABOLISHED.
Tomorrow the Automobile Club Of America
will meet 20 discuss officially the tragic field DAY
held Saturday on the Southfield Boulevard, near
Grant City Staten Island. There are strong
reasons for asserting that the club Will pass
resolutions prohibiting all speed trials tests and
racing The recent disaster wherein two men
were killed and nine wounded has so impressed
on the members the dangerous possibilities OF
the pleasure that many of them think that the
club will officially place speed tests and racing
under the ban. Albert Il. Shattuck. president OF
the club said yesterday that he was fully OF the
mind that automobile racing should be ahol-
isheG- AT the clubTooms. No I53 Fifth-aVe.
after receiving assurances Of sympathy from
many friends. Mr.. Shattuck talked at length of
the accident, the club, and the probable action
against racing in the future.
az feel very badly over the sad ending Of the
day at Staten Island" he said. 1t was very
unfortunate. The club offers TO the families OF
the dead and injured men its fullest sympathy
/ had planned the speed trial tests with care L
had looked into every detail Of the arrange
rnents and so was all the more shocked at the
dreadful miscarriage Of my plans. L had the
course surveyed by Opdycke & Thomson, the
engineers. Every contestant was provided with
a map of the route, and many Of the machines
tested the course before the trials. The boule-
ward was in good condition-macadamized
hard, and not very dusty The turn in the ROAD
of which the newspapers speak was not dan
gerous one for the automobiles. l even made
arrangements with the health officers TO have
two surgeons three nurses and an ambulance at
our disposal L thought that where so many
people were congregated some might be over
come by heat and so asked for this assistance
The club had similar aid at races at Morris
Park OF course. 1 never dreamed they would
be brought into such service as that of yester-
day."
What of the clubs racing in the future?" Mr..
Shattuck was asked
NOW OPPOSES RACING.
Personally" was the reply, II am OPP
posed &c automobile racing and automobile
speed tests I used to think that under proper
restrictions and with the exercise Of care such
contests could be run without danger to any one
Now, however. am convinced that it is a dan
gerous proceeding. and I shall vote at Tues
days meeting Of the club to abolish such events
for good. Members Of the club with whom 1
have talked share my belief
When a horse is struck dies a race
track he generally remains inside the fence, but
when an automobile becomes unmanageable
nothing reasonable can stop it. a ton of metal
running at high speed must break down almost
anything in its path. Yesterdays experience
with this Western machine demonstrated this
fact Therefore, the accident proved that.
no matter how skilled a chauffeur is at the
guiding wheel nc one say positively that
either he or those near by viii not be killed.
Because of this element of uncertainty am
now strongly against automobile racing of any
description.
Mr. Shattuck was asked If the dangerous
nature of the freak machine known to him.
He replied:
'I did not see the machine until the morning
l Of the meet Mr.. Baker, L do not know per
n sonally, but he has reputation skilled
~ electrician and careful man He is thirty
two years old and has had much experience in
the Baker Motor Vehicle Company, of Cleve-
land, Of which he is, L believe, the head. The
company made this machine for the purpose of
capturing records with 1t. There was nothing
ifreekish about the automobile except its pecu
liar windhreak. Under this canoe like cover
was a legitimate electric battery.
MACHINE TESTED MANY TIMES.
THE machine had been tried a number of times
fn Cleveland before Mr. Baker brought it East
He had met with no mishaps. The trials yes
terday were free for all, and We reason
to bar the entry Of the Cleveland machine"
LAS I understand it, Mr. Baker lost control
of the machine near Washing ton-st, some two
hundred and fifty yards from the place where
the smash-up occurred. As he passed the hotel
on the right his machine swerved- The side
movement tore off tire on a rear wheel This
made difficult mis- steering. Then, again.
the people persisted in crossing the track in
spite of injunctions not TO do So 1 warned
them in a circular / sent out not to interfere
with the racers in any way l think there was
sufficient police protection. We could not have
a patrolman every five feet along the route
The crowd at the line crossing was badly
handled When man is going the rate of
sixty miles hour he is bound 10 become ner-
vous If he sees some in the road ahead Of
him, even il that person be three hundred yards
away from him.
who gave the club permission TO racer" Mr..
Shattuck was asked
THE Board of Aldermen. Each borough was
given permission to increase the legal speed
limit as it saw fit"
rs there any truth in the report that in the
future races will be private courses?'
There has been talk of doing Mr..
Shattuck replied 81 have heard of nothing
definite being done in that direction, however.
Personally have lost all interest in racing auto
mobiles anywhere, after the unfortunate fatality
Of yesterday"