The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-24
LONG AUTOMOBILE RACE
START FROM VERSAILLES FOR MAD
RID MADE THIS MORNING.
Several WelI-KnOwn Americans in
the COntest-SeriOus Accidents
Feared-A Society Event.

PARIS, May 23-Great crowds began to
assemble early this evening at Versailles,
where, before daylight tomorrow morning
the start of the Paris Madrid automobile
race will be made. In many respects the
race will be one of the most remarkable
ever run, both from the number
and character of the contestants,
the prodigious power and speed
of the machines, and the probability of
record breaking runs. Leading sportsmen
from all over Europe and many from the
other side of the Atlantic have gathered
here to see the performance, ii is fully
expected that the records of the Paris
Berlin race in 1901 and the Paris-Vienna
race in 1902 will be far exceeded by this,
the leading long distance contest of 1908.
Owing to the participation in the contest
of a number of Americans, including w.
K. Vanderbilt, jr.. and Foxhall Keene,
great interest has been aroused among
Americans, especially the members of the
Newport set, who have arrived in large
numbers. Many fashionable parties of
Americans went out TO Versailles in auto
mobiles and some chartered special trains.
Among the parties were those of Colonel
and Mrs. John Jacob Aston. Mr.. and Mrs.
Herman Oelrichs. Elisha Dyer, Mr.. and
Mrs. Clarence Moore, MIR. and Mrs. Trux-
tor Beale. of Washington; Mr.. and Mrs.
Perry Belmont, Captain Philip Leding, of
New York; Mr.. and Mrs. Z. c. Benedict,
of New York, who have just returned from
an automobile tour through the Chateau
district of the valley of the Loire; John
Biddle, of Washington Mrs. &c. Spreck-
les, S. G. Murphy and Mr.. and Mrs. FIRE.
mont Older, or San Francisco.
10 from
Versailles TO Bordeaux, 243 miles; the sec
ond, Bordeaux TO Victoria, 20S miles, and
the third, Victoria TO Madrid. PSI miles. Ii
is expected that Bordeaux will be reached
at noon tomorrow and the contestants
will rest there until Monday. The stretch
from Bordeaux TO Victoria will be run on
Tuesday and that from Victoria TO Madrid
on Wednesday. The first arrival proba bly,
will reach Madrid about noon Wednesday.
Many persons fear that serious accidents
may happen owing TO the terrific speed,
the ponderous weight of the latest types
OF motors and the great number OF the
contestants. Ii is expected that Fourier
and w. X. Vanderbilt will make eighty
five miles an hour on the roads outside the
cities.
The American entries are: w. X. Van
derbilt, driving a ninety-two-hOrse-p0
power machine; w. T. Dannat. the Ameri-
can artist, sixty-horso-power machine;
Foxhan Keene, sixty-horse-power ma
chaine. and Tod Sloan. a rty-horse-power
machine.
Shortly after midnight troops arrived on
the scene and cleared the track. a total of
5000 soldiers and 1900 policemen being
stationed on the road
The start in the race was made at a
quarter 10 this Sunday morning. Charles
Jarrett, the English automobilist, was the
first TO receive the signal TO go.
w. h. Vanderbilt, Jr.. had bad start at
Ais a. m. He presented himself at the
starting post a minute late. and there had
slight discussion which caused him to
lose another minute. He was reported to
have passed RambCuillet. twenty-eighth in
was scheduled sixtieth in order OF starting.