New-York tribune., 1903-06-07
AUTOMOBILE ROAD RACES.
No More az France, an Viezo of
Many accidents.
Paris. May -.


competitors within recorded times varying from
hours 13 minutes TO IA hours IS minutes has
sounded the death knell of automobile road rae
sng in France and on the Continuent of Europe
II was a terrible and sanguinary course In
spite OF military and police precaution. the list
Of casualties comprises eight killed outright and
twenty-five wounded NJ Combes, Prime Min
ss4er and Minister Of the Interior at once pro-
nfhited the continuance Of the race on French
territory. and the Spanish Government, upon the
initiative Of young King Alphonso KILL fol-
lowed the example se' by France. Public in
dignation against automobile road racing is
aroused
The press teens with descriptions of the race
with Characteristic headlines among which one
may read: The Race of Carnage" The Match
for Death" The Abominable Crime" The
most influential French writers have taken up
the matter in earnest and NJ Jules Claretie.
administrator of :he Theatre Franeais, himself
sn ardent automobiist. in an article entitled
ia Course la Mort" denounces the demon
of speed craze" that inspires the 'Mephistoph
eles-like drivers Of these luGubrious racing
machines" N Ernest Daudet follows up the
subject vigorously in the "Gaulois and in an
editorial headed lie Vertigo de la Mort al.
ludes TO the Paris-Badrid race as the ''demoniac
Eteeplechase from Paris 10 the charnel house.
The Ministry Of the Interior is flooded with petit
tions and protests urging the government TO pre-
vent any future automobile road races. The
matter has been brought up IN the Chamber OF
DEPUTIES and in ;he Senate In automobile cir
cles the idea is gaining ground that a bill VIII
soon be introduced into the French Parliament
based upon the Bailey automobile bill recently
signed bv Governor OdelI and which is now law
In the State Of New-Yorlx
Mr. DaIliba a prominent resident OF Paris
.,f thu
Paris-Madrid race. and in a swift, powerful
Mercedes machine took up a station on Sunday
morning on the course near the village OF
Coignieres. Mr.. Dalliba was provided WIFE a
camera. One Of his photographs shows the
automobile ambulance of the Automobile CIuo
of France waiting in a field while the surgeons
and assistants were the road attending to the
wounded. Another represents the crowo Oh
Partisan naotornen and peasants standing along
the route near Chartres- A third photograph
was taken Of the wreck Of Mr.. Terry's 7O-horse-
mower racing machine of the Mercedes make
ATr Dariba. who saw the accident, thus de-
srrit1ed i TO q reporter Of the Paris Presse';
Twenty kilometres after the start, when trav-
cling al 1he rate of 120 kilometres an hour,
Mr. Terry who was driving a TO-horsepoWer
Mercedes arrived at the entrance TO ColgiheIeS
alongside one OF the competitors, MI. PorleI,
who was driving at English machlhe' anu WIZ
had left some minutes before him. -
The road through Coisnieres is 1ar IroIl 1, go
hlr Mr. Terry who is excellent driver 1uI VI
confidence in his powers, tried TO pass Nj. TOT Tor =
1er on the left. The latter turned his steering
wheel TO the left Nr Terry. to avoid COLLISION
,s-ae fo-ra5 10 drive his machine onto the pave
1llerlt At this moment the tire OF ms leIt loi
wheel hurst. but the vehicle travelling like a
cannon ball in spite Of the SIDE snp' sho' III
front Of the English automobile -.
The left wheel broke, and the vehicle, though
The motor was thrown out Of gear. continued Iol
three hundred metres 10 sweep Sideways aioIls
the road at speed Of eighty kliometres an
hour 49,. --,,oo, +hs
on account Of the breaking of the Wheel tne
reservoir containing 120 litres Of essence burst
The flames coming from the valve set 1t on nre'
and when the vehicle was finally brought 10 d
standstiIl il was q mass of fame
Nr Terry who by sheer skill and sangIrolo
had tbfls ACCOMPLISHED a unique tour de force
exhausted by the terrible effort he mao mdue'
remained rlotiouless on his seat When ms ma
chiuist who had fortunately strapped hlseda !"
his seat "a fact 10 which he owed his hfeD'
called 10 Nj Terry 10 leaEe ne pu e ,,ari,,r
mobile the latter. seeing all chance or winning
The race gone. began 10 cry ike chlld;
BY simply miraculous Sooa luck 9otn n
Terry and his nachinist escaped without
scratch. The automobile, however was con-. ot
pletely consumed. Two trees on the sue VI 'iie
road were also burned -
BY a strange coincidence the automopile OF
Mr. Porter the involuntary cause OF the acc
dent WAS overturned few kilometres LuTtllei
on and his naachinist. who was buried beneath
the vehicle, was burned TO death
This thrilling accident took place near Bon
reval An eve witness anc actor in the scene
gave 10 the Paris Daily Messenger the 1oi-
lowing account Of the event:
There is \ smooth stretch of road extending
sto-+ fo-,, miles before reaching BonneVaI ana
O. course all the racers took advantage oI lIIS
TO turn en- the full speed switch TO me u'ii"'-
extent - nr,a
d. cast in particular must have been 1oppl!s
1oa I,flo,77etres AT the end o1 the tour hllIe
stretch there is however, CROOK IN lle ioI u 20
? - tbe branches Of which are not more tEal
one hundred feet each. TINS Delhe ueelLl01 ue-2:3
dangerous mass even for lazy pony, SPECIE
precautions were taken TO avoid accloehts- a
blue flag placed one huIloIeu 80 - =. e,iTtter
the turning and yellow one fifty yaros Iui m,
md also . score of buglerS- Ihese W " ms,
saved the first racers, but toward NV o4toor oL
1he guardians Of the danger slgadIs' 1os -t--
with INC busle~s went off TO luncheon car Lils
away the flags At 11:43 o'clock MY Foloei -
came along. speeding probably over oiLe 7oIs
3red kilometres, and, seelfg no . o1Iis $3.50 rTbe
7r,~naT me first corner al lightning speeu' - N
second turning however, was only d ihli4Ito S
away and before Mir. Porter couIo clia5ise s '- -
direction he was through fence ana ooMH q
drop Of seven feet clean into the nous E', s
nv the level crossing keeper MI foTleI "a9
projected some twenty feet from the iIlac,Ie; ts
btt his unfortunate companion hau ms He 80
fractured against the wall. Moreover lhe g
caught FIRE and the wounded man was sGoii g jsa %
sight Of in the midst Of the flames nay VIZ. T4
dragged me away from the aW1ul Sceils. -, a.
-bnn N de Knvff coming along oOieog
17se ,,o+o- ,ar after abandoning the race, ana ne
hurried of for help, coming back pronlplis M.tr
some gendarmes and a doctor. III tile 5 .-
time we had managed 70 shlIt the oFeI 49, r.
car and lift up the victim HIS booy We O.
so7r-+o1. ro1lr1rnfeed: he retained the atutuoe ne
had last had IN the car-sitting posture i aI,1
cIfncbed fists. His oilcloth oTeralls were oia.s
ei-,ga5 1,,r the rnderclothing carbonizeo 10
s1rh an extent that when Nixon was raised tHe
heavier trifes in his pockets, such as pehhIli-es,
coins keys end watch, fell to the srouho
through his ash coating