The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-07-04
GREAT AUTO RACE
/ WON BY A GERMAN
The American Team Make a
Wretched Showing.
A MIRACULOUS ESCAPE
--
Iarott's Machine Split in Two by Driving Head
long Into Bank --HOw He and His
Chauffeur Escaped Death
A MIRACULOUS ESCAPE
Mystery.
(By the Associated Press.l

Grand Stand, Ballyshannon, July B.
The international automobile race for the
James Gordon Bennett cup, was run to-
day and won by Jenatzy, member OF
the German team, who covered the dis.
lance of 37024 miles in 6 hours, 36 minutes
and 8 seconds, including the stops inn
posed by the regulations.
Two members of the French team ran
it will not be known until Friday whether
De Knyffe or Farman is entitled to the
honor Only one minute divided them.
1t is thought likely that DeKnyffe's claim
to second place will be upheld.
The most remarkable features of the
great race were its practical immunity
from serious accidents and the wretched
showing by the American team. At
Ballyshannon, which is the headquart-
ers for the race, no news had been re
ceiyed tonight of any one being injured.
except one of the contestants, the English
crack chauffeur Jarrett. Jarrett had a
miraculous escape from death and now
lies with broken collar bone and badly
bruised body His chauffeur also has a
fractured collar bone, besides broken
leg. Both, however, are doing well.
The accident occurred through the steer
ing gear of the fayorite English car get
ting out of order when going at full
speed. Instead of turning a corner the
automobile ran straight into the bank at
the side of the road and was smashed
clean in two. How the occupants escaped
death is more than they themselves can
explain Stocks, another Englishman. had
his car disabled through the same cause,
but was not hurt.
Baron De Caters, after making splen-
did race broke the axle of his car and
Foxhall Keene retired, because of SINH
lar accident Moerse and Winters of the
American team, both failed to finish ow
ing to arrangement in the mechanism of
their cars, and Owen, the third member
of the team, only completed five out of
the seven laps of the race. Thus only
five out of twelve starters completed the
course. One of these, Edge. the holder
of the cup, came in long after the race
was officially declared over.
The poor showing Of the American com
petitors is generally attributed to the ex-
cessive hghtness of their cars.
All the arrangements for the race work
ed WELL and the Irish peasants tonight
are once more venturing on the roads.
though with fearful eyes and keen ears
for the rear motors as they come down
the hill of Kildare The Frenchmen re-
ceived some consolation in not getting the
cup by gaining the prize offered by the
Hon. j Scott Montague, M. r., to the
team whose members all finished.
The general opinion expressed by the
British authorities, including the Earl of
Mayo, and Henry Norman, NJ p, is that
the race was the most successful ever run
and is likely to do much to remove the
towards similar contests and
motors in general
Foxhall Keene as one of the represen-
tatives OF Germany had a good chance of
coming in amongst the leaders. Before
giving up he ran a risk which is generally
described as one of the most daring feats
in the history of motoring. Turning a
corner on the second round, the tires of
Keene's machine were ripped up, and
while repairing them he noticed that the
axle was giving way Instead of stopping,
Keene drove hundred miles at the rate
Of over sixty miles an hour, and only
drew up when the car became almost I'M
controllable Then it was found that the
axle was within the smallest fraction of
an inch of being severed. Keene admitted
that 1T was as much like sitting on a
box OF dynamite as anything | have ever
tried, but it was an awful pity had to
withdraw, as really l had not begun to
let myself out
Keene's mishap caused the greatest re-
greet, next to Jarrott's accident, of any
incident of the day.