Evening journal., 1903-05-25
NINE KILLED
IN AUTO RACE
Three Others Probably Fatal.
ly Injured in Series Of
Horrible Accidents
TWENTY SIX MILE AN HOUR RECORD

Number Of Accidents Did Not Cause
Great Surprise owing to Number
Of Observation-Disclosures Of Race
Forbidden.
Paris. May 255.-The first stage in
the Paris-Madrid automobile race,
from Versailles to Bordeaux, 3f3 miles,
was finished yesterday afternoon when
Louis Renault dashed at a furious
pace into Bordeaux, having made a
record run of hours and q minutes.
An hour later NJ. Gabriel arrived with
a still better record of eight hours
seven minutes. It Is estimated from
the times made that these automo-
biles covered 62 miles an hour on the
road outside of cities.
These victories, however. were
elouded by a series OF accidents. At
least two cars were wrecked and
Marcel Renault. tho winner of the
Paris-Vienna race last year; Lorraine
Barrows, a very well-known automo-
bilist, and Renault's chauffeur. were
seriously, it is belivod fatally, injured,
while Barrows' chauffeur was killed.
It appears that Mr.. Barrows had tried
to avoid a dog which was crossing
the track, and his monster car struck
q tree with terrific force His chauf
feur was killed outright. Barrows
himself was picked up unconscious,
but still breathing, and was taken to
hospital where his condition was
declared to be critical. His car was
dashed to pieces. Moreover, a seri-
Gus accident occurred near Angou-
leme. in which the two occupants OF
an automobile were seriously injured
and two spectators were killed.
The most terrible accident occurred
near Bonneval. 19 miles from Char
tres. wbero machine No 243, driven
by NJ Porser. was overturned at a
railroad crossing and took fire. The
chafIeur was caught underneath the
automobile and was burned to death.
while two soldiers and a child were
killed. A chaffeur was badly injured
by an accident to his motor car near
Angouleme. A woman crossing the
road in the neighborhood Of Ablis was
run over by one Of the competing
cars and killed.
This number of accidents has not
caused any great surprise in view of
the number Of contestants in the race
and the great speed and power of their
machines.
It is estimated that 100000 persons
crowed into the Versailles to witness
the start Of the race. Soldiers with
fixed bayonets lined the track for some
distance from Versailles. A bomb
was exploded as a signal to get ready,
and Immediately Charles Jarrott's car
drew into pace Another bomb was
fired for the start, and then the enor-
nous machine shot forward amid the
shouts of the thousands of spectators.
The other cars followed in quick sue
cession. Mme. De Cast, the sole fe-
male competitor In last years Paris
Berlin race, was again the only wo-
man to participate in the present
contest. Her machine was decked
with flowers and her departure was
the signal for a great ovation. She
made a splendid run, passing five Of
her competitors before reaching
Chartres.
In view of the number of accidents,
some fatal. in the first stage Of the
automobile race from Versailles to
Bordeaux, Premier Combes has for
bidden the continuance of the con-
test on French territory. The second
stage of the race, which was to have
been run tomorrow, included a run
over French territory from Bordeaux
to the Spanish frontier.
1t is reported that the Spanish gov
ernment has also forbidden the con-
tinuance of the race on Spanish ter
ritory.