Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-24
AUTO RACE IS BEGUN
Speed Contest Between Paris aad Madrid is
Fairly On.
MEN OF WORLD FAME PARTICIPATING
vanderbilt and FourRier Are looked
Upon ss PrOabbIe to Make battle
Of motor Machines one of
Exciting Interest.

PARIS, May 3.-orest 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 II the most remarkable
ever run, both for the number and charac-
ter OF the contestants, the prodigtous power
and speed OF the machines and the proba-
bnity 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. as II
IA 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
1909. owing to the participation in the con-
test OF a number OF Americans. including
W. X. Vanderbilt. jr., and Foxhan keene,
great interest has been tN1used among
Americans, especially the LNmbers OF the
Newport set, who have al lived In large
numbers.
Perfect weather conditions are certain
for the race. The starting point Is half
a mile outside the town and the start will
be made at saso. O'Clock. the automobiles
leaving with one minute interval between
them. The FIRST stage Of the contest Is
from Versailles TO Bordeaux, sS miles,
the second, Bordeaux TO Vitoria, 2s miles,
ana vitoria to Madrid. 81 miles. II Is ex-
pcoted that Bordeaux will be reached at
noon tomorrow, and the contestants
will rest there until Monday. The stretch
from Bordeaux to Vitoria will be run on
Tuesday, and that from Vitoria to Madrid
on wednesday. The hrst arrival probably
will reach Madrid about noon wednes-
day.
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 con-
t~estants. 1t iz expected that Fourier and
W.. X. Vanderbilt will make eighty-hve
miles a hour on the roads outside the
cities.
The competitors include all the holders
of long distance records. including Rene
De Knyfi. the winner Of the first Paris
Bordeaux race, Henri Fournier. the winner
OF the second Paris-Bordeaux race and
the Paris-Beriin race, Marcel Renault, the
winner OF the Paris-Vienna contest, the
two brothers Farnam c. Jarrett and the
other foremost French, German and Eng
lish and American automobilista. The
American entries are: ". X. Vanderbilt,
Jr, driving a s2-horsepower machine; c.
Gray Dinsmore, 9~O-horsepower machine;
w. 7. Dannat. the American artist, 50
horsepower machine; Foxhall Keene. 60
horsepower machine, and Tod Sloan. a o.
horsepower machine.
The start In the Paris-Medrid automobile
race was made at s:45 this morning. Charles
CARROT, the English ~automobiiist, was the
hrst to receive the signal TO 80.
w. X. Vanderbilt, jr.. had a start al
tls a. m. He presented himself at the
9fnRt1n1 .A~N d. 1900 -
slight discussion, which caused him 10
lose another minute. He was reported 70
have passed Rambouillette twenty-fourth
In order at t;46 a. m, going in fine order.
He was scheduled sixtieth in order OF
starting.