The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-25
FISHER WINS AUTO RACE
OLDS MACHINE COVERED 1O4 MILES
IN JUST SIX HOURS.
MuelIer's Cadillac Broke Down Near
Columbus and Was Unable to Fin
ish the Route--The Race.

Carl G. Fisher of the Fisher Automobile
Company, won the 100-mile automobile race
yesterday and the $500 side bet wagered
| with Conrad Mueller. Fishers machine was
| the Oldsmobile and Mueller used a Cadillac
machine in the contest. Earl Fisher drove
| the Oldsmobile and w. A. Carr drove the
Cadillac The start was made from the H.
| T. Hearsey Company's store on Monument
place at 9:1S, and the Oldsmobile finished at
| 3:1S. requiring just six hours to cover 104
| miles by cyclometer register.
The Cadillac machine was not driven back
| to the city. 1t failed to cover the route be-
cause of breakdown near Columbus. The
route selected by the committee was to
Columbus and return, the distance by road
| being forty-eight miles each way Seven
| teen miles out of Indianapolis the babbitt
metal in the main bearing of the Cadillac
machine burned out. This would not have
prevented the machine finishing the dis
| tance, but another and more serious acct
| dent occurred two miles this side of Column
| bus when the pitman rod broke, bursting
| the crank shaft and the crank case This
| rendered the machine useless, and 1t was
towed to Columbus by Henry Brandt in an
| Oldsmobile machine. To win the bet
| 1t was only necessary for the Oldsmobile
| to finish the distance.
The time made by the winning machine is
| considered exceedingly good considering the
| condition of the roads. The average was
| sixteen miles an hour. but many miles were
reeled of at a NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. gait.
CROWD COLLECTED.
Quite a large crowd collected on Monu-
ment place when the start of the race was
made yesterday morning. Both machines
were inspected by the committee. composed
| weidely. The machines were found to be
regular stock machines as provided for in
| the agreement. The Cadillac car was fur
nished with an eight horsepower engine
and the Oldsmobile with a four horsepower
engine. Because the mud guards had been
| removed from the Cadillac car the COM
| mittee insisted that the guards over the
chain on the Olds car be removed. This
was done. but Fisher explained that the
| guards are placed on all machines of that
| make and 1t would give the machine dis
| advantage. According to the story told by
Earl Fisher on his return Ii was necessary
| for him TO clean the mud from the chain
because the guard had been removed.
Earl Fisher was accompanied on the run
| by Horace Cherry, representing Mr.. Muel-
Ter. and Carr was accompanied by Frank
| Moore, representing Mr.. Fisher.
| Both machines Travelled slowly until the
| city limits were reached and then Fisher
took the lead, following the Three Notch
| road. Carr was some distance behind. Carl
| Fisher and a party of newspaper E1en fol-
lowed the racers in a big Winton car and
| ne was the first to notice that the racers
/ had taken the wrong road after leaving
| Meridian street. Fisher opened the speed
| on the big machine and overhauled the Cad
lilac. He told Carr to return to the right
road. He then caught up with the Olds
mobile and notified his brother to return to
| the right road About eight miles were lost
/ in this manner. In crossing over to the
| Madison road both machines got stuck in
| the mud. The Odds pulled out, but 1t was
necessary for the passengers in the Win
| ton to help Carr extricate the Cadillac.
The Olds machine took the lead, but was
stalled on a hill this side Of Greenwood
and the Cadillac soon caught up and took
the lead. The road from Greenwood to
Franklin was good, and from Franklin to
| Edinburg there was considerable mud. AT
Greenwood the Cadillac machine was about
| one and a half miles in the lead, but Fisher
/ passed Carr six OF seven miles beyond
/ Greenwood. Fisher never saw Carr and the
Cadillac after he passed the opposing ma
FISHER MADE GOOD TIME.
Between Edinburg and Columbus the
roads were good and Fisher made good
time Cherry lost his cap, but Fisher did
not stop. Cherry wrapped handkerchiefs
around his head. Arriving at Columbus
Fisher registered at the st. Denis Hotel,
and without stopping his engine started
on the return TRIP
On the return trip Fisher took the east
| fork of the road near Columbus. and in
this way failed to pass the Mueller machine,
which was stalled the west fork of the
road. There were no mishaps to the Odds
machine on the return trip. and when the
| roads were good Fisher made good speed.
| When the winning machine rounded into
| the Circle Just six hours after the start
\ the two occupants looked tired and weary.
A heavy wind blew in their faces on both
| the going and returning trip, as the wind
| shifted to the northwest during the after
| noon. The men were warmly clad, however,
| and neither felt the effects Of the hard run.
The only mishap to the Fisher machine ex-
| was the breaking of pump pin, which
/ caused no bad effects.
Carl Fisher. who was the challenger for
| the race, was delighted over the victory.
/ He said the race proved his claims for his
machine and said much credit was due the
| Olds for winning with a four horsepower
| engine over a machine using an eight horse
| power engine. The Odds machine used in
| the race has been in the use of Townsend,
/ Reed & Co for several months The Cad
| lilac machine was practically new.
| Mr.. Mueller had no excuses to offer over
/ his defeat. He said he is now ready to pro-
coed with the other trials for 81, 600 side
/ lions made by Mr.. Mueller for hill-climbing
| contests. etc. providing the tests are suf-
ficient to prove the respective ability of the
| machines.
| Indianapolis to Dayton.
The Indianapolis & Eastern Railway Com
| pany the Greenfield line, expects to have
| connections completed sufficiently to have
/ cars running into Richmond by May Is.
| The company will have it's line completed
/ from Knightstown to Dublin within six
| weeks Within two months the Dayton &
/ Western will have its line completed into
| Richmond and by June / the indianapolis
/ company hopes to be carrying passengers
/ TO Dayton.
j Rolice Conn isx 81