The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-05-25
FIRST STAGE
Of RACE ENDS
Automobiles Dash Into Bordeaux
After Terrific Run
VANDERBILT NOT IN SIGHT
Reports of Accidents Begin to Arrive,
and One of the Racers is Badly
injured and His chaffeur
Killed Outright.

Paris, May 24.-The first stage Of Paris
Madrid automobile racing from Versailles
to Bordeaux, S4s miles, finished at noon
today. when Louis Renault dished at
furious pace into Bordeaux having made
record run of eight hours and twenty
seven minutes. An hour later NJ Gabriel
arrived with still better record of eight
hours and seven minutes. Estimated from
from the times made that these automo-
biles covered sixty-two miles hour on
the road outside the cities. These VIC
tories however, were clouded by a series
of accidents, having in one case at least
a fatal result. At least two cars were
wrecked and Marcel Renault. the winner
of the Paris-Venna race last year, Lor-
raine Barrows, a very well known auto
mobileist, and Renault's chaffeur were
seriously and it is believed fatally In
jured, while Barrow's ohaffeur was kill
ed. Moreover, an unconfrmed report
says that serious accident occurred near
Angoulema, in which the two occupants
of the automobile, the owner of which is
not yet known, were seriously injured and
two spectators were killed. This num-
ber of accidents has not caused any
great speed and power of their ma
chimes.
Vanderbilt Not Heard From.
The name of w. K Vanderbilt, Jr., dis
appeared from the reports along the route
after Rambouillet where he passed twen-
ty-eighth In order at a quarter Of flve
omission of his name from the dispatches
from Chartres, the next town on the road,
caused some anxiety and brought forth
a number of inquiries 1t was learned
later that he, Henri Fournier and Baron
Deforest withdrew from the race togeth-
er before reaching Chartres. All OF them
suffered breakdowns and having lost
three hours, they decided that-4it was
useless to continue Mr.. Vanderbilt and
Baron Deterrent returned to the hotel
Ritz at IL o'clock this morning. They
laughed and made light Of their with
drawal. Foxhall Keene Tod Sloan and
w. j. Dannat, the American artist. did
not appear at IT,. starting line this morn
ing when their turn was reached, and
consequently did not take part In the
race Gray Dinsmore is thus the only
American left in.
Excitement In Versailles.
Versailles, passed night OF Who eA-
cttement. It is estimated that 100000 per-
sons crowded into the little town to wit
ness the start of the race. Soldiers with
fixed bayonets lined the track for some
distance from Versailles. A bomb explod-
ed at 1886 a. m signal to get ready,
and Immediately Charles Jarrots car drew
into place. Another bomb was Tired at
3:45 for the start and then the enormous
machine shot forward amid the shouts OF
ha of SnaatatOrS. The other
cars followed in quick succession. Nine.
DeGast, the sole female competitor In last
years Paris-Berlin race. was again the
only woman to participate in the present
contest Her machine was decked with
flowers and her departure was the signal
for a great ovation. She made splendid
run, passing five of her competitors before
reaching Chartres. The crowd around
Mr. Vanderbilt's machine prevented him
from reaching the starting line In time
and he was further delayed ~ a contro-
versy with the judges, hnally starting
two minutes late.
The reports along the route soon showed
that Louis Renault was making great
race and before reaching Chartres he had
overtaken and passed Charles Jarrett M
Rene DeKnyff and gained a cad which
he never lost after.
Accidents Begin.
During the afternoon word Of the acci-
dents began to arrive and cast a cloud
over the event. A dispatch from Bor-
deaux announced that Lorraine Dar-ows
had met with shocking disaster near Ii
bourne, seventeen miles from Bord saux
at las this afternoon. 1t appea-J that
Mr.. Barrows had tried to avoid dog
which was crossing the road and his ,ar
struck tree with terrific force. His
chauffeur was killed outright. Barrows
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.
Shortly afterwards news came that
Marcel Renault had been overturned in
a deep ditch beside the road near Coupe,
twenty-one miles from Poictiers, and
that he was dangerously injured. The
Automobile club of Bordeaux received a
dispatch at o'clock saying Renault was
unconscious and 1t was feared diving.
Many lesser breakdowns and casualties
are reported. An early report that one
of the two brothers Farman had been
injured Is unconfirmed. Late in the af-
ternoon an unconfirmed report came
from Bordeaux that a serious accident
had occurred near Angouleme, two occu-
pants of an automobile being thrown out
and injured.
The result Of the first stage of the race
appears to be a draw between the merits
of the light and heavy vehicles. Louis
Renault drove light machine. Weighing
$50 pounds and Of 30-horse power, while
Gabriel drove a heavy machine of 10
horse power weighing 1000 pounds.
The time and position Of the winners of
the first stage, deducting the time allow
ance for slowing down inside the cities,
are as follows:
Gabriel, hours and 10 minutes; Louis
Renault hours and 80 minutes; Sa-
leron, hours and IS minutes; Jarreot
hours and Is minutes; Baron De Craw-
hor 6 hours and 1 minute; voigt. 6 hours
and minutes; Bareas. hours and u
minutes; Rougier. hours and 16 min
utes; Mouter. hours and II minutes.
Race Will be Stopped.
Paris. May 2l-In view Of the number Of
accidents, some fatal in the first stage of
the Paris Madrid automobile race from
Versailles to Bordeaux. Premier Combes
has forbidden the continuance of the con-
test on French territory. The second
stage Of the race. which was to have been
continued Tuesday, included a run over
~~~nnh tAxEitory from Rordaaux "a ths