River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-05-28

of the race, which was to have been
continued on Tuesday, included run
over French territory from Bordeaux
to the Spanish frontier. Premier
Combes' action will probably lead to
the race being abandoned.
| 1t is reported that the Spanish gov
eminent has also forbidden the con-
tinuance of the race on Spanish terri
tory.
Made Good Time.
The first stage in the Paris Madrid
automobile race, from Versailles to
| Bordeaux 343 miles, finished at noon
Sunday, when Louis Renault dashed
at furious pace into Bordeaux, hav-
ing made a record run of eight hours
and 27 minutes. An hour later NJ.
Gabriel arrived with still better
record of eight hours seven minutes.
1t is estimated from the times made
that these automobiles covered 81
miles an hour on the road outside the
cities.
Fatal Accidents.
These victories, however, were
| clouded by series of accidents,
having in one case at least, fatal re-
suit. At least two cars were wrecked
and Marcel Renault, the winner of
the Paris-Nienna race last year, Lor-
rain BarrOws. a very well known au-
! tomobilist, and Renault's chauffeur,
Were seriously, it is believed fatally,
| injured, while Barrows' chauffeur
was killed. Moreover, an unconfirm-
ed report says that a serious accident
occurred near Angouleme, in which
the two occupants of an automobile,
the owner of which is not yet known,
were seriously injured and two spec
tators were killed. This number of
accidents has not caused any great
surprise here in view of the number
of contestants in the race and the
great speed and power of their ma
chimes.
Withdrew from the Race.
The name of w. X. Vanderbilt, Jr.,
disappeared from the reports along
the route after Rambouillet, where
he passed % in order at 4:45 Sunday
morning, going in fine form. The
omission of his name from the dis
patches from Charities, the next town
on the road, caused some anxiety and
brought fourth number of inquiries
1t was learned later that he, Henri
Fourier and Baron de Forest with
drew from the race together before
reaching Charities. All of them suf-
fered breakdowns and having lost
three hours they decided that it was
useless to continue. Mr.. Vanderbilt
and Baron de Forest returned to the
Hotel Ritz at II o'clock a. m. They
laughed and made light of their with
drawal. FoXhall Keene, Tod Sloan
and w. j. Dannat, the American art
ist, did not appear at the starting line
when their turn was reached and con-
sequently did not take part in the
race. c. Gray Dinsmore is thus the
only American left in.
A Night of Excitement.
Versailles passed a night of wild
excitement. 1t is estimated that 100,-
600 persons crowded into the little
town to witness the start of the race.
Soldiers with fixed bayonets lined
the, track for some distance from Yer
sailIes. A bomb was exploded at 1886
a. m. as a signal to get ready and
Immediately Charles Jarrot's car
drew into place. Another bomb was
fired at quarter to four o'clock for
the start and then the enormous ma
chine shot forward amid the shouts
of the thousands of spectators. The
other cars followed in quick success
sion. Nine. de Cast, the sole female
competitor in last years Paris-Berlin
race. was again the only woman to
participate in the present contest.
He machine was decked with flowers
and her departure was the signal for
a great ovation. She made a SPLEEN
did run, passing five of her COMPETE
tors before reaching Charities. The
crowd around Mr.. Vanderbilt's ma
chine prevented him from reaching
the starting line in time, and he was
further delayed by controversy
with the judges, finally starting two
minutes late. The last departure was
at 6: AS a. N.
News of the Accidents.
During the afternoon word of the
accidents began to arrive and cast 9
cloud over the event. A dispatch from
Bordeaux announced that Lorraine
Barrows had met with shocking &C
cident near Libou~ne. II miles from
Bordeaux. at 1:45 in the afternoon.
Tt appears that Barrow had tried to
avoid a dog which was crossing the
track and his monster car, No. in
the race. struck a tree with terrific
force. His chauffer was killed out
right. Barrows himself was picked
up unconscious but still breathing
and taken to hospital, where his
condition was declared to be critical.
His car was dashed to pieces. Short |
" afterwards news came that Macel
Renault had been overturned in deep |
ditch beside the road near Coupe, Il
miles from Poictiers, and that he was
dangerously injured.
The Automobile club of Bordeaux |
received dispatch at four o'clock
saving Renault was unconscious and,1t
was feared, dying. Louis Renault, Mar
cells brother, was deeply affected by
the news and at once started back 10
his brothers assistance. Orders were
given to withdrawal the Renault cars
from the race Many lesser break
downs and casualties are reported.
An early report that one OF the two
brothers Farman had been injured IS
7