New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-17
FAST TINE By AUTOS.
EMPIRE CITY MEET.
Rain Causes POStponement after
Three Contests.

The contests in the fourth automobile race meet
held under the rules and sanction OF the American
Automobile Association NJ the Empire City track
yesterday postponed. after two races had
been decided and heat in the 15-miIe free-for-aI
class had been run. until tomorrow, on account
Of q heavy rainstorm.
1t the close Of the 15-miIe heat that
rain began to fall hard that the course looked
like river than track, and many sug-
gested changing the automobile meeting into a
swimming contest. The storm lasted about half an
hour. but it considered dangerous to take
chances letting the machines run in the muddy
going
One Of the largest crowds that ever attended a
motor meeting watched the races. and there was
much regret when the storm put an end TO the
days sport. The afternoon had promised TO be
perfect, and special trains from the Grand Central
Station and trolley cars arrived with crowds Of
spectators
Hundreds came in automobiles. and a larger col
lection of cars never gathered at the track There
were all kinds and sizes. The spaces under the
grandstand were filed with vehicles. and num-
Der were stored on the lawn back of the stand.
GRANDsTAND THRONGED.
Long before the first was called the big
grandstand was comfortably filed and UP 10 the
time that the meeting was called of until to-mor-
row spectators were arriving. As a Safeguard
against possible accident the spectators were roped
away from the outer rail-
The first race Of the day for ten miles for
AIdC4iIieS power weighing from SSl to ,432
pounds. The starters were W. G. Brokaw thirty
horsepower Renault. driven by Maurice c. BERN:
the II. H. Franklin Manufacturing Company's ten
horsepower Franklin, driven by w F. Winchester:
Walter Christe's thirty horsepower Christie driven
by himself; Guy Vaughn's forty horsepower De-
cauville. driven by himself and Oscar Lewtsohn's
eighteen horsepower Mercedes driven by NJ j.
Seymour.
Berwin shot to the front the sound Of the
pistol. and soon left wake OF dust that obscured
eIa ~N,F-
It was soon that he had the race well in
hand. and when he Tapped his opponents one by
one he received hearty applause from the specta-
tors. lie passed all Vaughn. The time
was 11:3s is. which beats all records for this
weight OF machine.
The fifteen mile race. free for all for machines
OF any motive power weighing from I432 10 2s4
pounds. 10 be in two preliminary heats the
winner TO run in the final. looked TO with
most interest. Harry S. Hardness had entered his
60 horsepower Mercedes. in which he recently made
such a daring record up Mount Washington. 1t
IN OF the heats. which could not
be before tomorrow 1t IS practically certain
that the lies between this car and Alfred G.
Vanderhilt's 50 horsepower Mercedes. which won
the first heat
THREE STARTERS IN FIFTEEN-MILE RACE.
There were three starters in this race-Vander-
bits driven by Paul Sartori; George Aren't.
Jr's. GO horsepower Mercedes. driven by Carl Mem
sci. and Guy Vaushn's 10 horsepower DecauvIe.
driven by himself
Sartori had the pole. He TO the front
once. and soon opened up a big gap Mensel
second and Vaughn third. The fastest mile made
by Sartori was s-5. which l as seconds be-
hind Barney OldheIds track record He covered
fifteen miles In 1870. Meusel's time Is IS SIS
and Vaughn's 1853 S-5. Sartori Tapped the Decau-
vile car In the ninth mile.
Vanderbits car Is built somewhat similar 10 the
machine In which William X. Vanderbilt. jr.. made
his record mile IN 0,39 at Ormond Beach last jan
uary. Sartori gave exhibition OF daredevil rid
ing and used excellent Judgment In turning the
corners A times he made these sharp
that il seemed though the machine would turn
over.
In the last mile the tire OF Vaughn's machine