The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-13
FLAW IN A
PIECE Of STEEL"
When That Happens Barney
Will Surely Retire.
CHANCE DEATH FOR COIN
GREEN DRAGONS MASTER TELLS
OF ST. LoUIs~TRAGEDY.

Some of these days there will be
little flaw in a piece Of steel, just a
little flaw; it viii all be over in the
tick Of watch, but they'll say: "Well,
he was going some" These words were
first expressed by Barney Oldfield to
a reporter for The Herald when Bar
ney visited Salt Lake year ago. and
since that time this sentence has be-
come famous from one end of the coun-
try to the other
The same calm indifference with
which the former Salt Laker expressed
himself as 10 the probable end of his
dangerous life in keeping in the lead
Of the maR-killing automobile racing
game, is still the most notable feature
in the makeup Of Barney Oldfeld. But
a single<ye has passed since Barney
thus expressed himself, and once his
battered form has approached Deaths
door, and a dozen of times the hand
of a kind fate has been laid between
the reckless driver and the fulfillment
OF his prophecy.
A year ago Oldfield said: "A few
more worlds records and little more
coin of the realm 10 keep me in my
declining Years. and then, If my lucky
star has not forsaken me. ] will re-
tire from this nerve-racking business
and live the life man should live"
The year passed around and Oldfield
in speaking of the incident. says he
only wants one more whirl at the
dangerous game and then if the ex-
pected does not happen he will be con-
tent to retire for life WHY he be
spared for another year? Barney asks
himself. He hopes for the best, but all
the time visions of his own prophecy
constantly hover before his eyes.
Lake he exhibited scars all over his
body, which plainly showed the I'M
even game he had been playing with
Death. On this visit, newer and fresh
eF scars and wounds plainly indicate
that the game is not yet fiINhed, that
the end is yet in doubt.
To the casual observer. Oldfeld is
the same Barney thousands used to
cheer at the Saucer track for his dare
devil riding on the rear seat OF a mo-
tor tandem. but to his close friends
there is great change apparent.
While he is still young and in appar-
emily robust health. the marks of his
high tension living are beginning 10
tell.
There is a slight twitehing about
the under lip, a small particle of which
was left on the racetrack at ST. Louis
the past summer Breathing is la
bored now because of a deep cash in
the left breast. the result of a collision
with a tree while travelling at the rate
OF mile under a minue. A halt in
his step is the result of a broken an
kle, and every few seconds Barney UNI
runs his hand over 1he I
back or his head. to the spot where
three doctors declared. less than four
months ago. his skull was fractured. |
That smile that won't come off, stiIl
plays about his face, but that is be
cause il Is part of Oldfeld's physi- !
cal makeup. All the accidents in the |
world will not conquer that smile. II
is as much a part OF the champion as
the clear head and keen eye that drive
the Green Dragon around the danger
Gus curves. Three years ago. down at /
the Saucer track it will be remembered !
Olddeld had a bad falI~from a run
away motor. He was dragged around |
the track at terrific rate of speed /
until finally gasoline motive power /
wrenehed the machine from his grasp. |
Many thought he was killed. The /
writer, running up to him. was the !
first to ask II he was badly hurt Old !
field reached behind and. pulling a sliv- /
er out of himself as large as a match |
replied: do you see that piece of I
wood? Well. ! have 10000 splinters in /
me and that is the smallest one" He /
wore that smile then and probably will /
until "one OF these days there comes
a little flaw in a piece of steel, Just a l
little flaw. IL viii be all over in the |
tick of a watch, but they'll say: We'll, /
he was going some"
Oldfeld was asked for his version OF |
the accident at St. Louis during the 1
summer racing season, when two men |
were killed.
He said: you know the press re-
ports at the time said I was blinded |
by the dust and ran into the fence. !
Well this is not so. / was trailing my
taking pace the same as
We do in bicycle race and his REAR
tires, special make. kept throwing a
stream of dirt IN my face. The
track had been dragged. but not rolled.
and was covered with small chunks of
black dirt about the size of a hickory
nut. One Of these was picked up by
ny competitors tire and thrown square
n my face, breaking the glass IN my
goggles and the force of the blow
stunned me for a second.
i could not see for an instant. and
before I recovered sufficiently / was
-unBing full speed for the fence on the
urn. As my nearly blinded vision re-
urned. I saw the fence A few feet in |
ront of me, but it was too late to turn |
teaiizing / was in for it, l ducked my !
lead, brought every muscle in my body
% a high tension and awaited the
shock. It came and felt myself going
through space as left the machine. 1
lad such strong grip on the wheel
hat ! carried II off with me and landed
heap about 100 feet away from
here the car stopped.
Strange as it may seem. / did not
ose consciousness. I slowly arose to
ny feet. just as some one rushed up
ma said, Sit down. Barney, syou are