Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-06-17
TOday's TeIegraphic News
The Bennett Auto Race

JlAllUulEf Odhk -
don Bennett motor cup race was run
from here today. The last car OF the
eighteen starters got away at sos this
morning. Emperor William gave the
flag signal for The first car to start, and,
with a mighty cheer from the thousands
watching the start, the great automobile
race was made. In the imperial pavll-
lion with the Kaiser the start was wit
messed By the Empress, the King oil
Wurtemberg, the German Crown Prince,
Prince Henry of Prussia, and large
number of other royal personages with
their suites. Near the starting line, on
opposite sides OF the course, the two
grand stands, each accommodating 5000,
were packed with eager spectators, and
30, 900 more sightseers had assembled IN
the grand enclosure six miles in clrcum-
ference within the vicinity of Saalburg.
At the drawing of lots for the order of
starting. Jeuatzy, the German, secured
the first chance and led oil. Cars we're
then started one after the other at inter-
walls of seven minutes and each outgoing
racer was encouraged by roar of APP
plause from the immense crowd of on
lockers.
Du Fox, the Swiss racer, was COM
PEELED TO withdraw from the race because
ofa broken axle. Opel, the German, was
also soon out of it as his axle also broke
soon after the start. The steep hill just
before reaching Usingen Is the first OF
the fifteen danger spots in the route. AT
the foot of the hill the road leads over
small, narrow bridge built over a little
field canal. Most ofthe racers slackened
speed considerably but others sped down
the dangerous hill at break-neck speed,
The impression of the spectators OF their
downward rush was that they only es-
capped disaster aud death by miracle.
The regulations of the race requires
that the route shall be at approximately
$50 miles, so that the racers have to
complete the circuit of the course four
times. The first racer to complete the
first round was JenatzY, the German,
who went over the course in one hour
and 26 minutes, after deducting 90
minutes which were lost in the eight
controls. This would make his actual
driving speed over a mile a minute.
Jenatzy also lead at the conclusion of
the second round, which he completed
in two hours and fiity-fve minutes. At
the end of the third round, Thery, the
Frenchman, had wrested the lead from
the German, and completed the three
rounds in four hours and % minutes,
10 minutes faster than Jenatzy's time
for the distance. A remarkable feature
of the race is the absence Of dust all
along the route, the entire length OF
the route having been sprinkled with a
special mixture Of oil and water at an
early hour before the race time. 1t is
reported that Jenatzy ran over and
killed a man along the route. A rather
amusing incident occurred at the start
ing point. Prince Henry of Prussia
had taken stand near the imperial box
to watch the start. Some policemen,
who were ignorant Of his identity, order
ed him to move, and because lis move
ments were not quick enough handled
him rather roughly.
The race was replete with exciting
incidents. Time and again collisions
seemed imminent. Edge, the English
man, and Salleron, the Frenchman, ran
abreast for twelve miles. The road at
the point where the nip and tuck work
occurred is but twenty feet wide and the
least swerye meant collision and annihi-
lation. At last Salleron secured the
lead. There were numerous narrow es-
capes while one car was oyertakinz
another. At Koenigstein the racers were
met by hostile band OF villagers who
attempted to stone the autos. The po-
lice finally repressed them. While wait
ling for the cars TO finish the last round
the Kaiser and Prince Henry of Prussia
withdrew to the shed where the models
of the machines engaged in the race were
kept. Prince Henry is an expert auto
mobilist and demonstrated the differences
in types to His Majesty.
Thery, the Frenchman, driving a
Richard Orasier car, won the Gordon
Bennett auto cup race. Thery beat
Jenalzy by buta few minutes. When he
finished he was given rousing ovation,
several French ladies among the specta-
tors becoming so enthusiastic that they
embraced and kissed the victor. The
Kaiser summoned Thery to the imperial
box and congratulated him.