The Saint Paul globe., 1905-01-02


DENVER, Col, JAM 1-s.Pike's Peak or
bust" That is the slogan these days of
daring automobiles, who in the near fu-
ture are going to try and negotiate the
snow capped peak of the Rockies.
In August, 1905. an international auto
mobile run will be held over the slopes
of this famous mountain.
G. A. Wahlgreen, of the Denver Over
land Racing association, is the moving
spirit in the big test and is directing all
his efforts toward the great test in ALL
gust.
In connection with the plan to climb the
steep slopes of the Peak there will be
long-distance race from Colorado Springs
to Denver.
IF there is anything that assures the
success of automobiling and attracts the
interest Of prominent owners and manu-
facturers it is novelty" said MIR. Wahl-
green. "This is likewise the element in
the sport which attracts the general pub
lie. For this very reason the hill climbing
contests at Eagle Rock hill and elsewhere
in the East have been pronounced sue
( cesses. 44..
'As is usually the case, there is little
the East can spring which the West can
not duplicate or improve The fuss about
the Eagle Rock hill climb naturally sug-
gested the feasibility of similar contests
in Colorado. Pixies Peak at once loom
GU up Sto ttlC iOcdl SOdl lOI oil SttilI WuiCu
will be international in character.
There is not an auto manufacturer in
the world who would not jump at the
chance to enter his car in such a test.
The private owners out for the love of the
game will be equally eager to figure In
what will aSSuredly. be the greatest fea-
ture of the kind ever projected. 1 expect
that Vanderbilt and other prominent own
ers will either enter in person or send
their expert drivers to buck the grade.
nf nOD6 1nfi fir,rr ho
will be comparatively small. The main
consideration will be the preparation of
the roadway. This will involve removing
and covering up some rocks. but the cost
will not be prohibitive. A number of
prominent Eastern auto enthusiasts who
were at the Brown few days ago assur-
ed me that such an event would attract
practically every prominent owner who
could spare the time to make the trip,
and that the officials could be readily
picked from the most experienced sports
men In the country.
1.-THE mountain climb will be backed by
Motor Field, and will give a cup to be
known as the Wahlgreen cup. The en-
tire affair will be properly supervised, so
that awards can be made upon a classi-
fed basis satisfactory to all who enter.
'The actual climb will be approximate
ly 5000 feet, as this represents the dis
tanee from the surrounding country to
the peak. The road distance will be
about fourteen miles and the steepest
grade in places will approach As degrees.
LII SOIIiSCtlOH Will tHO DiOuHldlQ CtiIuO
there will be long distance auto race
from Denver to Colorado Springs In the
first fifty miles to Palmer Lake the 2,500-
foot rise will have to be overcome. From
Palmer Lake to the Springs the visitors
will be given a treat in coasting over the
splendid road and through the unsur-
passed natural scenery
1.-The presence of so many of the high
est grade racing machines in the world in
such proximity to Overland park, with
what Oldfeld has demonstrated to be the
fastest track in the country, renders very
probable the arrangement. of race meet
ing with the choicest programme ever put
on in the Rocky Mountain West. Such a
meeting would attract thousands of the
visitors who will be in the state on ac-
count of the G. A. r. and similar excur-
sions.
Taken altogether. I believe that a
meeting of automobile enthusiasts of in
ternational reputation along the lines sug-
gested would do much to boost Colorado
by bringing for pleasure men of promi-
nence who might be expected to combine
business with fun during their stay