Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-21
FEATS OF CHAUFFEURS.
Drove Car Down Flight of Stairs and
Climbed Roof.
From London Tit-Bits.

From London Tit-Bits
When Mr. l. earle. a short time ago
drove his acknowledgements car, weigh
ing over a ton. down the steep chute at
the Crystal Palace. the thousands of spec
tators held their breath In apprehension OF
a terrible catastrophe, and when the dar-
ing motorist checked what promised to be
a headlong flight and brought his car to q
full stop in the middle of the chute they
gasped with amazement. while Mr.. Carrie,
who appeared to be the only COOL self
possessed person present smiled and raised
his hat
One cannot help wondering what would
have been the sensation of the spectators
of this feat If they had seen that mad
performance of James Carol OF Tacoma,
Wash. some time ago. Mr.. Carol. surely
the most daring, not to say reckless, or
men, actually drove his car, weighing one
and a half ions and brakeless, down a
wooden staircase of 700 steps. Scarcely
had the machine started on Its per1lous
descent than every tire was torn on the
wheels: while, third OF the way down,
the monster car had reached a speed of
eighty miles an hour and was taking crash
ing leaps over twenty steps at time. And
yet marvellous to relate, the journey was
successfully accomplished: although, when
at last its meteoric flight was arrested and
the car was brought to a standstill. II was
found that almost every part of the me-
chanism was broken
In comparison with such a sensational
performance this one hears without q
tremor of a motor car climbing the roof
of house. This feat undertaken by
north-country motor manufacturer, who,
in order to demonstrate the power and
brake efficiency of one of his cars, drove
it up a specially-constructed chute to the
top of a two-story workshop, climbed the
slate roof. and then descended backward
to the ground, the remarkable double jour-
ney being made with what appeared to be
ridiculous ease and safety.
A more perilous venture that of a.
Danish chauffeur, who, in the presence of
thousands of thrilled spectators drove his
car to the summit of the round tower at
Copenhagen. Running round the tower is
q spiral platform not more than twelve feat
wide which climbs to the towers summit,
a height of 100 feet. and 1t was along this
narrow track, where the least loss of nerve
would have meant horrible death, that
the reckless Dane drove his car, complet-
ing his task in half dozen minutes.
A very clever, although intentional
feat was that of well-known motorist on
one of the steepest hills In Devonshire. The
car when near the summit of the hill came
for some reason to a stop and began to
run backward. to the great alarm of sew
eral ladies who were on it; and when the
brakes failed to act all but the driver gave
themselves up for lost. Luckily the latter
kept a cool head, and. gripping the steering
wheel, he steered the car on its mad back
ward course safely to the bottom of the
hill. although before 1t came to a stop it
had reached a speed of fifty miles an hour.
One of the most adventurous of motor
trips was that of Jules Picard, who for a
wager drove his car, weighing and
three-quarter tons, over the Pyrenees.
Part of the journey was along narrow
path cut in the mountain side, with the
cliff rising sheer side and preci-
pice / 400 feet deep the other the brink
of which was but few inches from the
off wheels of the car. A dangerous venture
was the climbing of Snowdon by Mr.. Har-
of which was along a narrow track be-
tween deep precipices. round sharp curves
and up a gradient of one in FIVE The
plucky motorists were stopped at the last
ridge before the actual summit by a snow
drift over six feet deep. through which IL
"They had to dig out" Mr. Du eros
says and further progress was IMPOSE
sible.'
Mr.. Dudley Grierson had similar thrfliine
moments when he rode 1000 feet I'D Ben
Nevis on his motor bicycle, and Miss Vera
Butler. when driving her car from Greno-
bic to La Grande Chartreuse. was more
than once within an ace of making head
long plunge down breath-taking precipices.
Once at least a motorist has ventured
with his car into the bull ring. His name
is Peter Garcia. and In his car, draped in
scarlet. he made bold entry into the
arena at Lorca. in Spain, where a specially
fierce bull was awaiting him. The animal
reused to fury by his strange adversary.
made furious onslaught with lowered
horns the driver. in seeking to avoid q
collision. lost control OF his car, dashed
into the barrier and was thrown out on hio
head This was the bulls opportunity, and
with q toss Of his horns he hurled his
fallen enemy Tar among the spectators.