Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1906-11-02
GREAT AUTO SPEEDWAY
Sixty idle Road Proposed For
Long Island.
WILL HAVE NO GRADE CROSSINGS
Highway 60 he BuiIt by Vanderbilt
Rn.. Protector. VIII lie Tor al
Who Pay Toll-Inn. aud Garages "a
De Established Along the hoate'
VIII Cost g.. O00.O 900.


viii Coat s:.O0O.oO0.
Automobiles OF New York and it,
vicinity are 10 have speedway OF
I tl.eir own on Long Island In the near
future. saws the New York Times. Tie
exact course hIs not Yet been determin-
Ell uuon. hut il j. settled that IL VIII
be sixty miles long and will prohail,
start FROM somewhere near tie eastern
end OF the BlaCkwclfS island bridge
aud run along the north side of the Is
land.
II is u be a real highway. following
the natural grades and turns of tie
surface ms a regular road does. but II
Is 10 be kept entirely free from all but
automobile traffic. Ii will run along n
private right of way and will Ice Sc.
curely fenced on Races will lie pos
siblc without the danger TO life and
limb which decided the Vanderbilt cup
committee never again 10 use the
course on the ordinary roads. There
are To lie no grade crossings. sufficient
width Is 10 he allowed To make passing
in safety pos sble with reasonable care,
and the danger from pedestrians and
slow moving traffic will lie noneXiStcnt.
Although the speedway is to belong
to a private corporation. it will be open
to all pleasure motors. Access will be
given 10 II through tol!gates placed at
convenient intervals t. allow com
muncation with the publ" highways.
At each tollgate will he established an
inn on the plan of the comfortable
hostclrieS of England. where autOmo-
bili>ts will he able To obtain refresh
mentS To each inn a garage will lie
attached where gasoline tanks and
storage batteries may lie charged ana
repairs affected. Moreover. the garages
will be equipped with oil spriukling
and road repairing outfits. so that the
track may be kept in the most perfect
condition.
Engineers under the direction Of
Ralph Peters, president of the Long
Island railroad viii begin TO survey
the probable route Immediately. and
Dean Alvord, who has large holding.
Of Long Island real estate Is looking
after the right of way. Probably II
will be necessary TO go to Albany T.
obtain legislation to establish the specd
way, but no serious opposition is OK
peCted. Many landowners have ex.
pressed Il desire to have the routa
through their property and will make
the acquisition of the right Of way
easy.
To build the course 50 OOOOO1 Is nee
essary, but Of this $49no00 has been
already subscribed, and it is believed
that all the stock OF the company
formed to construct It will he under,
written very shortly. W. X. Wander
hllt, Jr, Is the president and a plan
and scope committee has been formed.
consisting of Mr.. Vanderbilt as chair
man, Ralph Peters. 4. Il. pardington.
Jefferson De Mont Thompson. Dean
Afford and David Hennen Morris. pres
ident Of the Automobile Club OF Amer
lea.
y meeting was held few DAYS ago
at the Lawyer club, In New York. to
launch the scheme. Those present
were August Belmont W. X. Wander.
bilt, Jr., Ralph Peters, l.. c. Weir. pres
idcnt of the Adams Express company;
Commodore +. G. Bourne. Colgate
Hoyt, Jefferson De Mont Thompson,
ii. X. Rurras. Anton G. Hodenyl, A
L. Fardngton and David Hennen Nor
ris. The following were unable TO be
present. but sent to express their an
probation Of the plan and promised TO
serve as incorporators and directors.
Harry Payne Whitney, Clarence II
Mackay, f, Russell Thomas, W. J.
Matheson and John Farson.
AT a subsequent meeting of the
scope ana plan committee Mr. Van.
derbilt reported that he had already
received promises of 100000 out OF
the S2.OOo,OoO required. Mr.. pardinc
ton stated that two manufacturers had
subscribed $1,000 apiece and that one
oil them would increase this if ncceS.
safy. Work will be begun upon the
speedway at the earliest possible ma.
ment, but it will not be ready for use
for some months to come.