The Washington times., 1906-09-04
SPECTATORS SHNERED
AS THE AUTO SMASHED
Crowd az Luna Park Thought the
Fair Rider Was
Killed.

With the "somersaultIng automobile
act as the free outdoor feature. and
the ne7. ~ organized Greater Washing
ton Rand. under the leadership OF John
BOvellO. as the musical offering OF the
week, Luna Park enters upon the fifteenth
week Of fits successful season. with
everything 10 indicate that 81 has reach
ed the banner week Of the entire year.
The automobile act IS ore Of great
atiouallsm. and requires consider
able nerve on the part Of he daring
young woman who rides down the sew
enty-foot incline Owing 30 an accident
yesterday afternoon St was not possible
10 give the performance on schedule
time. After over 100 yvorknon had I'm
ished their task of erecting the stru@tur-
al steel tower upon which the tracks
are placed for the machine 20 run on,
the automobile was hoisted TO the top
of the ircline. and everything prepared
for the performance. BY some mlshau
the coru that holds the big machine 10
the top Of the incline snapped. and the
automobile came rushing down its sew
enty fees Of track. turned the regulation
somersault. and landed on the platform
beneath. reducing IL to kindling WOOD
not been properly erected. and this caus-
ed the supporting beams 70 give way
when the machine struck A crowd OF
over 1900 people surEed and pushed
their way TO the place Of the accident.
many thinking the fair rider had been
In the auto when the crash came There
was the widest excitement for about
ten minutes. Mons. Maurice Garanger.
fsrr-
ages the act. stepped upon the remain
ing beams OF the demolished platform
and explained 10 the audience the cause
Of the mishap.
When the hour arrived for the evening
exhibition onerOf the largest crowds that
ever witnessed performance at Luna
Park had gathered in the vicinity of the
miniature park at the main entrance.
where the bis tower has been placed.
Far up into he woods and beyond the
buildings Of the roller coaster the people
were packed closely together. There
was not a foot Of extra space for a DIS
lance OF 300 feet from the scene Of the
performance. 1t took just twelve stout
laborers to pull the charming little
French chauffeur to the top of the tower.
and the immense crowd witcheC with
ga SsLtA44FSS t4lAfiNSk every movement or
the daring young woman. Mile DARCY
was clad in a handsome evening gown.
and presented Striking appearance as
she waited rather impetiently at the
top for the signal to loosen the ropes
and free her automobile She was strap
ped in The seat y the machine by heavy
cords. After carefully examining every
part of the apparatus and calling the
attention OF the crowds TO the move
ments Of the automobile and the i'm
possibility OF any danger to the Young
woman at the TOP (Which the crowd did
not believed. everything was in readiness
for the ride.
The shot Of a pistol rang ont clear
on the night air. the cord that held the
big machine in position was snapped.
and. with It's load of loneliness the auto
mobile came crashing down the great
steep track, leaped over twenty feet
up into the cir with the ease and grace
of trained athlete. turned its forward
somersault. and fell heavily 10 the plat
ford beneath, running of into the grass
Tor short distance The screams or
women and the shouts Of men were the
only noises that could be heard. AID
thousands of those who had seen the
leap thinking the woman had been IN
jured CT perhaps killed. rushed 20 the
side OF the automobile only 20 find her
face wreathed ga smiles. There was not
a person present who did not declare ii
the most thrilling exhibition OF nerve
and daring they had ever Witnessed