Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1906-10-10
AUTOMOBILE RACES
FRANCE Won The Third RACE
FOR The Vanderbilt CUP.
Elliott Shepard's Car for Second Time
Is DeadIy-Wagner a Winner
Drives French Machine Faster thar
Mile a Minute clip-For Vanderbilt
Cup-SeveraI In Crowd Injured.

road race for the William X. Wander.
bilt, Jr., cup, completing record of
three straight victories in this event,
which is run over the turnpike of
Long Island, the center of the course
being about 20 miles from New York
city. Italy was second in the race;
France filled third and fourth places,
while Germany furnished the fifth car.
Only these five machines competed
the 10th and last lap Of the course,
which was 29.71 miles in length. The
total distance of the race was 297.l
miles, and Louis Wagner, driver of the
winning car, made the 10 laps in 290
minutes 10 20 seconds, speed of
more than a mile minute for the en-
tire distance.
One of the more than 100000 spec.
tators who lined the course paid with
his life the penalty of too great Gu
riosity. He was near the dangerous
turn in the course known as Krug's
corner. Two cars had flashed by
when the man ventured out on the
road to get better view of the others
coming with rush and roar Of throb-
bling engines, the French car driven
by Elliot f. Shepard, an American,
dashed into the man, who in view of
the thousands was hurled high in the
air. When picked up many yards from
the scene of the accident the man was
dead. His skull had been fractured,
both legs broken and he was fright
fully crushed. After a few minutes he
was identified as Burt l.. Gruner Of
Passaic, N. j.. Shepard plunged
ahead at 80 miles an hour along the
straight stretch leading to the judges
stand. He was completely unnerved,
however, and did not finish his sew
enth lap. 1t was given out that he had
h oxen a crank shaft. Shepard was
running sixth ard was in a contend.
ing position when the accident occur.
rcd.
Joseph Tracy in his American car
crashed into crowd Of men and boys
and seriously injured Sylvester Bald
win, a boy of Norwalk, Conn. One
leg of Baldwin was broken and BON
ankles fractured. Several others were
slightly hurt. Tracy held to the
course.
DR.. Wellschott, an amateur driver of
an Italian car, lost control of his big
12O horsepower machine on the very
first round. He ran down two boys
on bicycle and plunged down a 30
foot embankment. Both the driver
and his mechanic were picked up un.
conscious, but were quickly revived.
The injured boys are John Brooks and
Robert T. Ecke, living near the
course.
1t was an impossibility to keep the
throng off the course. They swarmed
upon the roads, breaking down the
danger fences as though they were
built of paper. The blow Of the bugle
and the cry of "car coming" had no
effect upon the crowd. They held
their positions on the course until the
oncoming car was within 100 yards.
Then, like the opening Of an invested
wedge, the crowd gave way with re-
l'ctance, leaving barely room for the
rushing car, with it's powerful engines
splitting fire and flame and roaring
like a detachment of small artillery.
The accidents that did occur were
early in the race before the majority
of the spectators became so bold.
The Vanderbilt cup now goes into
the possession of France and the next
time will probably be raced for in that
country. The race was held in Amer
lea this year through the courtesy OF
last years winner.
Wagner, who won the cup, drove
the same make of machine that won
last year. Henery was to have driven
the car this year, but at the eleventh
hour gave way to his junior assistant
on the racing team. Wagner was
ahead on every lap.
Seventeen cars started in the race
and of these IA were running when
time was called. All IA had complet-
ed the seventh round of the course, IL
had completed the eighth, eight had
completed the ninth and five had COM
pleted the 10th and last round over
the course. This was regarded as a
remarkable record.
Leblon was the only driver Of an
American car to complete the ninth
round.
Tracy Of the American team, winner
of the American elimination trials
was on his ninth round when stopped
He had the satisfaction of driving the
fastest lap of the day, thereby estab-
fishing a new record for the course.
He made his fifth circuit of 29.71 miles
in rs minutes 81 seconds. The driv-
ers slowed down to rs miles an hour
and less in negotiating some of the
turns. Then to bring their average up
to the 60 mile an hour notch it was
necessary to pound along some of the
straight stretches at 80 miles an hour
and more. The official grandstand was
on one Of the best of the long stretch
es and as the cars roared their way
through the cheering thousands, they
were Keeling off their fastest miles.
The American Automobile associa-
ton has decided that no more races
should be held under the auspices of
the association over the course used
Saturday.