Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19
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RADICAL RULES
GLlDDEN TOUR PARTICIPANTS
DEMAND CHANGE
Despite Complaints Which Have Been
Registered Against Management,
Sentiment Calls for a Repe-
tIton of Long Run
Special to The Herald.


CHICAGO, ILL.,, Aug. 1S.-Radical
changes in rules and vastly more eff
cient management are demanded by all
Of the automobilists who took part in
the recent American Automobile asso-
citation tour provided the t-ociation de-
termines to repeat its annual run next
year and offer the Glidden cup for its
third competition.
Secretary Sidney S. Gorham says that
Notwithstanding the complaints that
have been freely made against the
have been freely made against the
management of the recent tour, the
general sentiment, as he understood 1t,
was that the tour must be held by all
means next season.
THE fact that the rules did not work
out as satisfactorily as the committee
had expected he said, "was not only
the biggest surprise of the whole run,
but the very fact that thirteen Ameri-
can cars finished the 1200-mile trip with
perfect scores is a grand triumph for
the high standard of the American
automobile industry.
Make New SUGGESTIONS
Suggestions have already been made
regarding certain changes in rules for
another year. in case the Glidden cup
is competed for. Personally L should
favor making a maximum penalty for
certain breakages to the machine,
whether such defects were repaired
within controls or not.
1.-THE breaking of an axle or any part
of the steering gear should, for in
stance, be matters of heavy penaliza-
ton, for these accidents are liable to
fx,k.r 80
the car
There would be no sreat difficulty
in keeping track of such troubles, and
the perfect score cars would not only
show at the close of the long run the
ability to travel a number of miles
within stipulated times but could also
claim the advantage, and no inconsid-
cradle one, of having completed the trip
without serious accident to the ma
chinery of the car"
Statements have been expressed by
a number of the competitors that, as
the A. A. A. touring committee has
shown its inability manage this an
nual tour. the Automobile Club of
America or some other responsible or
ganization should be asked to take
charge of the event. No definite plan
in this respect has been outlined. Mr..
Gorham, while adm tting that he had
heard these statements, did not believe
they were entitled to serious consider
alton.
Preparing Report
"The touring committee" he added,
''is now at work upon very eXhaus-
tive report dealing with the financial
side of the trip, the rules and arrange
ments for hotel and other accommoda-
tions which will be presented to the
directors of the association at the Sep
tember meeting.
"A detailed report will also be pre-
sented to the Glidden cup commission,
giving statistics of the thirteen cars
that had perfect scores and of Others
that failed more through personal faults
than mechanical troubles. The cup
commission will probably not announce
the disposition that it will make of the
cup until this report is completed"
How some of the contestants look
upon the tour and the rules governing
the Glidden cup event may be judged
from the following comment made by
one Of the tourists:
All Cars Deserve Credit
'.There was not one car in the entire
eighty-four entered that does not de-
serve particular credit for the showing
it made. The contest in itself was far
cical, and it is an error to detract from
the value of any one of the machines
that went over the roads on the Glid-
den tour for the reason that the COM
mittee saw fit to penalize them in
most ridiculous manner for points that
really deserved merit.
"An example of what value this run
was is to be found in the case of
machine which went over the entire
route with a perfect score, machinery
intact, and tires never once inflated.
Through error in the calculation of two
OF it's occupants, who were guests of the
driver. he passed the control seven
minutes ahead of time and was thus
penalized fourteen points. This shows
in a measure how faulty the rules and
conditions of the contest were"