The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-22
HAIR RAISING ON
The CUP COURSE
Many Thrilling Escapes from
Death in the Race Pre-
liminaries.
Journal Special Service.

Journal Special Service.
New York, Sept. 22.-Two hair-rais-
ing accidents occurred on the Wander
bilt cup course in Nassau county, Long
Island, yesterday. The 80-horsepower
fra x rs driven by oTen a~esompaniea
was wrecked near East Norwich while
going rs miles an hour. While TWEEN
ty-fve automobiles were racing to the
assistance of the Maxwell crew Walter
White and several friends in a White
machine, nearly collided with Walter
Cristie, who was going 70 miles an
hour in his racer. The White car was
ditched and the occupants thrown out.
No one was injured.
dent on the way to the course and was
damaged so that it will not start. This
was the B. L. M machine. It was
driven from the New York shop yes
terday to be taken to the track and
had not gone far when one of the CYL
inders blew out with tremendous re-
port. This makes two cars that have
been wrecked and only thirteen of the
fifteen entered will be at the starting
line tomorrow morning.
Escape a Miracle.
Wallace Owen is one of the most dar-
ing drivers entered for the race and
that he and his mechanician were not
killed in the accident is considered a
miracle. During the early morning
practice work the 6O-horsepower HAYNES
car driven by H. N. Harding, started
to make record run over the course.
Owen saw the machine whiz by his
garage on Jericho turnpike and de-
cided to overtake the Haynes racer.
He had his car on the course eight
minutes after Harding had gone.
1t took him just nine minutes to
reach the North Hampstead turnpike
fifteen miles from where he started
and he saw Harding's machine on the
crest of hill half mile ahead. He
was then going seventy-five miles an
hour and averaging about sixty eight
miles, subtracting the time lost in
slowing down for turns.
Without warning the construction
G~n S&fsg s sf is t9f the s SyHT
that had eight cylinders. Offeniausel
climbed out on the front of the ma
chine to repair the break. Suddenly
the cylinders dropped. There was 3
binding flash Of flame, a thunderous
report and the racer was enveloped II
smoke. Only the iron nerve of owen
saved their lives. He chung to the
steering wheel and kept the car from
rushing off the course. The brake was
applied and the car stopped in thu
middle Of the road. ~
Called for Help.
Owen could not realize that the ac
cldent had occurred without serious re
suit and in his excitement ordered Of
fenhauser to run to the telephone a,
East Norwich and notify those al
Krug's Corner that the Maxwell cal
had exploded. AS soon as the message
was received twenty-five automobile
started to the rescue. They racei
along Jericho turnpike at top speed
In 81 front Of the Westbury grandstant
were ground to bits. ~,
Walter White with his friends wa
With the rescue party. His car was il
the lead when like a flash Christie
machine shot around a curve and wa
upon them before either driver coul,
stop: Christie steered as near tn
ditch as he could and White took tn
other side of the road, but his machin
hurled out. In White IS machine wer
Jack Harrison, Alexander Schwalbac
and p. L. Ferguson. They escaped in
/ jury. by landing on the turf. The ca
was slightly damaged.
This as a forerunner of the grea
American elimination trial that starte
at O'Clock this morning, illustrate
the perils Of the race.
1t is estimated about 100000 wa
wagered on the race.
Garden City was astir when tn
! snorting racing machines were weighe
IN. Each car had to be under 2.2O
| pounds as it went on the scales, and
J was almost ridiculous to watch til
care with which the mechanics worke
! to reduce weight. All had bee
cleaned and sweated for many hour.
Each piece of machinery had been tai
en- out and rubbed until the smalIes
speck Of dirt was removed. Then a
the cars were pushed upon the scales
piece of perfectly clean paper was pu
on the ground so the tires would nc
pick up any dirt. A piece Of tinfo:
lay on the scales and one of the me
cha anI dashed on and plucked it off.
The Matheson was the last car
weigh in. It was overweight whe
first, taken to the scales and had +
go. back to the shop, where the MI
chinery was filed down.
BILLY H0KE Is FAST