Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-23
THOMAS MAKES
FASTEST TIME
CLIMBS ALTADENA INCLINE IN
4MINUTES So Ia SECONDS
Great Gathering Of Autoists at Pasa-
dena, Where Hill Climbing
Test Proves Gala Holl-
day Event

Fancy a gathering Of honklng, chug-
cling, mettlesome autos struggling, as
II were, at their chains, awaiting the
signal to be loosed; background the
picture with an animated scene. where
hundreds of folk, holiday bent, lined
| Los Robes avenue as IL stretched
away TO- the Pasadena foothills; then
imagine runabout or a giant touring
car breaking its leash and dashing out
towards the first turn, which led up
| the Altadena grade: watch It vanish in
| the dust and sunshine, and in a nut
shell is the story of the Pasadena hill
climb, a gala day in the history Of
Southern California automobiling.
A more ideal setting for the event
could hardly be imagined. Right well
did the local management choose its
course and none the less were they
rewarded when the last car had ar
rived safely for the final racing activ-
ity of the day. The roadway which
leads from Orange avenue and
stretches along Los Robles boulevard
into the hills is adapted for Just such
an event as occurred yesterday.
The soil is firm and fit for fast ma
neuvering. For block or so the way
is level, and then gradually raises to
slight incline that increases with the
QloltlllNOs vi cat bDIGdulllB Odh trees
in some places reach across the road
and altogether the cross country ap-
pearance of the course lends an open.
exhilarating touch, which blends we'll
with the nature of hill climbing con-
test.
1t was Washingtons birthday in
Pasadena and it was also auto day,
with hundreds of the machines dart
ing and chugging along the broad ave-
,ap aff. 4,
ing was not confined to local cars, for
Pasadena, with its thousands of opu-
lent eastern tourists, contributed a
brave quota to the cosmopolitan ag-
gregation.
The sight after the completion of the
test was well worth the trip. out.
Along Colorado avenue, from the cross
streets, whizzed hundreds of cars, some
with a puff and whir and others spin
ming silently along in the evening
light working in and out of the sub
urban highways or vending their way
towards the city.
Every make, every horsepower and,
in all, every variety of car was to be
seen along the way. Light runabouts,
heavy tourists, closed carriages and
cars stripped of their tonneaus mixed
in the parade and added to the general
spirit of autoism which pervaded
Pasadena yesterday.
The management was greatly elated
over the outcome and beamed genially
upon every one. Even members of the
police force, who have made life mis-
cradle for the horseless adherents, oc-
cupied seats in handsome machine
driven, however, by a layman. 1t was
an off day for the officers and they
gazed in amazement from their seats
of disadvantage as the racing fever
which was rampant sent many cars
rushing madly along the roadways in
an endeaVor to leave the dust for other
scorchers.
But one accident marred the day and
that occurred before the start of the
races, when E. r. Thomas colided
with carriage containing several
elderly ladies and gentlemen. The car
riage was badly smashed, but fortu-
nately no one suffered injury. The oc-
currence took place near the starting
point, where hundreds had gathered,
and for a moment there was much eX-
element in the belief that someone
had been hurt.
The management of the various
events could not have been improved
upon and in great measure the quick
decisive starts We're due to the clever
direction of Clerk William r. Ruess,
who allowed nothing to interfere with
There are spots along the road over
which the test was run yesterday that
are not at all conducive to a feeling of
safety, and at the second turn, where
the cars must swing at full speed or
be hopelessly out of it, a decliVity TO
the side of the road creates sensations
at least decidedly interesting if not eX-
Ceedingly thrilling.
Despite this fact four ladies made
tI. f.li Il nd Il al fl
cars at the end of the journey with a
smile that sent tiny wrinkles skirting
through veritable mask of dust which
encased their features.
Mrs. d. L. Void sat with her hus-
band in his Reliance, and in X. C.l
Hamlin's car We're Mrs Hamlin, Miss
Genevieve Hamlin, Mr.. Hamlin's sis
ter, and Mrs. DR.. Severson.
1t fell to the lot of a Thomas tour
ing car to win the cup for the fastest
time after it had reached the end of
the three-mile course in 4 minutes 5Sh
seconds, driven by Thomas Hughes.
The Thomas got away in fast style
and many were the predictions that
the big machine would make things
hum on the way up as it disappeared
along Los Robles avenue.
The next fastest time was made by
Buick runabout owned by DR.. Brown
with II. Harrison driving.
At the last moment II. d. IIyus with
drew his White tourist from the sixth
event because Of fiat tire.
The complete and official report of
the contest follows:
First event
Runabouts, $1,000 and under, full load.
Won by Buick; DR.. Brown, owner;
Harry Harrison, driver; time, 6 min
utes is seconds. Ford second
owned and driven by f. A. Bennet:
time, minutes seconds. Also rams:
Autocar, time minute& 81 seconds;
Wayne, Z minutes 25 seconds; Gale,
10 minutes 2S 3-5 seconds.
Second event
Runabouts, $500 and under, full load.
Buick, DIR. Brown, owner; II. Harri- |
son, driver; time. minutes sec
onds. REQ second, Leon Shelter, owner:
Hanshue. driver; time. minutes Al 8-5
seconds. Also rams: Ford, time 6 min
utes As AS seeonds Franklin, didn't
finish; Premier time Z minutes 10 tx
seconds; Wayne time minutes SO
seconds.
Third event.
Runabouts, open event.
Won by Franklin six cylinder; ID. @.
McCann, driver; time, minutes so 2-5
seconds. White second; time, min
4 Z dc