Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1906-10-13
AUTOMOBILE RACES
FRANCE won THE THIRD RACE
FOR The VANDERBILT CUP.
Elliott Shepard's Car for Second Time
Is Deadly-Wagner a Winner.
Mile a Minute clip-For Vanderbilt
cup-Several in Crowd Injured.

road race for the William X. Wander
bilt, Jr., cup, completing a 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 filed 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 29O
minutes 10 rs seconds, a speed of
more than mile a 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
wnen the man ventured out on the
road to get better view Of the others
coming with a 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 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 and 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 we're
, slightly hurt Tracy held to the
/ course.
DR.. Wellschott,-an amateur driver OF
/ an Italian car, lost control of his big
J 100 horsepower machine on the very
first round. He ran down two boys
on a bicycle and plunged down 80
foot embankment. Both the driver
and his mechanic were picked up un
, conscious, but were quickly revived
The injured boys are John Brooks and
J. 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 nc
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
luctance, leaving barely room for the
rushing car, with its 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 mex
= time will probably be raced for in tina
country. The race was held in Amer
" lea this year through the courtesy o
last years winner.
Wagner, who won the cup, drov'
{ the same make of machine that woi
:. last year Henery was to have driver
i the car this year, but at the eleventh
" hour gave way to his junior assistan
on the racing team. Wagner wa
- ahead on every lap.
Seventeen cars started In the rae
:, and of these IA we're running whel
II time was called. All IA had complei
u ed the seventh round of the course, l
!. had completed the eighth, eight ha
:. completed the ninth and five had CON
" pleted the 10th and last round owe
- the course. This was regarded as
= remarkable record.
Leblon was the only driver of a
- American car to complete the mint
round.
o Tracy Of the American team, WHINE
of the American elimination trial
a. was on his ninth round when stoppe
He had the satisfaction of driving II
- fastest lap of the day. thereby esta
~ fishing a new record for the cours
"a He made his fifth circuit of 29.71 mile
in 26 minutes 81 seconds. The dri
ers slowed down to 25 miles an ho'
and less in negotiating some of Il
ns turns. Then to bring their average l
u to the 60 mile an hour notch 1t WI
IN necessary to pound along some of Il
90 straight stretches at 80 miles an no
~ and more. The official grandstand vi
"n on one Of the best of the long stretc
VI es and as tie cars roared their WI
u"ss through the cheering thousands, tn
~. we're reeling off their fastest miles.
&c The American Automobile assoc
Iu ton has decided that no more rae
nu should be held under the auspices
the association over the course us
Saturday.
Big Fire at Jessup, Georgia.
Toscun co oct ga dastrucfi