The state herald., 1907-09-06
WHILE GOING AT RATE OF MILE A
MINUTE AUTOS BECOME
MANAGEABLE.
BOTH DENVER DRIVERS
$4,000 PEOPLE WITNESS cATAs-
TROPHIES THAT SEND FRIENDS
TO DEATH.

|
better than mile a minute, on Labor
day, in the presence Of a madly ex-
cited throng of $4,000 spectators, Will
liam B. Felker and c. V. Dasey were in
stantly killed and the lives of Harold
Brinker, q driver, and other contest.
ants and spectators were endangered.
The fatalities were caused by two dis
| tinct and unavoidable accidents, both
OF which were due to tires bursting. In
both instances the powerful machines
became unmanageable monsters and
hurled their drivers into eternity.
| The greatest excitement prevailed,
both in the crowded grandstands and
on the verandas Of the Overland Coun-
try Club. which were thronged with
fashionably attired women and their
escorts. Women tainted and men
wept as they saw their friends in dan.
ger of destruction. Only the foresight
of the track management in having
scores OF policemen and deputies on
hand to preserve order prevented a
panic and still further accidents by
preventing the mob from surging on
the track until the other machines in
the race had been tagged by Starter
G. A. Blanchard.
When pasey Was Killed.
It was In the fifth mile that the Ap-
person Jack Rabbit, fifty.horse power
cor, received puncture in its
tire at about the three-quarter
pole. The car was about an
eighth Of mile from any of these
m m n nd I,n
tire burst the machine whirled com
pletely around three times with terrific
force, hurling Dasey, who was at the
Wheel out on the. track. His death was
caused by broken neck. but whether
by the force Of the fall or by being run
over by oncoming machines will prob.
ably never be known. The Apperson
was withdrawn and owing to the fatal
lty the Apperson reserve machine,
which was ready TO start, was with.
he'd.
After about the twenty-ffth mile,
| close observers noticed that the right
forward tire on the Felker machine
was wearing badly, this condition be-
lng evident especially around the turns.
When this condition was observed,
Manager @. A. Wahlgreen and Referee
N. II. Van Sicklen Immediately had
conference with the judges In charge
OF the meeting concerning the advis-
ability of tagging Felker. or. II advis,
Tble, stopping the race entirely. Those
formed of the practice In similar
cases on tracks throughout the coun-
try declared that the drivers In all
| cases were held strictly responsible
FOR any chances they might taken with
faulty tires. II was pointed out that
all the contestants had tire stations
established and II was expected that
the drivers. all of whom were expert.
enced. would shortly stop for the pur-
pose OF making tire changes. The fact
that II would be unjust TO the other
drivers, as well us TO the public, to
stop the whole race was also brought
out In this conference. II was agreed
10 fiag any contestant whose tires ap.
peared 10 endanger his life or that OF
others, At Just about this time. while
he was racing past the officials stand.
felker's bad tire partly gave way. and
n foot OF the outside covering few n
score Of feet In the air. Despite this he
took the curve at the clubhouse with.
out slowing down. The officials then
decided To nag him at all hazards on
the next time around.
story Of Felker's Death.
The rest OF the story Is best told by
Harold Brinker. who mlraeulously On.
capped without scratch
Il was laying very close to the Ste
ems" says Brinkcr. Il heard the tire
pop and strained every nerve to avoid
4 collision In case my opponent slowed
down. felkor did shut on his engine
about midway In the clubhouse curve.
but. then, strangely enough. he threw
On full speed ahead and shot forward
with terrific force. had Just time 10
steel myself for the worst. | saw him
sworvo and NIL could do was To take
the fence. went through first and
was fortgna,. enough 10 hit II between
two posts. Hc followed m. and must
| have struck the Jagged fence near ono
Of tho posts. I didn't have any time
10 think. I saw Felkor hurled high In
tho mir. My car raced over tho grass.
| jumped tho ditch and ran lik. n fright.
cncd thing up forty'fiyc per cent
grade. Tho grade slowed me up and
Jumped to safety unHcratched.
| u haw felker was done for and
| ruhu'u 'o uth nlafHin't " Nnh at uiEh
speed whom shut II on. II was yards
beyond where hc lay and was jammcd
In between trees and bushes. Tho
fight front tlro was gone and the left
front wheel completely demolished
Ahcre Il had partly torn away tho
trunk Of tree"
Observers state that Feiker must
ayo realized the condition OF his tire
when the outer covering gave way and
that he seemed To point At the wheel
aH he took the turn. That ho slowed
down a bit IL alao certain. Tho reason
ho again started up was probably In
fear that some Of those coming behind
might collide with his machine.
Both Nseks Broken.
An Investigation at the morsuo of
Coroner Rollins of IN. INJURIES which
caused the death Of Dasey and Felker
showed that tho base Of the skull, had
been crushed In both instances and
that the nechs were broken.
Every rib over Feihers chest and