The Springfield herald., 1907-09-06
TWO HURLED
into ETERNITY
WHILE GOING AT RATE OF MILE A
MINUTE AUTOS BECOME
UNMANAGEABLE.
BOTH DENVER DRIVERS
5000 PEOPLE WITNESS CATAS.
TROPHIES THAT SEND FRIENDS
TO DEATH.

Denver.-While tearing around the
Overland park race track at a speed
better than q mile a minute, on Labor
day, in the presence of n 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, a 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 unmanaseable 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 Dasey Was Killed.
1t was in the fifth mile that the Ap-
person Jack Rabbit, a fifty-horse power
cor, received a puncture in its
tire at about the three-quarter
pole The car was about an
eighth of mile from any of these
Immediately behind ii, and when the
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
ny 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was withdrawn and owing to the fatal
ity the Apperson reserve machine,
which was ready to start. was with
he'd.
After about the twenty-fifth mile.
close observers noticed that the right
forward tire on the Felker machine
was wearing badly, this condition be-
ing evident especially around the turns.
When this condition was observed,
Manager G. 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, If advis-
able. stopping the race entirely. Those
informed 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. 1t was pointed out that
all the contestants had tire stations
established and 1t 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 it would be unjust to the other
drivers, as well as to the public, to
stop the whole race was also brought
| nut in this conference. 1t was agreed
to flag any contestant whose tires ap-
peared to 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 flew a
score of feet in the air. Despite this he
took the curve at the clubhouse with
out slowing down. The officials then
decided to flag him at all hazards on
the next time around.
story of Felker's Death.
) '~ts
Harold Brinker, who miraculously es-
capped without scratch.
Il was laying very close to the Ste
ems" says Brinker. Il heard the tire
pop and strained every nerve to avoid
a collision in case my opponent slowed
down. Felker did shut off his engine
about midway in the clubhouse curve,
but. then, strangely enough, he threw
on full speed ahead ana shot forward
with terrific force. / had just time to
steel myself for the worst. l saw him
swerve and all | could do was to take
the fence. | went through first and
was fortunate enough to hit 1t between
two posts. He followed me and must
have struck the jagged fence near one
of the posts. l didn't have any time
to think. | saw Felker hurled high in
the air My car raced over the grass,
Jumped the ditch and ran like a fright
ened thing up forty-five per cent
grade The grade slowed me up and
jumped to safety unscratched.
Il saw Felker was done for and
rushed to his machine. 1t was at high
speed when | shut it on. 1t was yards
beyond where he lay and was jammei
in between trees and bushes. The
right front tire was gone and the left
front wheel completely demolished
where it had partly torn away the
trunk of tree"
Observers state that Felter must
ave realized the condition of his tire
when the outer covering gave way and
that he seemed to point at the wheel
as he took the turn. That he slowed
down a bit is also certain. The reason
he again started up was probably in
fear that some of those coming behind
might collide with his machine.
Both Necks Broken.
An investigation at the morgue of
Coroner Rollins of the injuries which
caused the death of Dasey and Felker
showed that the base of the skull had
been crushed in both instances and
that the necks were broken.
Every rib over Felker's chest and
abdomen was fractured and crushed
and all the ribs on Dasey's left side
were crushed almost into a powder.
The bones in the shoulders were bro
ken, and also the backbone in several
places.
w. b. Felker came to Denver in
1881. His father, Judge w. b. Felker,